Got Screwed

[DragonQuest]

Language school in central pinklao tower {DELETED]... didnt pay me my money. We had a verbal contract and no contract was ever signed, I have no work permit, is there away to get my money back ? Police and central didnt care and they said contact a lawyer...

Edited April 9, 2010 by PeaceBlondie
DELETED NAME AND SHAME

[kevinbkk]

No written contract? No work permit? I highly doubt that you will ever see your money and when you complain with the police, you may bring yourself in trouble. Working without work permit is illegal in Thailand.

[Gigabyte]

Lucky you are not getting deported working without a work permit, as I undestand your situation. Probably the police have their mind somewhere else these days, and it seems that yes, you got screwed. Too bad...

You should do things the right way next time (have a written contract and a work permit). If not, then please do not complain because you'll get screwed again and again, and nothing you can do about it.

[PeaceBlondie]

I think you dealt with an infamous employer.

[Declan]

Hate to ask this but why the _ _ _ _ did u go to the Police when you were working illegaly? These 2 are notorious, absolutely horrible people. My wife actually studied there for 2 years on and off and they ripped her off also.

Lots of good jobs around now, why not go to the schools near there like Pottisarn..........there's a long list, easy to find. On the otherhand if you want to work at a nice friendly Language School, try Password near Krung Thon bridge, owners name is Tik, nice lady and never any money problems, paid every friday.

[metisdead]

"Dude, you lost the money, save yourself the stress and mark it down as lesson learned."

[BWPattaya]

You have been a member of this forum for nearly 4 years, have made over 700 posts, and yet you are gullible enough to work for someone illegally, without a written contract?

What did you expect the police to do? You were lucky not to be reported to the relevant authority. Perhaps the red shirts were keeping the police busy so they didn't bother with you.

So, just walk away from this, count your blessings that you haven't got a bigger problem........

[DragonQuest]

Thx for the info guys just wanted to let ya'll know about them, they are evil, the devil and pig in disguise. They told me since im quitting I dont deserve the money. I feel sorry for the other teachers working there, is there a place where I can name and shame them?

[Scott]

Let's take it easy on the OP. He's asked a question and that's what needs to be responded to.

You will have to decide how important it is to you to get paid (and the amount involved). I understand that the Ministry of Labor may be able to help you. If you worked, then you should be paid and if you have reasonable evidence that you did work and there was an agreement, then you maybe able to get your money.

The issue of no work permit is a different issue and it may come around and bite you in the behind, but if the MOL decides you worked and you should get paid, then you can face that issue later, if you chose to do so.

[DragonQuest]

Will the other teachers at the school also get checked? Some dont have work pemits, and I dont wanna screw other teachers as well.

[Scott]

There is no way to answer your question, but there is no reason for them to check others simply because you didn't have a work permit. If you go to the MOL, the company will probably simply pay you. They won't want it to go to Court.

[Ijustwannateach]

I'm sure that if you strictly follow the rules and post the NAME ONLY of a school (could have had problems with them anytime) in our "Schools I wouldn't recommend to a friend" thread (see the pinned guidelines thread for a link), no one could possibly imagine any connection between that post and this thread, where you are only giving the details of your anonymous school.

[joe beets]

I'm sure that if you strictly follow the rules and post the NAME ONLY of a school (could have had problems with them anytime) in our "Schools I wouldn't recommend to a friend" thread (see the pinned guidelines thread for a link), no one could possibly imagine any connection between that post and this thread, where you are only giving the details of your anonymous school.

That thread appears to have been closed as of 31/08/09.

I fear anything else I could add would be in violation of the forum rules.

[clinique]

sorry for your loss,,,

BUT

you had no legal status to make such a contract !

no work permit !

Where is the basis of ANY claim legal or otherwise ??

3 baht of lead maybe ..

[PeaceBlondie]

That thread is reopened. If rules are not followed, we'll close it again.

[haltes]

sorry for your loss,,,

BUT

you had no legal status to make such a contract !

no work permit !

Where is the basis of ANY claim legal or otherwise ??

3 baht of lead maybe ..

You don't need a work permit to be able to claim....

[Scott]

As was mentioned earlier, we need to exercise extreme care in naming and shaming schools. We also need to keep threads on track. The OP's situation is not uncommon, not only in teaching, but in Thailand in general (and other places in the world, I might add).

How the system works in Thailand and how it is resolved is important to many of us.

Some questions for the OP: What were the conditions and pay that you agreed to verbally? How long did you work there? Did you complete your 'contractual' agreement as to the amount of time you agreed to work? Did you quit or did they let you go? What working conditions do other teachers have.

These aren't necessarily pertinent questions, but they might provide some insight into your situation and where things went wrong.

Whether you had a contract or not is not vital. In such situations, a contract is implied. The employer doesn't have the right to break Thai law.

[Loaded]

Your labour office will pursue your claim on your behalf. You may also be due severance as language schools are classified as 'informal' and not 'private'.

However, there are always two sides to any story. What was their reason for not paying you?

From my experience immigration and the police won't be too interested unless you push this in to their faces and give them no alternative but to investigate. Then you'll have problems.

Edited April 10, 2010 by Loaded

[DragonQuest]

The reason for them not paying me was because I told them I would only work for 3 months, but they wanted me to finish the course which is about 40 hours and around 4-5 months work(I told them I'll think about it), and they hired me on the spot , seems they were desparate for a teacher. I only work there for 2 months and a week, last months payment was late and I demanded my money or I wont teach, things went sour and I quit the next day after recieveing payment. In there written contract it does say they have a right to keep hours worked if the teacher abruptly leaves unannounced, but I had a verbal contract.I quit because when I gave my one month notice , all hel_l broke loose and they started verbally abusing me (yelling and screaming at me). I even had the owner of the school come up to my face and say I was a ,"Crap teacher"(Even though I had a student say I was great and told his dad and they were both smiling at me), "I will not pay you, what are you going to do now?You can do anything you want. You can't do nothing, you dont know thai law", he said. About 20 other peolpe knew what happen, teachers, students, police and central, they all said contact a lawyer. Total amount lost was 19 hours @ 400 baht per hour = 7600 Baht grand total loss in the gutter. I recorded their voices on my phone so I have proof.

Edited April 10, 2010 by DragonQuest

[BruceMangosteen]

"I will not pay you, what are you going to do now?You can do anything you want. You can't do nothing, you dont know thai law"

Someone says that to the wrong person and they may in fact get hurt.

[Sisaketmike]

Will the other teachers at the school also get checked? Some dont have work pemits, and I dont wanna screw other teachers as well.

Just tell them you’ll take them to court. It might help you to get some cash. Nobody wants to see cops or being at court…..Good luck.

[Sisaketmike]

Hard to understand that you've been here for so long, or so many times?

Edited April 10, 2010 by Sisaketmike

[DragonQuest]

They said I can contact anyone and they have a lawyer, he told me his rent is 300,000 baht a month for the school and that 4000 is nothing to him. Well I definetly wont be working for language schools anymore.

[Loaded]

The reason for them not paying me was because I told them I would only work for 3 months, but they wanted me to finish the course which is about 40 hours and around 4-5 months work(I told them I'll think about it), and they hired me on the spot , seems they were desparate for a teacher. I only work there for 2 months and a week, last months payment was late and I demanded my money or I wont teach, things went sour and I quit the next day after recieveing payment. In there written contract it does say they have a right to keep hours worked if the teacher abruptly leaves unannounced, but I had a verbal contract.I quit because when I gave my one month notice , all hel_l broke loose and they started verbally abusing me (yelling and screaming at me). I even had the owner of the school come up to my face and say I was a ,"Crap teacher"(Even though I had a student say I was great and told his dad and they were both smiling at me), "I will not pay you, what are you going to do now?You can do anything you want. You can't do nothing, you dont know thai law", he said. About 20 other peolpe knew what happen, teachers, students, police and central, they all said contact a lawyer. Total amount lost was 19 hours @ 400 baht per hour = 7600 Baht grand total loss in the gutter. I recorded their voices on my phone so I have proof.

I don't understand.

So, here you are saying you got paid and then left.

But, in the OP you said you didn't get paid.

You say the written contract, which I assume you read as you quote it, states you must give 1 month's notice, but because you believed your vague verbal agreement superseded this you felt it was your right to give no notice. I remember reading in a previous thread to another language school teacher your advice that you shouldn't give notice when leaving a language school; just take your money and run is what you said.

I've met a wide range of teachers in Thailand. Most are professional and reasonable; but a few are recalcitrant, not professional and squeal when they don't get what they want whether it's reasonable or not.

I'm not entirely convinced the school has done something wrong here.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Loaded

[idrankwhat]

You are working illegally and you are an illegal alien as you have broken the terms of your visa exemption or visa. It would like telling a police officer the prostitute stole your cocaine at the under ground casino.

Good Luck

[haltes]

You are working illegally and you are an illegal alien as you have broken the terms of your visa exemption or visa. It would like telling a police officer the prostitute stole your cocaine at the under ground casino.

Good Luck

People really should not post who don't understand the law as it actually is.

Not having a work permit does not preclude you from being able to claim.....

Not having a written contract likewise does stop you claiming....

In this case however it seems you are just temporary staff so would be entitled to be paid what you worked as you are on an hourly basis and the employer has no right to keep that money BUT there may be deductions for you not completing your side of the contract and associated costs in replacing you...

[notime]

You are working illegally and you are an illegal alien as you have broken the terms of your visa exemption or visa. It would like telling a police officer the prostitute stole your cocaine at the under ground casino.

Good Luck

Hahahaahahahaahahahahahaaaa ... thank you for a laugh idrankwhat. Don't worry about some other people being too serious here.

What is law in this country is one thing and what is the practice is another. I would not dare to go to police if I were in your circumstances. The police might as well ask you about your work permit and give you problems. On the other hand if you punched a guy who asked you what you were going to do if they didn't pay all what you risked is 1,000 THB fine at the police office. And for that to happen they would need to contact police first and explain the incident giving you a chance to state that you weren't paid. Who knows but the police could have insist then that the school pays you. The practice here is that violence works. Otherwise there would be no red people in the streets.

[haltes]

Why would you go to the police???

It is easier to puruse a civil action which means you need a lawyer. You would only involve the police if you wished to pursue criminal charges e.g. for theft.

[myauq]

I think you dealt with an infamous employer.

does this sound familiar....?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/English-Elt-t234547.html

[Uli]

Let's take it easy on the OP. He's asked a question and that's what needs to be responded to.

You will have to decide how important it is to you to get paid (and the amount involved). I understand that the Ministry of Labor may be able to help you. If you worked, then you should be paid and if you have reasonable evidence that you did work and there was an agreement, then you maybe able to get your money.

The issue of no work permit is a different issue and it may come around and bite you in the behind, but if the MOL decides you worked and you should get paid, then you can face that issue later, if you chose to do so.

Scott, you mention the MOL. My case is quite different since I work with a work permit for 7 years at a large public university. I get paid by the course with usually 14-16 courses a year. The number of courses assigned to me dropped over the last 12 months so much that I cannot make ends meet anymore. I now have to leave this university and look for a new job.

Certainly, I feel cheated since this came without any comment from the university - it just happened. Do you know where in the MOL I can go and file a complaint?