THAILAND: University council seeks longer visas for foreigners

The Council of University Presidents of Thailand has vowed to continue pushing for longer visas for foreign lecturers and students.
Currently, foreign students in Thailand are required to renew their visas every three months, while foreign lecturer visas also require regular renewal.



"We will write to the Foreign Ministry for help," said the CUPT president, Professor Somkid Lertpaithoon. Somkid, who is also the rector of Thammasat University, said the CUPT had already raised this issue with the National Police Office and the Immigration Bureau. "But the police did not agree with our proposal," he said, adding that granting longer visas would help ease Thailand's entrance into the Association of South East Asian Nations community.

Somkid said universities study the qualifications of foreign lecturers and students before recruiting them. "The government should trust the universities' judgement and adjust visa regulations," he said.