Baaksida

Thanks for the good reply!

So it's Malaysia again...

I would like to apply for a consecutive Non "B" visa in Phnom Penh, but are a bit worried due to recent reports about the Thai embassy there.

Which (company) papers will I need, in addition to the letter of recommendation from my employer? What are the latest news?

Thanks for the replies!

My employer at first deducted the wrong amount, before withholding 5% of my salary (1,500 baht out of 30,000 baht).

Is this all what I'll have to pay as personal income tax this year (18,000 baht) ?

What is the withholding rate for individual's income tax (salary) in Thailand ?

(Yearly income: 360,000 baht.)

Thank you very much.

I received a Non "B" visa (single entry) with the remark "Extension of stay not permitted".

My question is, can I get a one year extension of this visa at the local immigration office? (I have a one year employment contract.)

Can I use my Non "B" visa for two consecutive employments (different employers) ?

I have a double Non "B" visa and used my first entry already for a work permit.

I'm staying now in Thailand using my second entry, which I would like to use to apply for a new work permit for a new job. Possible?

My salary was cut by my employer last month as I was absent without prior

notice, as I feared not getting permission to do my "business" while being away from the office.

This business was doing a border run to activate my second Non "B" visa (of my double visa) and travelling all the way to Bangkok to get a new passport as mine is practically "full" (It takes more than six weeks to get a new one from my embassy!!).

I did all this to have a legal status in Thailand/work and in order not to miss school work during the next employment period, starting in May. I wouldn't have much to do in the office (government school) anyway, except maybe of surfing the internet...

I am currently the only native speaker working with the school. Most of the Thai teachers show up once in the while, while I am requested to do "office work" (i.e.

being present 40 hours per week (for a measly 22,000 Thai baht)...

I don't even have a written employment contract in my hands. That's after working here for more than three months.

And, you guessed it, my employer is a department of one of the big universities in the country...

What should I do, appeal against the director's decision ??

Do we, as foreigners, have any rights in this country anyway, except of leaving it ? (I could tell many more stories as how employers, both government and private

tried to cheat me and colleagues...)

I will soon receive a new passport from my embassy.

As I understand it, I will be required to go to immigration to "transfer" the existing Non "B" visa from my old passport to the new passport.

(Remarks: I work in Hat Yai and I can get the passport from either the embassy in Bangkok, or the consulate on Phuket.)

Now I am unsure to which immigration office to go...

Should I pick up the passport in Bangkok (at my embassy) and go to immigration in Bangkok (because it is convenient and I know where that office is),

or should I have the passport sent to Phuket (as planned) and go to the immigration office in Phuket City (if possible for me, as I am working in Hat Yai, not in Pkuket province),

or do I have to go to immigration office of the province where I work ??

(Would immigration in Bangkok or Phuket City decline my request, as I am not working there ?)

Also, how much (if any) does it cost ? Or should I just get a new visa, rather than using the remaining four weeks of my current visa ??

"Current rate as of January is 10% (split between employer and employee means each have to bear 5%). 3% each was what it started with when the law was actually enforced and became applicable to ALL employees. Before it was only concerning organizations with more than 10 employees."

I have a friend, who worked as a teacher without a work permit years ago. His employers (2) kept automatically 3% of his pay.

Unlikely that this money went into government coffers. I would guess, that the employers just pocketed it...

Just curious, what is the Thai Social Security withholding this year. Is it still 3%, or more ??

If you have a job in Thailand, every month you have to pay a Social Security Contribution. In return you'll be able to use the services of a local hospital for 30 baht.

Last year it was 3% of my salary/pay. This January, as my work permit wasn't 'completed', I paid about 3.5%. Was the Social Security "Tax" increased for this year, or is the accounting staff doing some major mistake with MY money ?

I did recently "create" trouble for myself with my future inlaws...

Reason was, that the younger brother of my fiancee, being angry with his sister (my fiancee) because of her complaining to him about several things, threw my clothes (including the neat trousers I needed the next morning) on the floor.

One should know, that my fiancee's room--she is a student--is very dirty, so I was so upset about this action, that I took the suitcase and most things with me, as I wanted to take them to my room instead. (I live and work in another town, and taking luggage by van is a nuisance and a half!)

So my fiancee started crying, as she thought, that I would leave here for good...

(My problem now is, that this little creep of a brother told his mom about the one or two tears of my fiancee, so that my fiancee's mom forbade my fiancee to see me or stay with me again.)

We still meet, though. But how shall I do in the future ? After all, we wanted to marry in the future. And as that is Thailand-she can't without the approval of her parents...

So, what is your idea ? How can I get "face" again in the eyes of my future in-laws, especially my fiancee's mother, who is the dominant person in her family ?

I kindly asked my finacee to explain the situation to her mom, but she is afraid to admit to her mother that her room is indeed very dirty.

Thank you for your kind advice!

Do Thai citizens need a passport for Malaysia ? (For a quick one-day shopping trip to Padang Besar/Malaysia.) Or is a border pass sufficient for this trip ?

And as this is the "question hour", is it possible for a Thai citizen (19), who lives in Hat Yai to get his (first) passport there, or does he have to go to Bangkok for the application ?

That's my problem: I want to change my job now, as I have only now the opportunity.

My current boss won't pay me until the end of month.

But: I have no real (written) contract, just assignments for work.

Can I just give one day's notice, or how many days ?

Or should I "make some trouble", so that they "give me the boot" and pay me out ??

This employer did lie to me when I applied for the job, as neither the hourly pay, nor the work assignments are conform with our agreement.

Any advice about how many days in advance I should give notice ?

The bullshit usually comes down in busy tourist areas. I live up country and when I go to the 7-11 to pick up a bottle of Sang Som and some smokes at 2am the counter people make a display of counting out the change.

True, as this scam (as opposed to real miscounting), happened to me in Bangkok's tourist areas (Sukhumvit, Banglampoo).

But the advice of mentioning aloud the amount you are handing over is good! I will do that from now on.

This kind of cheating happened two times (or more) to me: You purchase items for less than 100 Baht, paying with a 500 or 1,000 Baht  banknote. The cashier tries to give you only the change up to 100 Baht, trying to pocket the remaining 400 or 900 Baht!! (After all we are "stupid farang"!) It happened to me for the first time at a 7-ELEVEN in Bangkok, as I had to argue for a minute with the cashier that I gave him a 500 Baht note, not a 100 Baht note! The second time it happened at the McDonalds, near Democracy Monument, when I was supposed to pay 57.00 ("Fyfty-seven" as the girl said). I handed the female cashier a 1,000 Baht note and she handed me 43.00 Baht (expecting me to leave ?)!! I had to remind her, that I was expecting another 900 Baht, which she finally gave me too.

Or is this the going rate for short-time in Banglampoo, and she wanted to make some extra money after work ?? (After all, she didn't look that bad!)

Note: I am seldom in Bangkok, much more often "upcountry". So, does this happen often in Bangkok

How about IF I worked on the 121st day ??

He told me when I came from work...

I failed the probation in my current position, bad luck!!

But I still have some disputes with my boss...

I have a one-year contract, probation of 120 days with full pay.

My boss gave me the boot yesterday.

My question is: am I still employed, i.e. does he have to tell me, that he will not "renew" the work contract on the ...

a) ... last day or within the probation period. Or ...

... can he tell me on the121st day, that I failed the   probation ??  

If a) applies, I may still have a job, having time to look for a new one... (I started on May 26, but may work contract starts on June 1 ...

30 days (June) + 31 (July) + 31 (August) + 19 (September)

= 121 days (one day too late!) ...

But if applies, of course I would be without a job.

Anybody, who knows the labour laws ??

I am a non-native English speaker, teaching English now in Thailand. I was thinking about getting a TEFL certificate...

However, before spending the money for a course, I would be interested to know, whether a TEFL certificate is of any use for me, as I neither have a degree, nor am I a native speaker.

As I understand it, a TEFL certificate is only useful for native speakers, who have any Bachelor's degree (or am I wrong ?)...

I did get my Non B the usual way with a "Letter of Recommendation". The visa officer told me: "Do not apply next time without a work permit..."

My problem is, that I did not get the job after all, but need

a new Non B now, as I have a job offer again.

So, my question is, will I have problems this time, having "only" a "Letter of Recommendation" from the second firm, rather than a work permit, when applying for a new

(i.e. my second) Non B ?  

Or should I just go to another embassy/consulate, telling them, that my prospective employer did not give me the job after all ?

I was recently happy to get two new teaching jobs after being without work for 3 months.

As for the weekend p/t job I was offered some work, while being declined a working agreement by this small private language school in Pattaya.

So, I have no contract whatsoever, getting however paid in cash right after the one-to-one tuition.

The pay per 60 minute hour is a misly 120 THB. Is this the lowest rate in Thailand for foreign teachers ? Okay, I do not have any degree, but I used to earn 450 Baht per hour in a previous similar job.

Should I renegociate ?

How much, as a percentage of what the school charges the customer should I receive as my teacher's hourly pay ?

Just got my first Non-immigrant "B" Visa last week, for double entry.

Was puzzled though by the inscription "No extension possible..." on the visa. Didn't want to upset the embassy employee with too many questions...

So my question is now, can I extend the first 90 days of this visa by another 30 days at Immigration (90 d + 30 d + 90 d + 30 d  ??), or do I definitely have to leave the country for a border run after these 90 days, activating my second entry ?