CrunchWrapSupreme

Most of the former Patts/BKK prostitutes are back in the Issan villages, like mine, where they've unfortunately spent the past year harassing their poor grandparents.

However a few of them have since moved their trade online. Regardless of how you feel about such behavior, it provides for the fam, and is much better than doing nothing then whining about it.

For "research purposes", go to YouTube and search for "bigo live". You're welcome.

I found that the closer one gets to BKK, the stricter and more difficult everything becomes re teaching. This includes the hiring of black teachers. Out in Issan there are many black teachers, African Americans and African Africans. I recall at one speaking competition, some students had so many African teachers they had developed an African accent. The Thais didn't seem to mind. They did well in the competitions, despite it not being the Queen's English heh.

In BKK, on the other hand, I saw much fewer of them, mostly in language schools, rarely in formal schools. I once worked at a famous big name BKK private school, with a huge foreign teaching staff, and the lack of any black people was quite noticeable.

22 hours ago, puchooay said:

Songkran is in April.

 

If you have a work permit the scheme above does not work. 

Oops, meant to say in May after Songkran. This month is a nail biter for many teachers as they collect all the documents for their new school, some of which must come from their old school.

A few of us are lucky to enjoy the same school for six or so years, while the rest of us must endure a school hopping journey across the LOS, chasing better salaries and working conditions. Pretty much fate determines where they might be. At least it makes for an overall more interesting experience abroad.

Indeed, these teachers I spoke of had work permits. I reckon you're suggesting there's an issue with the dates, that those of their contract and actual working periods must match the permit. Most know this is rarely the case.

Most teachers don't get the WP until 3-6 months into the term, due to schools dragging their feet, and/or a difficult local labor office. Yes, for those first few months they are working illegally, but that's the way it is. Thus their WPs are usually off, shifted by a few months, dated around 3 months after they began work, and continuing for 3 months after they had left. Such might be done deliberately to facilitate the scheme I spoke of.

"How are they working around Songkran" you might say? That's where all those silly English camps and school trips come in. You'll often see admins snapping away selfies during these events, not just for fun, but if the question comes up as to what they had been doing.

And thus, school directors and agencies are left in charge of surplus salaries of 1-2 months per each farang, after they had been sent packing in March, monies which they then dutifully direct toward the betterment of the future of Thailand, vested in its dear children, with things such as:

1) Benz and BMW payments

2) European vacations

3) Latest iPhones

4) Gold and plastic surgery for their mia nois ????

On 11/4/2021 at 5:56 PM, Chad3000 said:

I've been let go as early as March 10. One school let us go officially March 31 but really it was end February after grades were in.

Heh. Here's a neat trick I know one school does. They let farangs go at the beginning of March. Then in order to start work at a new school, you need the document from the labor office showing your last day of work. The school is required by law to give this to you. I've heard of farangs begging for this document after they go, with no answer.

Finally, the document comes to them during Songkran in May. It says their last day was at the end of April. According to the labor office, they were still working in March and April, though they had left.

Somebody gets to pocket two months of salary, from many farangs, for many years. Nice little earner.

Could be there is some other purpose behind the posting. Perhaps they aren't expecting anyone to apply for the job, after which they receive some benefit. 

Many such job ads in the US. Ridiculous requirements, such as Master's degrees, years of experience, specialized training, with less than a fast food wage offered. Their purpose is for the companies to show the labor office "Look, we couldn't get anyone", allowing them to then apply for H1B visas, to import cheap and easily exploited immigrant workers.

4 hours ago, TheScience said:

If really stressful or if a male teacher - quit. There are dozens of jobs being posted

Haha, yes this essentially. Still very much a seller's market here for us teachers. No reason to take such nonsense where there's a surplus of jobs, and not enough of us to go around.

Though the country has "reopened", there's still a gauntlet of Covid paperwork, testing, and insurance most people aren't willing to run through. Then expect this to increase with increasing Omicron numbers.

I gleefully notice one of the first terrible schools I worked for posting the same ad over and over with no takers, for multiple positions. Those of us still here know their reputation, and they no longer have fresh, naive newcomers willing to take a bite.

No Beer Lao at any of the 7's out here in the sticks. Gotta go to the Tops or Makro in the changwat capital an hour away for it.

I could really go for some. Man it's smooth, a lot better than Leo and Chang. Getting real sick of those. Last night I downed two tall Chang cans while watching The Replacement Killers on Mono 29. Ugh, it's so damn bitter. But does the job I guess, inebriation to enhance my viewing pleasure.

The Replacement Killers. Hard to believe it's been over 20 years already. Remember when Chow Yuen Fat was the name on everyone's lips? A gun in each hand, emptying the clips? Headshots, blood everywhere? Man I can't believe they show it on regular prime time TV. And Mira Sorvino, running alongside him half naked. Man she was SMOKIN.

So I committed the cardinal sin among the ANF, moving out to the village, and in with the in-laws. As many have said you should probably avoid this, unless you follow these guidelines as I have:

1) Be working. Don't be fully retired. Have something to occupy your time so you don't go bored and crazy. Show the fam that you're working hard and that this is where the money comes from, and you're not just magically pulling it from your farang behind. I've known retired folks managing to live with the in-laws, tho this does seem to make it more difficult.

2) Spend several years living with the wife, away from the in-laws. I'm a teacher and have moved about to schools in different provinces and BKK, before finally settling in the Issan moo ban. Throughout this period you get to gauge the wife. Does she stick by you? Is she supportive, or does she complain? Does she get some part time work, or at least cook and clean around the house? Her reluctance to do so are big red flags. I've seen the farangs having trouble at immigration or the bank, while the missus just sits playing on the phone. Note this difficulty goes up the greater an age gap there is. My wife and I are the same age.

3) During this time living with the wife, you will go visit the in-laws on holidays, most likely Songkran and the New Year. At these times you can do some recon on them. How's the fam situation? Any crazy folks dropping by? Possible exes, debtors, fam with their hands out? Kids with bad attitudes or drug problems? Is your missus well liked in the village? Does everyone know and talk to her when you're about? This should let you decide if you want to live there or not.

4) Finally, how are her folks to you? Do they seem happy to see you? Are they polite? Do they try speaking to you? Are they glad to see your effort in learning and practicing Thai with them? If not, big red flag. Some would rather have you know no Thai at all, so that they can rob you blind.

If you decide to do it, living with the fam has several advantages such as no longer paying condo rent, which you can then invest in the fam, fixing up their house, doing projects, or financing a vehicle, which they should accept in lieu of an actual rent payment. Your wife will also be happier being with the fam and childhood friends, who you'll find can also be of help to you. Need any work done, govt paperwork straightened out, local events or activities you should be aware of, like getting vaccinated? Someone will steer you in the right direction, a lot better than asking the lady at the noodle shop, as you likely did previously.

1 hour ago, blackcab said:

You may be told that this scheme is not available for foreigners, but it is. As I mentioned earlier, the Social Fund Act makes no mention of nationality.

Indeed. Upon inquiring at previous schools, I was told "You don't want that insurance, it's no good" and "nobody uses it". Hah.

They also get out of paying taxes on your behalf too. One school I had moved to asked for my tax ID number and previous tax receipts. I was like, uh...what? Upon on inquiring at the tax office I found they never paid them. 

They also even gave me a benefit pamphlet in English.

Every once in awhile, makes you think they care just a bit about us "dirty farangs". ????????????????

Yes. At my hospital, they wanted to photocopy it, check the exact name spelling, number, and birthdate.

18 hours ago, Walker88 said:

sell themselves to make money. Unless some major industries suddenly emerge in Thailand, or people decide harvesting rice is really entertaining and highly lucrative, there will be plenty of supply coming to market.

This right here. These guys so hell bent on changing Thailand or its image had better have a viable plan B. I'm just not seeing it.

Cue the usual NO WORK PERMIT bunch with nothing better to do.

Like many other teachers, before and after work I teach online. Not a fabulous amount of money, but it does help.

The gas tank's empty again, the poo poo tank's full again, the ToSoKo's after their debts again. A regular infusion of USD goes a long way out here in the moo ban.