PUBLISHED: 1 May 2025 at 03: 30
The opposition’s People’s Party ( PP ) has written to Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation to request that it be looked into international study programs that are suspected of obtaining student visas for Chinese nationals who have been forced to work illegally in Thailand.
The State Audit Office’s ( SAO ) building collapse on March 28 provided evidence to support his claim that nearly all sectors in Thailand, including education, are severely affected by the so-called “zero-dollar” business model.
The phrase refers to a deceptive business process that is frequently linked to foreigners, especially Chinese ones, and that neither Thailand nor local partners are able to profit from. The idea was first introduced by the infamous “zero-dollar trip” companies that involved visitors and Chinese travel agencies.
Mr. Wiroj had earlier requested that the Council of Engineers look into Chinese engineers who were working in Thailand while on student visa.
He claimed that a search into the SAO developing found that several of these Chinese engineers were employed by a business that was registered in Thailand under Thai nominations but really run by Chinese interests.
He claimed that the’global’ courses offered to Chinese students who had been granted student visas were completely taught in Chinese, which raises the question whether these programs were created to help those in the zero-dollar business to obtain student applicants so they could run their businesses there.
He added that even the panellists for thesis defense in these doctoral programs were made entirely of Chinese faculty people. Additionally, they were paid to write theses for students, which constitutes scientific scams.
He claimed that these programs were being run by a school that had been used by Thai nominees by Chinese investors. A family company in China typically paid tuition fees, which funneled limited obligations to its Thai online.
In order to avoid paying taxes, that Thai affiliate reported extremely lower profits and received only minimal payments, he claimed.
Some Chinese-run construction companies, he claimed, posed as local businesses but merely employed Chinese engineers and imported creating supplies from China.
Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation received the complaint from Mr. Wiroj yesterday.