Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education is set to meet with the Immigration Bureau on 23 April to establish stricter controls on international students suspected of using study visas to work illegally, following recent reports involving Chinese nationals.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) will hold a meeting with the Immigration Bureau on 23 April 2025 to develop measures aimed at curbing the misuse of student visas by foreign nationals. The move comes after concerns surfaced regarding some individuals—particularly from China—allegedly entering Thailand under the guise of studying while engaging in unauthorized employment, notably at construction sites.
The ministry is responding to growing public scrutiny and media reports about the possible exploitation of the education system as a loophole for illegal work. In response, MHESI has directed several academic institutions to provide detailed records of their international students. These include Lamphun Buddhist College, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), and three private universities reportedly linked to Chinese investors.
These institutions have been instructed to submit data covering the number of enrolled Chinese students, their academic disciplines, study durations, and details of their visa statuses. The Ministry has requested this information to be delivered within one week to aid in ongoing assessments.
Simultaneously, MHESI is preparing to integrate its database with the Immigration Bureau’s systems to enable more effective monitoring of international students’ compliance with visa regulations. Enhanced cooperation between the two agencies aims to identify irregularities and enforce legal measures against institutions that may be complicit in facilitating such practices.
In a statement, MHESI reiterated its commitment to preserving the integrity of Thailand’s higher education system. The ministry emphasized that swift action will be taken against institutions failing to uphold regulatory standards or found enabling visa misuse.
The initiative will also include the development of a centralized database of foreign students in Thailand to support cross-agency inspections. Additionally, authorities are reviewing current policies governing the admission of international students to ensure stricter oversight going forward.
Present at the announcement was Minister Supamas Isaraphakdi, who appointed Ms. Suchada Sang Thanathip, her secretary, to represent MHESI in discussions with the Immigration Bureau.
