House Maid

[Jeffery Stanthorpe]

Hi all,

What is the going rate for a house maid in pattaya district. Probally a one bedroom condo unit near the beach. Maybe she can cook meals too (western). I suppose 4 hours a day 3 times a week. If she is a good cook I may want to eat more but I have heard there are great eateries in Pattaya so I will take that into account. I guess I would also want my laundry done and maybe run some errands like dropping by the local mini mart to pick up some beer or stuff like that. Just a ball park figure. Thanks in advance

[BambinA]

Hi all,

What is the going rate for a house maid in pattaya district. Probally a one bedroom condo unit near the beach. Maybe she can cook meals too (western). I suppose 4 hours a day 3 times a week. If she is a good cook I may want to eat more but I have heard there are great eateries in Pattaya so I will take that into account. I guess I would also want my laundry done and maybe run some errands like dropping by the local mini mart to pick up some beer or stuff like that. Just a ball park figure. Thanks in advance 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

basically , for labor wage here ,its 180 baht /day (8 hrs)

well , in BKK , maid get 3000-5000 Bht / mth

hope you have some idea

Bambi

[Thetyim]

Bambina figures are correct but if you are hiring by the hour then the rate will be about 40 baht per hour.

[Jeffery Stanthorpe]

Bambina figures are correct but if you are hiring by the hour then the rate will be about 40 baht per hour.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats about a dollar per hour, ok thanks, I guess I will pay her more than that as it seems too low. Maybe I will get her to go into town and pay the utility bills as well as I sometimes get stressed when in large queues. I've been told these can be quiet long. I suppose if I pay her extra she won't mind too much. thanks for information.

[cloudtiger]

Don't bother with the cooking thing unless you're a real finicky eater. Plenty of good restaurants, though you might want her to shop for fruits and stuff.

As far as cleaning go, I'd say don't be cheap. Pay her 200bhat/cleaning for a large studio/1bedroom with kitchen. You have to remember that you're hiring someone whom you must trust to go thru all your belongings as well as laundry and trash. I'm sure you can hire someone right off the street for 10bhat/hr, but I'll bet your wallet, computer, and various goodies might be up for grab as well.

Treat people who work for you well and generously and they'll most like treat you the same.

[BambinA]

if i was you i'd pay maid 200 baht / 4 hrs

and maybe tip her sometime when I give her extra job..

[uncle paul]

Bambina figures are correct but if you are hiring by the hour then the rate will be about 40 baht per hour.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats about a dollar per hour, ok thanks, I guess I will pay her more than that as it seems too low. Maybe I will get her to go into town and pay the utility bills as well as I sometimes get stressed when in large queues. I've been told these can be quiet long. I suppose if I pay her extra she won't mind too much. thanks for information.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In August 1998, the Labour Protection Act (1998) went into effect. It applies to all businesses with at least one employee. The features of the legislation are:

Work hours and holidays: The maximum number of hours for non-hazardous work is eight hours a day or 48 hours a week in total. Hazardous work may not exceed seven hours a day, or 42 hours per week. Employees are entitled to no fewer than 13 national holidays a year, and a minimum of six days of annual vacation after working consecutively for one full year. A female employee is entitled to maternity leave for a period of 90 days including holidays, but paid leave shall not exceed 45 days. A weekly holiday of at least one day a week at intervals of a six-day period must be arranged by the employer. The rates for overtime vary and range from 1-1/2 times to three times the normal hourly wage rate for the actual overtime worked. The maximum number of overtime working hours is limited to not more than 36 hours a week.

Minimum age: The minimum age for employment is 15 years, and workers below the age of 18 are banned from dangerous and hazardous jobs. They are also prohibited from working overtime, on holidays, or between the hours of 10 p.m. and six a.m.

Sick leave: Employees can take as many days of sick leave as necessary, but if an employee takes three months of sick leave, the employer is required to pay only one month’s wages

Severance pay: Employees who have worked more than 120 days, but less than one year, are entitled to 30 days severance pay. For personnel employed between one and three years, the severance pay is not less than 90 days. Employees with three to six years of service will

receive six months salary, those with more than six to 10 years service will receive eight

months salary, and employees with more than 10 years service will receive 10 months salary.

Regarding workmen's compensation, the Compensation Act prescribes that an employer must provide the necessary compensation benefits for employees who suffer injury or illness or who die as a result or in the performance of their work at the rates prescribed by law.

Minimum wage depends largely on the location of the workplace. The daily minimum wages effective January 1, 1998 are:

162 baht for Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phuket, Samut Prakan

and Samut Sakhon.

140 baht for Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phangnga and Ranong.

130 baht for all other areas.

[monochaser]

I say the OP does not want to be a cheapo charlie about the whole thing and I agree with him. I want to pay my people well. You get what you pay for. I don't care if the average Thai makes 2 cents per hour

[uncle paul]

I say the OP does not want to be a cheapo charlie about the whole thing and I agree with him. I want to pay my people well. You get what you pay for. I don't care if the average Thai makes 2 cents per hour

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it is better to pay the going rate otherwise you upset the locals!

there are ways around this via fringe benefits but in general id say only pay the going rate

[bendix]

In Bkk, I pay my maid 4000 a month. For that she comes 3 days a week for 4 hours each time, which is around 90 baht an hour. I'm happy to pay that because I trust her implicitly. She cleans a 200 sqm apartment, does laundry and ironing for two and generally adds a lot of value all around the place. I often come home to find a new pot plant in the place, or some fresh flowers. She tells me her husband works in the flower markets, so she gets them cheap. I try to pay her extra, but she won't take anything, so instead I try to leave a small token of appreciation every now and again (a bottle of 100 pipers for her husband, some goodies from any trip i make etc).

Nice lady.

Pattaya? Don't know sorry. I guess it would be cheaper by 25% ish.

[The Dude]

That's pretty reasonable. I could use a maid here in BKK meself. It's overwhelming keeping 200 SQ meters clean.

[BambinA]

I say the OP does not want to be a cheapo charlie about the whole thing and I agree with him. I want to pay my people well. You get what you pay for. I don't care if the average Thai makes 2 cents per hour

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

my point is...

i dont mean.. the OP pay less or make he feel as a mingy or stingy..

but i just want to give an idea..and waht i say ..it imply that ..just dont pay less than the wage rate.. you guy can pay as much as you want ..that's not a prob..

Regards,

Bambi

[JacknDanny]

I agree with Monochaser.If you can pay top whack for someone reliable, they are with you forever. In my opinion there is nothing worse than having to keep hiring new maids. Find a good one pay her well and she will be loyal.

[Windy]

That's pretty reasonable. I could use a maid here in BKK meself. It's overwhelming keeping 200 SQ meters clean.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why not just get one of your "ez women" to do it

[Boon Mee]

I say the OP does not want to be a cheapo charlie about the whole thing and I agree with him. I want to pay my people well. You get what you pay for. I don't care if the average Thai makes 2 cents per hour

it is better to pay the going rate otherwise you upset the locals!

there are ways around this via fringe benefits but in general id say only pay the going rate

Absolutely!

Not only will it piss off the others but it'll create inflation.

Also, there's the element of being thought of as a dumb-sh1t farang - naive and gulible.

Get some advice from your neighbors first before setting a new wage scale in the 'hood'.

[Khutan]

I pay my maid 7,000 a month.

Thats for 10 hours a day and 6 days a week.

Thats about 285 B a day,

So its a bit more than the minimum, but she is a good maid, and I rather pay an extra 500 - 1000 a month more, and keep someone good.

You should go through hiring a maid and see the variable quality out there.

[dereklev]

That's pretty reasonable. I could use a maid here in BKK meself. It's overwhelming keeping 200 SQ meters clean.

Why not just get one of your "ez women" to do it

That would just be to "ez" for "The Dude"! !

[Boon Mee]

I pay my maid 7,000 a month.

Thats for 10 hours a day and 6 days a week.

Thats about 285 B a day,

So its a bit more than the minimum, but she is a good maid, and I rather pay an extra 500 - 1000 a month more, and keep someone good.

You should go through hiring a maid and see the variable quality out there.

It can be tough.

Folks should be prepared to go through a 'few' before settling on the #1 Ama. As you say Matt, quality is all over the place.

[richb2004]

I live about half hour from Pattay and have a great cleaner. Our house is two stories, three bedrooms etc. The cleaner stays for 7 - 8 hours once per week and cleans the windows, all the rooms and bathrooms and the balconies as well as doing the ironing. For this we pay her 400 - 450 baht. We often go out for the day and leave her alone in the house with full confidence. I think that’s a good set up to have and well worth it.

[Khutan]

A couple more things, she will also baby-sit until any hour for 50B an hour (her rate) and she comes to Surin once a month (at my expense) and cleans my wife's house as well. She is happy to do that for free as she has family in Surin.

It was funny, after I decided to say no to one of the maids, she had references too good to be true, but about a week later, saw her walking out of Soi Cowboy at 12:30 pm, funny place to be doing an interview as a domestic. I also think her new "employer" was a little drunk....

[The Dude]

I will find a good one and give her a min. of 10k/mo. Christ, in NY they get $25/hr. I don't care about pumping up prices around here and I don't give a rat's arse about what people think that's for sure. Maybe if I do my part to push up prices in LOS then we can slowly price the cheapo charlie supremos out of this country. Now that would be a very good thing

[Boon Mee]

I will find a good one and give her a min. of 10k/mo. Christ, in NY they get $25/hr. I don't care about pumping up prices around here and I don't give a rat's arse about what people think that's for sure. Maybe if I do my part to push up prices in LOS then we can slowly price the cheapo charlie supremos out of this country. Now that would be a very good thing

Rethink that line of logic, Dude.

All you'd be doing is getting the Thai Gentry real pissed at you 'cause them's the ones keeping the prices where they are...

[The_Other_Mac]

I will find a good one and give her a min. of 10k/mo. Christ, in NY they get $25/hr. I don't care about pumping up prices around here and I don't give a rat's arse about what people think that's for sure. Maybe if I do my part to push up prices in LOS then we can slowly price the cheapo charlie supremos out of this country. Now that would be a very good thing

Hey Dude, did you manage to save up for that visa run to Cambodia?

[daleyboy]

Just remember the old saying "you pay peanuts, you get monkeys"

[The Dude]

I will find a good one and give her a min. of 10k/mo. Christ, in NY they get $25/hr. I don't care about pumping up prices around here and I don't give a rat's arse about what people think that's for sure. Maybe if I do my part to push up prices in LOS then we can slowly price the cheapo charlie supremos out of this country. Now that would be a very good thing

Hey Dude, did you manage to save up for that visa run to Cambodia?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[

That was some time ago that I did in fact fly to PP to watch the zoo for a few days. While there I encountered an aussie couple who were lured to a tuk tuk and setup for a robbery of the woman's purse which contained all of their cash, ID, CC's and plane tix. ###### I felt bad for them

[ray23]

I will find a good one and give her a min. of 10k/mo. Christ, in NY they get $25/hr. I don't care about pumping up prices around here and I don't give a rat's arse about what people think that's for sure. Maybe if I do my part to push up prices in LOS then we can slowly price the cheapo charlie supremos out of this country. Now that would be a very good thing

Hey Dude, did you manage to save up for that visa run to Cambodia?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[

That was some time ago that I did in fact fly to PP to watch the zoo for a few days. While there I encountered an aussie couple who were lured to a tuk tuk and setup for a robbery of the woman's purse which contained all of their cash, ID, CC's and plane tix. ###### I felt bad for them

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a thought don't think the first housekeeper you gte is going to fit the bill autmatically, espcially if she is going to cook farrang food for you. Don't bet on them speaking english they are not as a general rule bar girls. Your going to have some time before you know that the one you gets is the one you want to keep. Start with a fair wage for the area and if she fits the bill get serious about the money and make sure she is taken care of a well as she takes care of you.

We have a two bedroom house our housekeeper is paid at a 1000 a week more then construction workers in the area make. she started at 850 until we knew she was going to work out for us. She has two teenage girls in schooland is a widow we give her another 200 a week for the girls school. I have a have bad back so along wiith her other duties she helps my wife with a message usually three times a week, she gets an additional 100 baht for that usually three times a week for that so we are now up to 1500 a week, about 500 a week more then housekeepers get in this area.

But she is trusted as her daughters are in our home they usually house set for us when we take trips. We include them for birthday patires Christmas Ect. and no they don't work through those times. They are an extension of our family, if they have problems we help them as they do us.

So when you get that point kind of employee employer relationship, that is when you take the time to make sure things are good for them and they will be loyal to them and you should treat them the same way. But that is not where it starts.

No one respects something for nothing. let them earn that respect. We went through four before we have what we have today.