i am currently working in a thai school. I have been working here for nearly 3 years already. They now want me to get a full medical test. As i am working through an agency i thought this a bit strange.

Is it legal, compulsory?

THANX IN ADVANCE FOR ANY RESPONSES

One of the usual requirements at the beginning of the paperwork mill is a medical certificate which basically says your health is sufficient for your work- most small clinic doctors will charge you 50B or 100B for one, and the exam is basically looking at you superficially and inquiring after your health- in other words, a formality.

If they want something more in-depth, there may be some concern either about you personally or about some group of teachers in your school as a whole. Perhaps one of the staff developed a high-risk disease like tuberculosis?

One of the usual requirements at the beginning of the paperwork mill is a medical certificate which basically says your health is sufficient for your work- most small clinic doctors will charge you 50B or 100B for one, and the exam is basically looking at you superficially and inquiring after your health- in other words, a formality.

If they want something more in-depth, there may be some concern either about you personally or about some group of teachers in your school as a whole. Perhaps one of the staff developed a high-risk disease like tuberculosis?

They want everyone to do it. No teacher has had any medical problem.

as this is specific to employment in a school, Im moving it to the teaching forum for future reference /record

Well, as I imagine your contract is with the agency, they are the ones who have the say- and you should be protected by your contract. In theory, to have the work permit etc. a doctor has to give you the go-ahead, but if they have cut corners on this or can't find the paperwork the school's within its rights to ask for proof. You could refuse but I'd imagine that's a deal breaker on your working at the school.

The reasoning is quite justifiable- they don't want anyone with a semi-permanent, easily communicable, dangerous condition working with large groups of children and they have to demonstrate at least a good-faith effort to parents that they have tried to screen those conditions out.