How to find a part-time housekeeper in Bangkok (Sukhumvit)?

[AndrewAnderson]

Hi,

 

I'm looking for some advice on how to go about finding a reliable part-time housekeeper in the Sukhumvit area... I know I could post an ad on Facebook but I don't really want to get lots of random "cold leads" plus my circle here in Bangkok is quite small at the moment so I can't really "ask around"...

 

In the UK, there tends to be some introduction agencies that exist who can pre-vet housekeepers and you can pay them a finder's fee. I'm wondering if anyone knows of something like this here? In this case I don't want to go permanently through an agency as I'm not interested in the perks of those such as replacing the maid if they go sick, etc.

 

I'm a single guy and I work pretty long hours from home (12-14 per day). I'm spending 2, 3, 4 hours per day on cooking/cleaning/running errands and I would prefer to get someone in to help me so I could do better things with that time such as go to the gym, etc. Even just do nothing (haha).

 

I have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment, with 2 balconies. Everywhere is white marble and dark wood (i.e. dusty), so it's a nightmare to keep clean!

 

Ideally I'd like to find someone who can come in for 3-4 hours per day and surface clean the apartment while doing a deep clean on a rotation system. I'd like them to be able to pick up some groceries and cook lunch/dinner (simple Thai foods) and leave them in the fridge... Do some ironing and change the bed linen 1 or 2 times per week... That kind of thing!

 

The level of English doesn't bother me too much as I'm not the demanding type - I could probably get a one-off list translated in the first place and go from there. Some English would be good those of course as it would help with the smaller things like groceries.

 

I'd only be looking for 5 days per week, so I'd probably want slightly longer on a Monday but from what I gather, around ฿15k/month could be possible? What do you think?

Of course, I'd always be open to recommendations if anyone knows someone personally!

 

Thanks!

[torturedsole]

1 hour ago, AndrewAnderson said:

In the UK, there tends to be some introduction agencies that exist who can pre-vet housekeepers and you can pay them a finder's fee.

There really isn't a foolproof method of pre-vetting people, particularly in LOS.  Your gut instinct is probably the more reliable vetting procedure, if I'm honest.  

 

Once you do find a way to advertise then you'll have no shortage of takers at ฿15k/month.  

 

 

Edited June 12, 2020 by torturedsole

[Why Me]

You obviously don't live in a serviced apartment as most of what you describe, minus the cooking, would be the maid's job. So, in case you don't get a personal recommendation a possibility is the following:

 

Find a serviced apartment complex (there's got to be a few in your vicinity) and ask to talk to the "maa baan", i.e., the head housekeeper. She's got maids in her charge and knows where to find them. You will need a bit of Thai. Or you could have a Thai friend explain matters to the maa baan over the phone so the person doesn't even need to accompany you.

 

As for

1 hour ago, AndrewAnderson said:

Some English would be good those of course as it would help with the smaller things like groceries.

this is not going to happen. You certainly should put in the effort to learn enough Thai to identify groceries (milk, bread, sugar, ....) and explain simple chores (mop, sweep, wash, ...). Unless you want endless frustration.

[AndrewAnderson]

Thanks for the replies!

 

Unfortunately I'm not in a serviced apartment but that's a great idea about speaking to the head housekeeper of one. I've stayed in some before nearby, so they might be the obvious ones to try and approach.

 

Maybe I am expecting miracles on the English front ???? But my reasoning was that anyone's English is probably going to be better than my (non-existant) Thai! It's a shame that Google Translate just doesn't seem to work word-for-word on English-Thai but it's something I wanted to put some serious effort into anyway (maybe with all that extra free time I'll have)!

[Why Me]

Well, if you've stayed in a serviced apartment where the maa baan knows then you're in business.

 

I don't know how long you plan to stay here but if it's for any length of time more than 6 months you'd be well advised to learn a bit of Thai. I like the fact that owing to not having been colonized Thais have never found it necessary to learn another one. They like to work everything out in their own tongue. But it does it make it hard for the rest of us:-)

[ezzra]

From someone who have been using the help of housekeepers for the last 30 years my advise to you is stick to the cleaning chores at first and leave the groceries buying and cooking for later let hassles and easier to find someone, reliability, honesty and consistency is a big problems with the local help and finding a good one is not easy, also nowadays they don't come cheap either you'd be looking at 10,00 baht and up for such help... 

[moontang]

First, you do not want to be an employer...would you be prepared to do a payroll, keep records, make contributions to SS, and provide severance pay..all in Thai, while you admit to not wanting to know words like milk, bread, eggs?  

 

I would talk to the condo office..ideally, you could get a team of two to come in 3-5 times per week, and spend an hour..anything more than that, and you are just asking for trouble.  Do you really want to see a Thai single mom (if they are under 40, count on it) sitting on her <deleted> playing candy crush, waiting for you to give her money to go to TOPs, where she, herself, never shops, to buy things unfamiliar to her?  It is simply too much work, to get them to do work.  But, they can do the floors and kitchen good..but you still have to watch them on using toilet sponges in the kitchen, or scratching surfaces.  Oh, and while the floor may look clean enough to eat from, they will never clean up high.  It is rare for me to see a wardrobe cabinet, that doesn't have a layer of dust on top..even in reputable hotels.  A big home is a huge waste of time for a single guy..had those white floors, too...first time in Phoenix..even if you took your shoes off, there would be footprints.  It needed to be mopped several times per day..but some nuetral linoleum could go a week..

 

And notice the bigger companies are using immigrant labor, which is another can of unsavory worms..it is so much more dangerous for a farang to use grey area labor, let alone immigrants..

 

Also, there can be several reasons to become familiar with your local hospital, besides medical needs..there are often good places to eat on the perimeter, and they are simply more aware of proper hygiene.  There are scores of cleaners, working cheap, that would be better suited for sidework, than most.  They are also are much more likely to have been trained properly.

Edited June 14, 2020 by moontang

[Grumpy one]

Get a wife " All Done "  

[steven100]

Plenty looking for work down Nana soi .....  just go down and wait on the corner.

[moontang]

1 minute ago, steven100 said:

Plenty looking for work down Nana soi .....  just go down and wait on the corner.

First, buy a safe for your valuables.

 

This lady is a housekeeper trainer..https://m.facebook.com/housekeepingtrainer.chantaluck

[orchidlady]

Can't help with the maid but check out online grocery delivery services. Cheaper than if I took a taxi both ways. Been using them for years...Now with COVID usually order one day and get the next day within a two hour time slot of your choice...just have to be explicit with substitutions allowed or not wanted (I add longest expiration date, biggest fruit/smallest fruit. All done online and very easy to select. They do have fresh foods prepared they will deliver also. First time I ordered wanted cheese for fondue--they are not familiar with difference between a block of cheese and sliced, processed cheese. Ended up with almost a kilo of processed emmenthaler and processed gruyere cheese--never knew they existed. Couldn't find anyone to give it to so had to toss it all.