Thai Company Mistreated Foreigners

[Kalpangha]

My boyfriend, a foreigner, has been working with a computer training company since July 2004. His company was not registered with enough money to have so many foreigners. It turned out that he was an extra one. His company promise to

put more money for registration so that he can be legally working for the company. They can't give him working permit until now. They've paid him until last November. They asked to skip 1 month of payment and would set up the contract for him every 3 months and they would keep renewing the contract until they can raise more capital/registration money for the company. Finally they asked my boyfriend to go see them and told them that they would have to let him go because they couldn't hire him any longer. Their biz is not that great esp. for English Dept.

They told him that they would pay him one month before letting him go.

It's really unfair and mistreated for Thai people/company to do this such a bad thing to the foreigner.

Could you kindly recommend what we should be doing. Does he has the right to get at least 3 months for being let go?

Await for your reply and kind assistance.

Brgds;

Ping-Pong

[Golf]

I think your BF was under this company's thumb for too long! First, they should have got him a work permit. In fact, they shouldn't hire him at the first place. Secondly, hiring 1 foreigner means the comapny has to have at least 9 Thai workers in place. 1:9 reatio.

Anyways, skipping or late payment is already a bad sign. No B-visa, and no work permit. Your BF didn't work for them at all (according to the laws). Plus, Thais laws don't protect foreigners. Your BF is actually has no rights here.

I could be wrong, but I have heard and experienced many Thai companies that abuse and treat foreigners like trashes. They don't really care. My wife is an American and she is an English teacher. She, too, has witnessed unfair treatments from Thai school owners. Hope you can solve this problem and please take care, both of you.

Golf

[yamaharr1]

Hello Ping Pong,

I am no expert in this but if they where taking taxes and he was getting non B visas that is trackable past the legal time for early release he may have a leg to stand on.

[lingling]

I think your BF was under this company's thumb for too long!  First, they should have got him a work permit.  In fact, they shouldn't hire him at the first place.  Secondly, hiring 1 foreigner means the comapny has to have at least 9 Thai workers in place.  1:9 reatio.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

??!??!!? 9???

[Ajarn]

The company sounds very vulnerable. That could be used in negotiating a more reasonable settlement with them. Like offerring to sign a non-disclosure agreement if they agree to reasonable compensation terms.

[Bobcat]

Did he have a written contract of employment with the Company? What does it say about the Company's rights to terminate?

[Sunbelt Asia]

??!??!!? 9???

welcome to Thailand. Where the number of employees needed to get a work permit are quoted from "0", "4", "7" and now "9"

The correct answer is.... "0"

The extension of stay permit based on business is....

"4"

If you can't meet that requirement of 4 employees. You get a one year multi entry visa and do a work permit extension every 90 days.

www.lawyer.th.com