Phuket officials play down rumors of foreign-teacher crackdown

PHUKET: Immigration and education officials doused rumors today that have been swirling around the Phuket foreign-teacher circles about a possible crackdown on teaching requirements and work permits.

Chalam Attatham, director of the Phuket Primary Educational Service Area Office, confirmed that there would be no such crackdown on foreign teachers, and that all policies and requirements remain the same.

“I have not heard anything about a clampdown on teachers. Teachers are being made to meet the same general qualifications as always,” he told the Phuket Gazette.

“Please do not panic over these rumors. English teachers do not have to have an English-teaching degree to get a job in Phuket.

“If we have any pertinent information regarding policy changes, we will make an official announcement.”

Mr Chalam said the general qualifications for teaching positions for most schools on the island are as follows: the native English-speaking teacher must have graduated from a university or college, but is not required to have an English-teaching degree; if the teacher is not a native English speaker, he or she must have completed and be able to present a TOEFL or TOEIC certification.

Phuket Employment Chief Pitool Dumsakorn also confirmed to the Gazette that he had received no order to target English teachers or their employers.

Sunchai Chokkajaykij, superintendent of Phuket Immigration, also urged teachers to brush off the rumors.

“We have not received an order to crack down on school teachers. Please stay calm,” he said.

“If anything changes, we will update you, especially if it directly affects Phuket.”

— Chutharat Plerin