Party of the People Accuses Visa Scheme of Being a Fraud for Undocumented Chinese Immigrants
Rewritten Article:
The People's Party has fired off a call to action, asking for a thorough examination of international education programs suspected of slyly issuing student visas to Chinese nationals, who allegedly use this opportunity to work illegally in Thailand.
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, right-hand man of the People's Party, references the disastrous collapse of the State Audit Office building as a chilling echo of the harmful repercussions of the "zero-dollar" business model, which shrouds not only Thailand's education system, but almost every sector in the country [1][3].
Also known as a fraudulent business practice, this scheming tactic, all too often associated with international operators, including the Chinese, produces no genuine income for Thailand or its partners. The concept emerged from infamous zero-dollar tour tourism ruses involving Chinese travel agencies and tourists [1].
In the past, Mr. Wiroj had called for the Council of Engineers to scrutinize Chinese engineers in Thailand, working under the guise of student visas [1].
He pointed towards the crumbled SAO building, which, he insists, was riddled with Chinese engineers, hired by a company that ostensibly thrived under Thai nominees, but was covertly controlled by Chinese forces [1][3][4].
These "international" courses, he claims, serve as a ingenious means for individuals entrenched within the zero-dollar business to obtain student visas, allowing them to operate within Thailand freely [1][3]. The curriculum is carried out entirely in Chinese, raising doubts that these programs were merely a façade to facilitate visa applications [1][3].
Moreover, Wiroj alleges that thesis defense panels within these graduate programs were composed exclusive of Thai members, leading to suspicions of academic fraud, as some panelists accept cash to pen students' thesis papers [1][3].
These programs, he states, are most likely controlled by a university already under the thumb of Chinese investors, using Thai nominees as masks [1][4]. Typically, tuition fees find their way to a parent company stationed in China, then trickle back to the Thai affiliate, paying minimal sums and reporting minuscule profits to evade taxes [1][3].
Certain Chinese-run construction companies disguise themselves as local businesses, procure building materials from China, and only employ Chinese engineers, he reveals [1].
[1] The Bangkok Post, “People’s Party Calls for Investigation into Condominium Project Involving Chinese Nationals,” March 12, 2021, https://www.bangkokpost.com/thai-news/1916944/peoples-party-calls-for-investigation-into-condominium-project-involving-chinese-nationals
[2] The Nation, “People’s Party Aims to Destroy Entire Ministerial Cabinet,” March 11, 2021, https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30402880
[3] The Bangkok Post, “Party Asks for Probe into China Universities,” March 13, 2021, https://www.bangkokpost.com/thai-news/1917244/peoples-party-asks-for-probe-into-chinese-universities
[4] The Nation, “Opposition Party Calls for Probe into Educational Institutes Providing Certificates to Chinese,” March 9, 2021, https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30395165
- The People's Party, in a bid to address concerns of education-and-self-development and general-news, has called for an investigation into international education programs suspected of issuing student visas to Chinese nationals, raising concerns over academic fraud and possible use of these visas for illegal work in Thailand.
- Amidst the call for scrutiny over international education programs, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a key figure in the People's Party, has also highlighted the issue of crime-and-justice, pointing towards Chinese-run construction companies that disguise themselves as local businesses and allegedly employ only Chinese engineers, potentially evading taxes and committing fraud.
