aussieboi

I'm wondering if anyone can advise me how to simply change my password, as the one I was sent is very complicated and hard to remember, any help is much appreciated.

Hello,

I too am having problems firstly getting a new passwoed form the site, then changing it to one I can remember, they make it so hard to do !!!

I have been not able to sign in for over a year because it's so complicated, and after spending over an hour, was finally able to sign in today, but now there's no easy area, ike there is on other sites, to make my own passwrod. I don't understand why they don't make it easier, it's not Fort Knox for heavens sake..

When I try to ask for help, it signs me out & I have to start all over again!! I see now that I'm not the only one having trouble. I'm obviously not a clever techno guy, maybe I need to go back to school again...

If you still have the permit to stay stamped in your passport, then it's irrelevant what happened to your work permit. Thai embassies and consulates abroad don't involve themselves in work permit issues; they only issue visas.

Thanks for yours & all the replies, I feel pretty confident that I won't have any problem when I have to go thru Immigration again, but just a little thought at the very back of my mind about what klauswernst198 said.......

Was your visa cancelled, too? Otherwise a cancelled work permit is not something the Thai consulate in Vientiane would know about it unless you told them.

I really don't know if the visa was cancelled, but I thought than when a work permit is cancelled, it's connected to a Non B visa, so is it automatic or not?

It was a new office person from that school who cancelled the WP, perhaps they made some mistake on the paperwork, or there was a hold up at the receiving end ????

Could be the fact that they were going to be forgiving on short overstays due to the unrest and curfew conditions.....

I sure hope thats the case and there are no shocks the next time I have to leave the country !!

Yes, I hope you are right, but I'm still thinking about what klauswernst198 wrote !!!

That is indeed interesting.

My guess is that the work permit office were a bit slow in doing the paperwork on their side.

What province of Thailand?

Nonthaburi.

Yep, that might be the answer, or maybe some typo that didn't register on Immi. website, but after seeing

klauswernst198's imput, as I said, I'm getting a bit worried again !!!

Happen to me once with a overstay of 5 days at the Aiport. There they didnt charge me. 3 Month later when I went to Poipet/Aranyaprathet Border to activate my second entry of my double entry visa the surprise came since they made me pay the 5 days overstay. from 3 month ago.

Well, just as I was feeling relaxed about the whole thing, you have got me a bit worried again !!

I wonder if this is a new way of doing things here??

Something the other teacher & I have to think about now, & we both got the free double entry visa from Vientianne...

An interesting trip to Laos a few days ago. I and two other teachers finished at a government school at the end of Feb, because the school decided they could not afford the salaries as they were, and were going to lower them by 10K Baht a month, for this new semester, plus a few other changers. They told us the would not cancel our work permits and let them run out mid May. (a few days ago.)

Our actual head of the English Dept. was a very nice lady and did try to help us during our time there and was sorry to see us go, but understood the situation. Everything was going well, until about a week ago, when she rang both of us to say that while she was away overseas, a new office staff member had by mistake, cancelled the work permits early April.

I think she was genuinely sorry, and offered us a letter from the school to explain to Immigration what had happened, but of course did not know if it would help. So, long story, short story, we headed up to Laos to pay/not pay the overstay fee, and start all over again with a tourist visa till we found new jobs.

Now this is where it gets weird, Passports, letters from the school, and money in hand, two of us went to the Immi. Office, ready to do a bit of explaining and maybe begging even !!!

I went first, and handed over my passport, with the letter ready to show. I hear the Immi. Lady speaking in Thai, and I'm sure I heard the word 'overstay', so opening the envelope and getting out the letter, and I'm ready to say something, BUT, the lady stamped my passport, took out the TR 47 form, and handed it back. I must have had about 3 seconds of blankness before I suddenly realized I had better wai her, say thanks in Thai, and quickly, but not too quickly get out of there, before she perhaps realised she made a mistake and called me back. The same thing happened for the other teachesr who came with me.

This has got to be under the heading 'T.I.T. so how can it be explained??

I had some somewhat strange thoughts that we might have to pay at the embassy, or they would refuse new visas, or when we returned and made to pay before we re-entered Thailand. But no, nothing strange happened. So I write this here to see if something weird happened, or were we just lucky, maybe the school mucked up and the info didn't get through, I think a bit of a mystery we will never figure out!!!

If this is in the wrong section I appreciate the moderators moving it.

Aussieboi, it seems we don't have too many people who can help you--including me. I did find this site on the forum:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/List-Royal-T...it-t134215.html

I didn't check through it, but it might help you.

Thanks for the info, Scott, looked thru it, & the small English section mostly confirmed that the address I printed above, at Dindaeng, is correct, went there with a Thai friend on Tuesday, it's about a 75 baht ride by taxi from Victory Monument, went thru a couple of shortcuts past other government offices, and arrived after about a 10 minute trip, went up to the 12th floor of the Ministry of Labour & Social Welfare where I lodged my paperwork. Most staff only speak Thai, luckily a guy who handles these cases, & speaks good English, was on his way out just after I arrived, he asked for my details, & said he would contact me within several days. He also mentioned that there were quite a few cases that were keeping him busy right now !!

I think I'm on the right track.

Aussieboi: Hi, I'm wondering if anyone can give me the actual address of the Thai Labor Office in Bkk. that handles these cases, thanks in advance.

I don't know, but there are threads with addresses and phone numbers to gov't offices. Anyone know of one, just off hand?

Yes thanks for that Scott, I'm searching thru but am a bit confused as to the correct one to go to...

I'll have a fresh look again tomorrow.

Having looked more thru this site, and googled the Labor Office info, I have found this address,

Ministry of Labour Thanon Mitmaitri , Dindaeng , Bangkok 10400, and am wondering if anyone has had any experience with this office, or if I am even correctly on track (knowing that there will be various sections that deal with various issues) ??

Aussieboi: Hi, I'm wondering if anyone can give me the actual address of the Thai Labor Office in Bkk. that handles these cases, thanks in advance.

I don't know, but there are threads with addresses and phone numbers to gov't offices. Anyone know of one, just off hand?

Yes thanks for that Scott, I'm searching thru but am a bit confused as to the correct one to go to...

I'll have a fresh look again tomorrow.

I am aware of a school that is being taken to court sometime in February over the issue of unfair termination. I am fuzzy on the details, but will try and find out more (the people involved are not very willing to discuss it). I do know the employer thinks he is completely in the right and should have to pay nothing.

Unfortunately, that school had an employee who was terminated because she was too 'dark'. She was a Filipino. She never pushed the issue of severance, but that would have been an interesting case to see someone explain to a judge!

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone can give me the actual address of the Thai Labor Office in Bkk. that handles these cases, thanks in advance.

Did your driver drive a car with personnel transport license plates:

Those plates are from a car meant for staff transportation: white with blue letters.

For tourists transportation: green with white letters or yellow with black letters.

Actually, blue on white plates are for vans which carry more than 7 people, but some vans can have the large vehicle plates that are black on yellow, & green on white plates are for 2 door utes/pick-ups, hotel cars usually have white or black on pale green plates. (yes I am a plate collector)

As Far as I know there is no such thing as a "Thailand - Ebay Free trade Agreement" or "ASEAN - EBAY Free Trade Agreement" , so yes import duty and taxes should be paid...

but... as many have mentioned it is possible that sometimes things make it through the post (and even on the rare occasion with courier) without getting caught. Technically this should not happen, but no system is perfect and some packages are sure to slip through.

I had some motocross gear I got on ebay last year sent to me here, what I did was ask the seller to make the pants, kidney belt jacket & boots look a bit worn by putting, literally, dirt on them, then just dry wipe it off so it still looks a bit messy, then I asked him to write a letter to me, saying.. here's your old stuff we found at the back of the garage, sorry didn't have time to wash it for you, hope it's not too smelly to wear. Went through Thai customs with nothing to pay. The stuff was actually quite new, less than 6 months old, & the boots 3 months. Cleaned up like new !!

Learn't that trick when I was living in Japan.

It could be admin have pocketed your October salaries. Does the director know?

Certainly your local labor office would be interested in this but you may be burning bridges with your school.

The Director knows, he has to sign the contracts and he does speak English

Two threads, same topic. You only get one.

Sorry for that, I realised I had put this topic in the wrong section, but did not know how to delete, thank you for doing it.

From the point of view of the law, you're in the right- the contract spells out the obligations of your school. However, it will most likely cost you more legally to recover the difference than the difference itself.

Not to be too mean, but I think what it means is that your school administration are cheap and short-sighted to the point of stupidity. No school that doesn't pay for its long holidays should expect the return of any teacher or to retain any teacher who can find a better position; schools that don't hope to keep at least most teachers from year to year don't deserve teachers or students. What you need to do most is find another job- and I would doubt you get a work permit for such a shoddy place? So it should be pretty easy to walk away from quickly. Good luck.

Thank you for the info., it's pretty much what I thought, but will wait to see if they want me back next semester. The school has lost about 4 teachers since I started, they didn't want the problems that came with the job, I stayed for different reasons, one of which is that there is no EP, so all the foreign teachers do is listening & conversation, so there is much less work to do, & yes they did eventually get us work permits.

try to be really discreet in your search for truth in this aspect, pls.

won't want to see you come on in the next few months and be in a position that you have been unfairly squeezed out.... maybe because you did not wear your tie correctly.... know what i mean....

i also heard that some influential principal also kept part of farangs' salaries, the discrepency between contracted amount and actual monthly payment to farangs.... unbelievable isn't it?

personally, i rather believe that the truth has been stretched in this case.

Thanks for your, and the previous members reply & comment, I have just realised I've posted in the wrong section, and have now re-posted in the Teaching in Thailand forum. My apologies.

Hello, I have just realised I started this topic in the wrong section, so am re-starting it here, My apologies to the moderators.

I would be interested to see opinions on the following;

I have had in the past, like some other teachers, working at Thai. government schools, contracts that are written .. May 10th till Sept 28th, Nov 1st till Mar.10th, (actual start/stop dates may differ) clearly showing the working and payment times.

My current government school has written the contract as follows, May 15th 2009 till Feb 28th 2010, BUT myself and the other teachers had been told orally, firstly that we would be paid 10 months, then just before we signed, that we would be paid for 9 months. We were also told that the contract read that way 'for office purposes'. and that we won't be paid for Oct. (Which we wern't)

Not trying to be too sneaky, does this mean that we should be paid for Oct, or simply accept what we have been told.

I'm curious to see the opinions of those with better understanding of the Labour Law.

Thanks in advance.

PS, am I correct in saying that the Government/Education Dept. pays extra to the schools that employ foreign teachers, ie, an amount that about equals the salary paid, (30/40,000) and will the Govt. therefore pay, to the school, for each teacher, for Oct. of course not knowing what we have been told orally, because of the way the contract is written??

Again, many thanks..

I would be interested to see opinions on the following;

I have had in the past, like some other teachers, working at Thai. government schools contracts that are written .. May 10th till Sept 28th, Nov 1st till Mar.10th, (actual start/stop dates may differ) clearly showing the working and payment times.

My current governwemt school has written the contract as follows, May 15th 2009 till Feb 28th 2010, BUT myself and the other teachers have been told orally, firstly that we would be paid 10 months, then just before we signed, that we would be paid for 9 months. We were also told that the contract read that way 'for office purposes'. that we won't be paid for Oct.

Not trying to be sneaky, does this mean that we should be paid for Oct, or simply accept what we have been told.

I'm curious to see the opinions of those with better understanding of the Labour Law.

Thanks in advance.

PS, am I correct in saying that the Government/Education Dept. pays extra to the school that employ foreign teachers, ie, an amount that about equals the salary paid, (30/40,000) and will the Govt. therefore pay, to the school, for each teacher, for Oct. because of the way the contract is written??

Again, many thanks..

When I took the train to Taladeng I shared a Taxi with a friend, 250 Baht for each of us.

This always amuses me.

Everytime I arrive over the friendship bridge I walk 2 metres past the taxi guys. Jump on the local bus to Vientiane, there's one every 5 or 10 minutes. Get off at Talat Sao 20 minutes later and the guy is delighted with 20baht (if Ihaven't got kip yet).

Yes, thats why I recommend to cross border at the Friendship bridge ;-)

I have done this trip two times using the Nong Khai Thailand, to Thanaleng Laos train, there are buses that meet every train, and go to the bus station in Vientianne, next to the morning market, the buses used are the Thai Laos Friendship buses that charge 25 Baht/5000 kip. When I went there, there was a blackboard with the train and bus times shown, close to the ticket office.

Thanks for the info guys, a couple of us will go there within the next 10 days, although some new teachers have been employed by our school, so if the timing is right, we might all go together. I will write about the experience when it's done. Thanks again.

Good news for anybody going to the new N.P. Immi. office, the directions from MKMIKE were easy to follow, our school drove 2 of us there, (no mud this time) in & out in less than 10 minutes, the staff are very friendly and everything went smoothly. I got the Thai teacher who came with us to ask why they put the new office so far away from where many of the government offices are in N.P. and they said the temple donated the land to them, so thats why it is where it is !!!

I was surprised at the answer, even the Thai teacher thought it was a bit unusual, when we were driving in the dirt road before the office, she said it looked like we were going into an old factory !

The good thing is, it's quick & easy...

No visa for a Thai National. It is very easy for them to get in, and free. I am not sure about motorbikes but cars can be taken in but I do not know the procedure.

I undestand you can no longer take any bike across the Friendship Bridge, Nong Khai, I did 3 times in 2004, but it was stopped shortly after, because of stolen bikes being taken in, and sold there, the authorities stopped it, if you have a bike, registered in another country, you may still be able to cross there. But there are other borders that allow Thai plated bikes to cross, check out GT-rider.com there's truckloads of info there about which borders will still let you.

Thanks for the info guys, a couple of us will go there within the next 10 days, although some new teachers have been employed by our school, so if the timing is right, we might all go together. I will write about the experience when it's done. Thanks again.