3 Thai universities deny offering student visas to illegal Chinese workers
Three universities in northern Thailand denied allegations that they illegally issued student visas to Chinese nationals who were secretly working on construction sites across the country.
The Facebook news page, รู้ทันจีน (Roo Than Jeen, meaning “Know China”), claimed yesterday, April 21, that several universities in Thailand provided student visas to Chinese nationals who were not enrolled as students, thereby enabling them to reside and work illegally in the country.
The page administrator accused three universities of involvement in the alleged scheme: Phayap University in Chiang Mai, North-Chiang Mai University, and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University’s Lamphun campus.
An advertisement for student visa services was reportedly shared via the Chinese social media platform Xiaohoshu. According to DailyNews, Chinese nationals were required to pay 10,000 baht for each visa.
Most recipients of the student visas were said to be working at construction sites throughout the country, without ever attending the classes for which they ostensibly enrolled.
The claims quickly gained traction among Thai netizens, with many demanding clarification from the universities concerned. Some condemned university officials for allegedly undermining the country’s integrity and international trust.
In response, all three universities issued official statements denying the accusations. They asserted that they offer short-term courses to international students and vet personal information thoroughly before approving any applications.
The universities further stated that they closely monitor class attendance and would cancel the visa of any student who fails to attend as expected.
Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University additionally clarified that it does not provide special transportation to the Immigration Bureau and does not charge any additional fees for student visas.
The university’s Vice President, Phra Thep Watcharasan Bandit, stressed that the institution takes such matters seriously and had previously deported 28 foreign students for visa misuse.
The arrests of Chinese nationals at construction sites were reported on numerous occasions in the past. However, officials did not clarify the type of visas held by those apprehended.
In recent incidents, one Chinese man was arrested in Chon Buri two weeks ago for illegally overseeing a construction site. In Phuket, eight Chinese nationals were arrested at one site, and another four were arrested at a separate site in March.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
