onlycw

Years ago, a high school sent 2 teachers to the Labour Dept. En route, we had photos made. The Thais insisted that the biggest size be bought. Turns out, the smallest size was needed. That was 2014.

A friend has such a "monster photo" in his WP.

I just ordered a dozen regular passport size head shots.

...

Now, admin demands "2 x 2", whatever that means. 2 x 2"? The lady showed me a shot of the upper body. Oh, the Thai embassy is now interested in applicants' beer bellies?!???

The all important FACE is less clear than in my passport size head shots. 

Thais like to make up rules. A lot of people wish to avoid some unnecessary additional purchase of silly photographs.

Hope someone knows?

Thai embassy or consulate & Labour Dept. & ... ? Work-related stuff. B-VISA, then the Work Permit etc.

Thanks. 

Hi All

one of us is renting a condo for 15,000 THB. Nice place, but a bit expensive... Is there a website for town houses etc. for rent? 2 BR, 2 BA or bigger. BANPHRU or central Hat Yai (not too far from Central Festival).

...

Are language centers hiring? Got any leads? 

Is there a watering hole for expats?

Cheers!

Chris

1 hour ago, oilinki said:

She is a thinker and a doer. Somewhat rarity in current political climate around the world. 

 

We'll miss her in the future. I just hope Germany is able present new leaders to fit her rather large shoes. 

 

 

I sure hope you are being sarcastic. Or do you like her for her BMI and good looks?

Come on, THAI needs to get their priorities right! 

Image is everything - I get it. But I can't wear high end dress shirts or any pants unless they are black.

Those polyester shirts are a nightmare for men who sweat and then stink. Taking showers is not an option do to a high work load.

Kids now can have longer hair? (I recall and angry Thai teacher cutting off chunks of whoever he thought had too long hair, forcing them to get the mess corrected by a real hairdresser). And teachers can't just follow the standard dress code known as business attire?!?

None of the foreigners is teaching PE. And no, it's not just for 1 day of the week!

MBS is between a rock and a hard place. Because his underlings can see how deep they are gonna be protected. And then draw their own conclusions.

Such barbaric extrajudicial acts by governments need to get ruthlessly exposed. - To come clean would have been the better choice, with hindsight. 

On 10/19/2018 at 10:06 PM, CharlieH said:

Have you tried splitting them up ? one to each of the four corners then they cant inter-act with each other.

 

Just a thought.

Rotating seats does work. And who pays the piper, calls the tune. Sounds like little spoiled brats are well aware of their power... Can you engage them? Try to make interesting and relevant lessons!

Well, last week, I went from the North to the deep South. 

• the fare for Chiang Mai - Bangkok went up by 109 THB within an hour. I ended up paying 904 THB and got a new wagon, but SRT has yet to learn about dimming the lights at night.
• Bangkok to HAT YAI was a nightmare @ <800 THB. 
• SRT is apparently corrupt - they have all these conductors and armed security guys but the 3rd class passengers flood the 2nd class wagons at night with impunity. Am waiting for the day that some freeloader will climb into my bed...

No sign or announcement upon arrival in Hat Yai. The staff disappeared... And some "architect" thinking adding different levels to floors is a good idea, should get flogged and branded.

Find out the age of a train and do bring eye shades and an alarm clock.

As a frequent visitor to VN, no, it won't be an issue.

www.Vietjetair.com also flies to CNX, FYI. 

At Hanoi airport, you can exit and turn left. Bus #7 will take you into Hanoi for 8,000 VND. Avoid scams and b.s. with taxi cabs at the airport. Make sure you know where you need to go. 

NGHA GHI are guesthouses and you will encounter weird pricing schemes. "Normal" is a 12 hours' stay, like 9 pm - 9 am. For 24 hours, the price might be 100,000 VND higher? Just be prepared...

If staying with locals, for heaven's sake do make them report your stay to the POLICE. Or else, your host family will get fined.

Where will you be heading?

Buses leave about 2 km from the airport to CAM PHA. You can get off in HA LONG. KUMHO is a good company, charging like 80-100 k while many rogue operators overcharge and then drive around for hours etc. And for overnight travel, the sleeper buses are often really comfortable.

Go for built quality, resale value and durability. I've rented old Honda scooters and they were okay despite having >60 k km on the clock. 

Yamaha may have well engineered products, but depreciation will bite. 

Got an offer ton rent an old PCX @ 2,000 Baht. Want to do that. But worry about theft...

On 10/15/2018 at 7:45 AM, champers said:

What the hell has ocean pollution in Thailand got to do with the European Union? Seems like a paid full-time jolly holiday for the 60 members of staff. Do you think there are 60 staff members in your countries' embassy? No wonder people voted for Brexit.

EU Mandarins' salaries are many times those of the German chancellor or the PM. Even that bearded failed bookseller, Martin Schulz, quickly has become a millionaire... 

There was a video showing these MEPs sprint through the door, sign in and fly home.d fly home. 

It takes two to tango. HR people and the director should get fined as well, if they apply the law evenly. 

They can forget that search. But they might discover lots of H2 O2 and bleach... 

Before oil was discovered, who were these Saudis? Wahabbism and all, some extremist form of Islam... People don't change. Certainly, money doesn't make anyone a better person!

Holiday pay (or the basic aspects of Labour Law) are not negotiable. Just like usury. I cannot legally charge 10% a month, interest only, as some loan sharks do in rural areas.

OTOH, I know teachers who got their WPs quickly without any involvement of the TCT / Krusapha. I wish I could avoid the hassle like them, TBH. But WPs can be obtained, so cui bono? Is it about saving money?

BIG C sells 500 gr hulled peanuts for 44 THB. Eat half of those in a day and the problem will be over. Ask me, how I know ???? 

Plan B, get Psyllium husks and take them with cold milk or let them turn the milk into pudding and eat that with fruit.

A friend let me use this machine for a few days (I was staying with him. He used it daily). Hadn't heard of this before... After a few days, I can say that my body reacted in some surprising but positive ways. There might be hope for folks with diabetic neuropathy etc. Especially old people. Am middle aged and bought a previous model for under $ 1,000. 

The other day, a middle aged Thai teacher who makes 50,000 THB asked me for a personal loan. Huh? ???? Can't he get money @ 1.x % apr?!? 

Who knows facts and details about this scheme? 

Errm, which model are you interested in? 

www.ebay.com go get a used Ipad. Great camera, intuitive software. Low prices can be found.

On 9/14/2018 at 7:46 AM, ubonjoe said:

1. If you were terminated without cause or notice you are entitled to severance pay.

2. You should contact the local Department of Employment office of the Labor Ministry to make a complaint. It may not have to go to court.

Joe is  t h e  authority in VISA questions. Here, I beg to differ respectfully:

The Labour Dept. is a waste of time, period.

Go streight to the LABOUR COURT. Bring a translator or bilingual friend.

Bring your documents and get the ball rolling.

The Thai labour court will set a hearing and give you an attorney. Bring the translator again!

Trust me, the court will push very hard for a settlement (=> severance pay). You might give and take a little, as is normal in negotiations. Not sure how long you have been working here and whether you may get 6 months, more or less severance.

The Labour Dept. may say "give us 6 weeks, we will respond in writing by say November 18th".

...

NO LAWYER NEEDED for Labour Court. But if you show up without a translator, they won't help you.

No fees. And the hearing will take place within a month.

Good luck!

11 hours ago, soleddy said:

After 16 yrs here (with CELTA. MBA, MA, BSc. IELTS examiner 2 years and 7 years at top Uni+ 5 years revising crap exams for gvment here) I am now over 60 and ageism does happen! Most certainly. If you were in the Uni before 60 and you are good, they keep you. I quit at 55 to enter gvment).

 

You are correct about 35,000. I was paid 35,000 15 years ago. Public schools rarely pay more (+only 15,000 to Flips if they can wing it). 45,000 is possible in some places, but they are choosy or else work you hard. Main problem is still bitchiness and jealousy of natives ++ in-house fighting between Thai factions--plus (as another poster has said) excluding you from year gradings, book choices and changing your classes ++ asking extra "editing" from farangs.

 

All-in -all too much flak for 35 or 45k, but they have foot-shot themselves because the keen young chalkies with BAs don't come any more. China pays double. Vietnam is disorganised about visas but nicer people and money a bit better. Even Russia wants people. Thailand is spent but it was always dodgy unless you were lucky, cos the kids don't care and want IPhones, and the teachers (once they pass the teacher exams) are useless and lazy (ok 5% are good). ask any kid how and what they did in M1-M6 (either nothing or copy Run Ran Run) if you don't believe me.

In addition, these "world class standard schools" fail to specify what exactly they want their foreign teachers to do.

Observations, yes. Communication (and be that impromptu criticism like at a restaurant or a massage palor), no. They cannot be arsed to communicate with foreigners, is that it?!?

OP, a friend landed a great job in China. Making 4 x the salary and having a large furnished condo... Look around before you choose to "take a year off".

A prior rape - and then he is once again using an underage girl as pray?! Has he been sodomiizing his victim in 2016, too? Hope he will get a long sentence!