ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

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xandreu
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by xandreu »

I had an issue a while back where I had obtained a work permit through an agent. When it came up for renewal, I decided to do it myself, but I was told it had to be done online and was given the website. When I tried to make an account, it said that an account for me already existed and I should just log in instead. Clearly, the agent had created an account for me when I first got my work permit, so I contacted the agent and asked them for my password, but they would not give it to me. They kept giving me excuse after excuse and I soon realised that they were deliberatly not giving it to me because they wanted me to go through them again, and not do it myself.

There was no 'forgot password?' option on the website, and even if there were. they would have emailed it to the agents email address, not mine. I was in a catch-22 situation. But. not one to sit back and allow myself to be ripped off, I took a Khmer friend to the MoL and explained the situation to one of the agents there.

He said he couldn't reset my password, but he could get me a new work permit without having to go through the agent. If I paid him. Directly to him. No forms, no medical check-up, just a copy of my passport and a sum of money that was about $10 less than if I had gone through the agent again.

I reluctantly agreed and have since learned that this is just the way things work here. Everything is designed to be done either through agents, or people 'in the know'. The system is simply not set up to do things yourself. It may appear that way, but it's not in practice. Everybody wants their 'cut'.

This was a few years ago and I have used the same guy ever since. Things may have changed in the intervening years, I haven't bothered to check to be honest.
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by xandreu »

^^ this is a little too off-topic. I forgot which thread I was writing in but the delete option has gone. MODS - feel free to delete it if neccessary.
The difference between animals and humans is that animals would never allow the dumb ones to lead the pack.
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by Pseudonomdeplume »

xandreu wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:26 pm I had an issue a while back where I had obtained a work permit through an agent. When it came up for renewal, I decided to do it myself, but I was told it had to be done online and was given the website. When I tried to make an account, it said that an account for me already existed and I should just log in instead. Clearly, the agent had created an account for me when I first got my work permit, so I contacted the agent and asked them for my password, but they would not give it to me. They kept giving me excuse after excuse and I soon realised that they were deliberatly not giving it to me because they wanted me to go through them again, and not do it myself.

There was no 'forgot password?' option on the website, and even if there were. they would have emailed it to the agents email address, not mine. I was in a catch-22 situation. But. not one to sit back and allow myself to be ripped off, I took a Khmer friend to the MoL and explained the situation to one of the agents there.

He said he couldn't reset my password, but he could get me a new work permit without having to go through the agent. If I paid him. Directly to him. No forms, no medical check-up, just a copy of my passport and a sum of money that was about $10 less than if I had gone through the agent again.

I reluctantly agreed and have since learned that this is just the way things work here. Everything is designed to be done either through agents, or people 'in the know'. The system is simply not set up to do things yourself. It may appear that way, but it's not in practice. Everybody wants their 'cut'.

This was a few years ago and I have used the same guy ever since. Things may have changed in the intervening years, I haven't bothered to check to be honest.
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by John Bingham »

Just for the record I have all the necessary valid documents for a work permit. It was during COVID times (when they closed their facility) that the MoL made it possible to use agents to organize the health check. I have no problem with taking a health check, I am pretty sure I don't have any communicable diseases since my last private check up but their check up is nonsense.
There were thousands of factory and other local people at the facility any time I went. They only paid 10,000 but foreigners had to pay 100,000. The good thing was that you got to skip the long queue.
They do a height, weight, chest size thing and then a tongue depressor, blood pressure and check your lungs with a stethoscope. The blood thing seemed dubious when you see how they collect the samples.
I think it's a good idea to do it, but the check up should be more useful. As it is a person would have to be quite incapacitated to not pass it.
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by Username Taken »

xandreu wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 4:23 pm It's safe to say that his working life is effectively screwed from now on.
You mean his teaching career is screwed.

However, if he stops using meth and starts to put on more weight, he could easily rent himself out as a human beach ball. :color
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by PSD-Kiwi »

xandreu wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:26 pm I had an issue a while back where I had obtained a work permit through an agent. When it came up for renewal, I decided to do it myself, but I was told it had to be done online and was given the website. When I tried to make an account, it said that an account for me already existed and I should just log in instead. Clearly, the agent had created an account for me when I first got my work permit, so I contacted the agent and asked them for my password, but they would not give it to me. They kept giving me excuse after excuse and I soon realised that they were deliberatly not giving it to me because they wanted me to go through them again, and not do it myself.
This is exactly why I urge people to apply online or directly at the MoLVT themselves, because agents just do it online using the applicants details anyway, then charge a premium for it. Had a few cases recently of people who had used an agency, however that agency closed down and they were unable to contact the agent. I advised them to go directly to the MoLVT and apply in person, problem solved.

Anyway, will let y'all get back on topic now....
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by phnompenhsteve »

It's for the work permit, not the visa, and they know it's going on. Just like they know that no one obeys the traffic laws.
GMJS-CEO wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 4:51 pm People illegally bypassing the health screening should have their visas revoked.
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by phnompenhsteve »

Why do you even care?
Even for the people that do go to the ministry.....no one gets refused anyways. So it's just a formality.
They're not actually screening for anything.
If they were then they would put an end to the agent workaround.
GMJS-CEO wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:11 pm
John Bingham wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:00 pm I had no issues with getting a (BS) check up at the ministry. It was on the ministry's advice that we used an agent.
That rogue staff member at the ministry needs to be re-educated by the competent authorities.

I never had any issue with getting the health check. I did wonder if they actually did anything with all those vials collected or just chucked them.
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by phnompenhsteve »

Exactly. People who are like "the government should revoke the visas of those who used an agent" are obviously new to Cambodia. hahaha
xandreu wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:26 pm I had an issue a while back where I had obtained a work permit through an agent. When it came up for renewal, I decided to do it myself, but I was told it had to be done online and was given the website. When I tried to make an account, it said that an account for me already existed and I should just log in instead. Clearly, the agent had created an account for me when I first got my work permit, so I contacted the agent and asked them for my password, but they would not give it to me. They kept giving me excuse after excuse and I soon realised that they were deliberatly not giving it to me because they wanted me to go through them again, and not do it myself.

There was no 'forgot password?' option on the website, and even if there were. they would have emailed it to the agents email address, not mine. I was in a catch-22 situation. But. not one to sit back and allow myself to be ripped off, I took a Khmer friend to the MoL and explained the situation to one of the agents there.

He said he couldn't reset my password, but he could get me a new work permit without having to go through the agent. If I paid him. Directly to him. No forms, no medical check-up, just a copy of my passport and a sum of money that was about $10 less than if I had gone through the agent again.

I reluctantly agreed and have since learned that this is just the way things work here. Everything is designed to be done either through agents, or people 'in the know'. The system is simply not set up to do things yourself. It may appear that way, but it's not in practice. Everybody wants their 'cut'.

This was a few years ago and I have used the same guy ever since. Things may have changed in the intervening years, I haven't bothered to check to be honest.
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Re: ACE School's Michael Strahan (Teacher Michael in Cambodia) Admits to Grooming Underage Student in Cambodia

Post by Kammekor »

phnompenhsteve wrote: Thu Oct 06, 2022 5:54 pm Exactly. People who are like "the government should revoke the visas of those who used an agent" are obviously new to Cambodia. hahaha
xandreu wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:26 pm I had an issue a while back where I had obtained a work permit through an agent. When it came up for renewal, I decided to do it myself, but I was told it had to be done online and was given the website. When I tried to make an account, it said that an account for me already existed and I should just log in instead. Clearly, the agent had created an account for me when I first got my work permit, so I contacted the agent and asked them for my password, but they would not give it to me. They kept giving me excuse after excuse and I soon realised that they were deliberatly not giving it to me because they wanted me to go through them again, and not do it myself.

There was no 'forgot password?' option on the website, and even if there were. they would have emailed it to the agents email address, not mine. I was in a catch-22 situation. But. not one to sit back and allow myself to be ripped off, I took a Khmer friend to the MoL and explained the situation to one of the agents there.

He said he couldn't reset my password, but he could get me a new work permit without having to go through the agent. If I paid him. Directly to him. No forms, no medical check-up, just a copy of my passport and a sum of money that was about $10 less than if I had gone through the agent again.

I reluctantly agreed and have since learned that this is just the way things work here. Everything is designed to be done either through agents, or people 'in the know'. The system is simply not set up to do things yourself. It may appear that way, but it's not in practice. Everybody wants their 'cut'.

This was a few years ago and I have used the same guy ever since. Things may have changed in the intervening years, I haven't bothered to check to be honest.
This thread is woke, full off good intentions, and a person has effectively been cancelled for life by it.

Fit's the 'zeitgeist'.
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