johnlexo

Naklua Road, ca. 300 m beyond roundabout, right hand side towards Banglamung, between some alu-shops, you will see a couple plexi shops with large choice and happy to cut for you. JL.

Stay with the minivan from Victory. Good choice. Faster than big bus. Google diana-oasis / pattaya great little place in very central location and very friendly crew. Close to Soi LK and all the entertainment incl. Champagne Gogo and many more. If you wanna treat yourself and your gf. try the Hilton buffet. Great and promos going on. JL.

Can anybody point me to a Doctor for a small surgery, cyst on eyelid. The one mentioned on Pattaya Klang in prior posts is always closed and does not answer his phone. The big hospitals are a rip off and not affordable in this case. Thank you kindly. JL.

As in most countries, the working month here has 30 days incl. the paid "days off.

Really, most countries. Seems I have been getting under paid all my life working 5/6 day weeks.

Thanks for posting the Labor Act. Great info and shows there are quite strict laws. Ref. 30 day per month. I am not aware of ever having paid daily wages in several European countries to my staff. They received, let us say 7000/mth. and for any extra days plus/minus it was 7000:30, not 7000: 25 working days, as days off are paid and part of the monthly salary. I still hope somebody can actually confirm this one way or the other and maybe post the law as you did with the LA. Have a nice day. JL.

As in most countries, the working month here has 30 days incl. the paid "days off.

Really, most countries. Seems I have been getting under paid all my life working 5/6 day weeks.

Thanks! I guess you made the best point so far. Have a nice Sunday, JL.

My Golf Club here in Pattaya has just increased the caddy fee from Bt250to Bt300 per round , a total of 5 hours work maximum , we are told this fee has to increase due to

Government Directive , of course the caddy does not receive all of the Bt300 per round , so how do you work that one out.

Our group has already agreed that we will cut the tip by Bt40 or Bt50 in some cases.

I think if this ruling is observed across the board it will have a major impact on inflation, as the extra cost will be passed on to the customer

.

Fully agreed and..... still we have no clarification from any of the "official" business advisers on this forum. Just talked to a Certified Thai Accountant and he repeated. A fully employed staff with a "now-salary" of 7000 Baht will have to be paid 9000 Baht from January - 30 x 300 Baht. As in most countries, the working month here has 30 days incl. the paid "days off.

So the questions remain:

1) How much will a full-time employed staff at 7000 Baht / mth. now, have to be paid from January?

2) What is the correct way (is there anything about this point in the new law?) to pay a fellow staff in that same business that has a better position and is now being paid 9000 baht / mth. from next

January?

Thanks & have a great Sunday! JL.

Hire Lao and Myanmar workers, you can pay what ever you want

This was a hypothetical question and I am just looking for clarification. This is not about illegal immigrant / workers, nor going against the labor law of 6 days / 8 hours/week. Yes Thailand has quite strict labor laws and yes they are enforced in case of complaints. And surely they are enforced even stricter with foreign employers. Head down to Chonburi Labor Department one morning and see the crowds that are there to lodge a complaint or talk to some foreign business owners.

I am surprised we have not heard from any Pros here.

If the deal is 26 days @ 300 baht, it will have less impact than 30 days @ 300, clearly. In most countries I did business the day off was part of the deal and salaries bases and calculated on the 30 day / month rule. I am still interested to know if employers do have to or do adjust salaries of higher paid staff accordingly?

Here the basic law, in fact there is much more to it with double / triple pay for OT etc. etc.Basics of Thai LL.

Regards. J.L.

By my calculation the min salary @300b/day is 7800b per month not 9,000b, how did you come to this figure Johnlexo ?

Quite obvious how he got that figure 30 days x 300 bht a day = 9000

You have 26 days per month = 7800

Thanks Charlie.

I hope we can get some of the well known advisers to commit to some details. I have talked to several Thai Co. managers and get a different story every time. In my condo they are informing us that the lowest wage earners (cleaners etc.) will need to be paid 9000/mth., up from 6000 now and all other salaries, also the ones at or above 9000 must be adjusted by the same amount, as otherwise a cleaner would end up getting the same salary as an accountant or secretary. This would be a roughly 30% increase across the board. This could kill many small businesses indeed.

Or maybe we going to end up with tons of exceptions just like Obama-Care. So far I could not find the new laws anywhere officially presented in writing. Regards. JL.

By my calculation the min salary @300b/day is 7800b per month not 9,000b, how did you come to this figure Johnlexo ?

Thank you. Can you explain that. Would you have all details of this new labor law? Thank you. JL.

By my calculation the min salary @300b/day is 7800b per month not 9,000b, how did you come to this figure Johnlexo ?

Thanks. Yes, if your calculation of 6 working days is correct, I was told differently by accountant. This is exactly why I have asked for complete details on the business forum. There is so much conflicting information out there and not even Thai business people can answer the questions clearly. My restaurant example was picked from an article in a big paper, which ended up not being able to answer the correct procedure and stating it will probably be all up to employer as the Gov. could not enforce this.

I hope one of the big consulting firms will be able to explain in detail or possibly post the new law in Thai or English. Thank you.

Good day

There is so many discussions going on about this, I would love to hear from some business experts what the real deal is.

300/day = 9000 Baht a month?

So let us assume a restaurant has wait staff that gets paid 7000/month, an assistant cook that gets paid 9000/month and a part time cleaner that works 80% and gets paid 6000/month and a manager that gets paid 14'000/ month now.

What would their salaries be from January 2012.

How in the world will any small business be able to absorb such an increase without raising their price structure significantly? In the restaurant/hotel industry this would probably mean at least a 10% cost/price increase.

How do experienced and professional foreign business owners handle this? What does this mean for the future of small business, especially in places like Pattaya, full of cheap customers.

Hoping to start a good discussion and hoping to get some good feedback from real business-people. Regards. JL.

The new "Montessory"-Defintely for Pre-School/Kindergarden! JL.

I believe you have to go to Trat by car to clear Customs and stamp out, then come back to Pattaya and sail out from there, stopping at koh chang on the way shouldn't be an issue. You must also have you Cambodian visa prior to departure as there are no facilities for issuing them at SV, all crew do not need to attend BKK to get the visa so one person can organise that part, two passport photos are required and forms can be submitted by a third party, so a trip to BKK is required as well.

You also need to enter Cambodia using the shipping agent at Kamsab who you should contact 1 week prior, they can tell you what details are required.

Contacts:

Kamsab Agent: Mr Sakol

Tel: +(855)12 900 276

+(855)34 934 197

Email: dirbiz[a]kamsab.com.kh

&CC kamsab-shv[a]online.com.kh

VHF Radio: Channel 16

Let me know if you need more info.

Thank you! JL..

Anybody with hands-on experience doing customs/immigration clearance in Pattaya and the same in Koh Kong to enter Cambodian waters with sailing yacht. Any feedback/links greatly appreciated. JL.

Any recommendations how to do fast and reasonably comfortable? 1 day or 2 days needed? Thank you all. JL.

Hi ! Just would like to inform you on an incident happened to me today at the south Pattaya Shell Petrol station. There s was an elderly foreigner in front of me in the row. They started filling his bike without resetting the pump after the previous customer,starting from 60 baht and they charged the guy 210 baht for a scooter fillup..He didnt notice it.I tried to warn him and the stuff started PUSHING % TRIED TO BEAT ME UP.My friend got between us and stopped a fist fight with the stuff. They were very angry because I caught them cheating .

Normally I avoid this dodgy Shell station but today I was in a rush and had to fill up at there..and I m shocked to see this is still going on after so many incidents. I m so disgusted at what happened . I cant believe this has gotten so far and noone does anything about it . Emailed Shell hoping some sort of action will be taken against these filthy people.

They are still doing it all day long - They also do it with Thais, as several Thai friends told me. Many of us have been in touch with Shell Singapore/Thailand..... Nothing has changed. The one older guy gets very aggressive when you call him a thief and once sprayed a friend of mine with gasoline. All we can do is keep writing to Shell & the newspapers. TIT.

Thank you kindly. JL.

Sad situation but I think your only option is to ship it in.

I don't think anyone will be too willing to pick it up for a stranger, there's way too many movies about Thai jails featuring such famous lines as "I didn't know the drugs were in there, I was carrying it for someone else".

DHL can arrange a collection but will stick to the formal proceedures for import duty, but it is the declared value that they go on, ie: What you say it is worth. I'm not sure what the going rate would be for a laptop, but I once had my company send me some shirts with my company logo on it and I was stung for 700 baht (30%) import duty by the DHL man.

I think the most likely import duty would be 7% of what you declare on the commercial shipping invoice, payable on receipt (someone here is bound to know for sure).

Any more ideas, please!? Any way I can ask/pay DHL to pick it up and send it to Thailand? Thanks. JL.

Hi there:

A friend of mine, great guy, needs help. Any offer or advise for procedure greatly appreciated:

On a flight from Tampa to Bangkok on Korean Air via Seoul, his new laptop was lost during rushed transfer and security procedures. After 2 weeks we have now located the laptop in the Seoul Airport Police "Lost & Found Section.

Korean Air refuses help, as happened on ground. "Lost & Found" very friendly and supportive, but can only offer their standard international shipper which is VERY expensive and leaves open, how much damage (charge) will happen from Thai customs.

My friend is a pensioner on a limited budget and one of the nicest people I can imagine, this is why I try to help and find some alternative ways.

1) Anybody flying to Bangkok from Korea soon and willing to bring this laptop with him? I offer 100 $ for a nice dinner and be at airport Bangkok to receive.

2) Anybody with any idea how to ship at reasonable fixed cost and pay from here (Thailand)?

Thank you all!

JL.

Looking for location with REAL Thai Boxing this weekend. Either Friday or Saturday night? Any help appreciated. JL.

Looking for a Thai style home (option condo!) for rent long-term with 2/3 bedrooms for some Thai relatives. Location westside Sukhumvit (not Darkside) anywhere from Naklua to South Pattaya. Any hints how to find an inexpensive, possibly furnished place? Thank you. JL.

The alu & glass-shop just below Carrefour. Very good and fair prices. They also always happy to do any kind of custom work, that need an extra effort. They are great for shower-cabins, too. Ask for the owner, Kh. Suvit who speaks good E.

Best to go there shortly before 17.00, as he is on jobs personally during the day. JL.

Thank you! JL.

I bought some Spelt flour in Villa Market (BKK) a few weeks ago (packed in 500 g plastic bag from Dijon Foods, Australia). I use it for mixing with normal wheat for baking bread or pizza´s.

Anybody knows where I can buy Spelt Flour. Also called Dinkel Flour, which I need for special baking recipes.Thank you kindly. JL.

I would have thought that the police station would be a good place to start.

Failing that, have a beer, cry into it a bit, and learn that Thailand has more than its fair share of crooks and incompetent losers (many of whom are farang, not Thai). Don't give any money to them that you cant afford to lose.

Perfectly defined and well said! And plenty of very naive men (farangs) JL.