How Do Teachers Get Paid?

[westybrook]

How do teachers get paid in Thailand, and is there any tax taken off, for example if you sign a contract for a school at 30k a month, how much of that will you recieve?

Thanks!

[sanook2me]

you can get paid various ways, most common for telfers is by cash ! yum yum no tax or about 2 % ...

to get a bank account the rules change daily sometimes you need 50k baht to open one and a work permit. Other days a smile and a small amount of cash or a cheque! this is TiT.....

Tax is very little of your salary and in return you do get perks from the Thai government like a hospital card.. mine was at Paulo and i and the other teachers had free treatment in a clean and modern hospital....much like the NHS but without superbugs!

tax is from 3% upwards... apparently i made it into the top bracket in my last year at 5% !

wish i was in the top bracket in blighty

[westybrook]

Cheers for that I guess you only get the medical card if you have the Work Permitt and your legal to work. But im happy about the tax being so small, and that some pay in cash

Thanks again!

[bendix]

you can get paid various ways, most common for telfers is by cash ! yum yum no tax or about 2 % ...

to get a bank account the rules change daily sometimes you need 50k baht to open one and a work permit. Other days a smile and a small amount of cash or a cheque! this is TiT.....

Tax is very little of your salary and in return you do get perks from the Thai government like a hospital card.. mine was at Paulo and i and the other teachers had free treatment in a clean and modern hospital....much like the NHS but without superbugs!

tax is from 3% upwards... apparently i made it into the top bracket in my last year at 5% ! 

wish i was in the top bracket in blighty

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Top bracket at 5%. Yeah, right.

So why am I paying a top marginal rate of something like 37%?

[Thaiboxer]

Schools should pay in cash if you have no work permit as there isn't any paper trail that way. Many schools will put you on probation for a couple months until they get you a work permit. Once you have a work permit, the school is supposed to deduct taxes from you and you'll need to visit the nearest tax office for a tax card. Be wary of schools that don't deduct taxes after you've already received your work permit. They may tell you not to worry but don't believe it. Find a Thai family member/friend to help you take care of taxes.

[kenkannif]

Yeah the banks are hit and miss, but if you go to enough of them one of them will let you open an account (and you won't need 50K or a WP).

But yeah most get paid by cash, some by bank account (generally if they work elsewhere/offsite and can't be bothered to come in every month to get their wages.

If you ain't got a WP then really (kind of although some schools will take it regardless so they're being half 'legal') no tax should be taken from you.

[BigA]

I think I have about 5% taken out of my check which is deposited in my bank acct. I recieve an official computer generated pay stub each month, similar to when I worked in the US. The employer figures and files my taxes for me. I think they are legit and trying to be on the up and up. Being married and having dependents gives you additional deductions and if the witholding is adjusted properly, a net larger paycheck. I have been involved in cash deals as well on part time work and worked PT at another UNI where they were milking their regular employers for 15% payroll deuctions to cover services like visas (I guess). Needless to say I held their feet to the fire and had my deductions figured properly. Which in that case, was I believe 3%.

Edited September 2, 2005 by BigA

[PeaceBlondie]

you can get paid various ways, most common for telfers is by cash ! yum yum no tax or about 2 % ...

to get a bank account the rules change daily sometimes you need 50k baht to open one and a work permit. Other days a smile and a small amount of cash or a cheque! this is TiT.....

Tax is very little of your salary and in return you do get perks from the Thai government like a hospital card.. mine was at Paulo and i and the other teachers had free treatment in a clean and modern hospital....much like the NHS but without superbugs!

tax is from 3% upwards... apparently i made it into the top bracket in my last year at 5% ! 

wish i was in the top bracket in blighty

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Top bracket at 5%. Yeah, right.

So why am I paying a top marginal rate of something like 37%?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bendix, I think you two posters are talking apples and oranges. By 5%, he probably means on the gross. By 37%, you probably mean on the last pay raise/rise you got. And he's probably talking a monthly income of less than 35,000 baht/month, whereas you'd be making several times that to actually be paying 37% on any of your money. Or, you're not in Thailand.

My first school paid in cash every month, and deducted taxes even though I never had a work permit or a tax number (how could they possibly submit my withheld taxes to the Thai treasury?). But they gave me a tax receipt each month, without a tax number, which I've kept. My second school paid by direct deposit, and deducted no taxes (again, no work permit or tax number). Third school, commercial college, part-time, cash. You always signed for cash at each school I worked. Even with direct deposit, I had to sign for receipt of my salary.

Agreed, Bendix, that if you were in the top bracket of income tax withholding in Thailand, the total out of each paycheck would exceed 5% of the gross amount.

Edited September 3, 2005 by PeaceBlondie

[Tywais]

Working at a government university I get paid by check with the option of direct deposit. Unfortuanely they don't have my bank on the list of dd accounts. Also, seems everyone has it wrong regarding taxable amount. It is 10% over the first 100k/annum and brackets upward. A few other deductions from my pay include social security (goes into a separate account which after retiring/resigning is mine) and small amount for medical insurance.

http://www.rd.go.th/publish/6045.0.html

[Spit the Dog]

I have 2 bank accounts. One at Bangkok bank and one at Siam City bank. I had no problems opening an account at either of these branches. All I needed to produce was my work permit, passport and I think I had to deposit someting like 1000 baht(I can't remember the exact figure, but it wasn't too excesive).

As for tax, I pay about 2.5%. I even got a 1000baht tax rebate last year I couldn't believe it.

[Spit the Dog]

How do teachers get paid in Thailand, and is there any tax taken off, for example if you sign a contract for a school at 30k a month, how much of that will you recieve?

Thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You should receive most of it. There might be some tax deducted, but it will not be more than 1000 baht.

I am not sure about this but I remember somebody told me that if you earn under 30,000 baht you don't have to pay tax. Then again I could be wrong.

[Thaiboxer]

Compared to Western countries, the tax rates here are relatively low. If you're married to a Thai and especially if you have kids the rates are even lower....well under 10%.

[kenkannif]

How do teachers get paid in Thailand, and is there any tax taken off, for example if you sign a contract for a school at 30k a month, how much of that will you recieve?

Thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You should receive most of it. There might be some tax deducted, but it will not be more than 1000 baht.

I am not sure about this but I remember somebody told me that if you earn under 30,000 baht you don't have to pay tax. Then again I could be wrong.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it's hard to get a TL or WP if you're earning under 30K, definitely this is the case at language schools (so they say you're earning more than you are, so even when you're not earning over the holidays there's a good chance you'll have to pay tax).

I get around 7K back each year out of the 19,500 odd I pay in tax a year! But I'm married with child which means you get a better tax break.

[bendix]

My understanding is that the top rate kicks of (I think) 37% kicks in when you earn over 4 million a year. Up to that point, the tax liability is quite low.

I was confused though, by the one poster who talked of making it into the top bracket and was paying 5%.

[PeaceBlondie]

On that Thai tax URL that was provided, note that there are at least two large exemptions or exclusions from gross earned income: a personal deduction of 30K for single, 60K for married; and another deduction limited to 60,000.

Let's say that you're a single teacher making 30K every month; that's 360,000 per year. One fourth of your income isn't taxed at all, and the remaining 270,000 is taxed at 10%. Your annual tax is 27,000, for which the perfect withholding for personal income tax would be 2,250 baht per month.

But the first calendar year that you work, you won't get paid for all the months, so it will work out differently.

I may have misunderstood the URL; I don't do Thai taxes.

[kenkannif]

^ I think you've misunderstood mate.

[richard10365]

How do teachers get paid in Thailand, and is there any tax taken off, for example if you sign a contract for a school at 30k a month, how much of that will you recieve?

Thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They use to feed me lunch when I helped at the local school. Other than that, I never asked for money.

[Neeranam]

I had a great job teaching a couple of rich guys from EGAT.

Something like 250 baht an hour, which was a lot then, pre-97 crash, plus all the beer I could drink.

One jug was ordered from the bar on the bank of the Chao Phraya before we got started at 5pm. The books were away by 5.30 and usually after the 3rd jug we would hit the hostess bars. They paid for everything the whole night. This went on for about a year at least once a week, often twice.

In the end, my Thai improved much more than their English.

Not everyone pays you to teach though.

[machangezi]

How do teachers get paid in Thailand, and is there any tax taken off, for example if you sign a contract for a school at 30k a month, how much of that will you recieve?

Thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It depends on the teacher!

[boris]

Compared to Western countries, the tax rates here are relatively low. If you're married to a Thai and especially if you have kids the rates are even lower....well under 10%.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Incorrect.The personal allowance of Bt 30,000 is applicable to any spouse regardless of nationality.

[kenkannif]

I get lower tax rates as I'm married though???

[boris]

I get lower tax rates as I'm married though???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No you don't.Rates are the same for singles or marrieds.However you can claim the appropriate personal allowance if you are legally hitched, so your tax bill is reduced.

[kenkannif]

Well I suppose I pay the same, but I get a lot more back than the single people I work with? Is that what you mean?

[boris]

Well I suppose I pay the same, but I get a lot more back than the single people I work with? Is that what you mean?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You seem never to have paid tax before! The principles of allowances are the same here as in the UK for example.

Your personal allowances, including your marriage allowance, are taken into account in calculating your tax bill.Ideally if you pay tax on a paye basis the situation in regard to your allowances are taken into account by your employer when deducting tax from your monthly pay packet.If not or you are self employed the matter can be dealt with when your annual tax return is submitted.

To remove any misunderstanding you do not "get a lot more back" than your non-married colleagues.The married allowance is very small, Bt 30,000 from memory.There is no significant tax advantage to being married in Thailand, or elsewhere come to think oif it.

[mbkudu]

There is no significant advantage to being married in Thailand, or elsewhere come to think oif it.

You might definitely be right about this.

[kenkannif]

Well I suppose I pay the same, but I get a lot more back than the single people I work with? Is that what you mean?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You seem never to have paid tax before! The principles of allowances are the same here as in the UK for example.

Your personal allowances, including your marriage allowance, are taken into account in calculating your tax bill.Ideally if you pay tax on a paye basis the situation in regard to your allowances are taken into account by your employer when deducting tax from your monthly pay packet.If not or you are self employed the matter can be dealt with when your annual tax return is submitted.

To remove any misunderstanding you do not "get a lot more back" than your non-married colleagues.The married allowance is very small, Bt 30,000 from memory.There is no significant tax advantage to being married in Thailand, or elsewhere come to think oif it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ooooh sarccy

Okay I got 7K back my unmarried colleagues got 3K back, so that's over a 50% difference. So not a lot of money, but proportionately a lot more

[boris]

Well I suppose I pay the same, but I get a lot more back than the single people I work with? Is that what you mean?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You seem never to have paid tax before! The principles of allowances are the same here as in the UK for example.

Your personal allowances, including your marriage allowance, are taken into account in calculating your tax bill.Ideally if you pay tax on a paye basis the situation in regard to your allowances are taken into account by your employer when deducting tax from your monthly pay packet.If not or you are self employed the matter can be dealt with when your annual tax return is submitted.

To remove any misunderstanding you do not "get a lot more back" than your non-married colleagues.The married allowance is very small, Bt 30,000 from memory.There is no significant tax advantage to being married in Thailand, or elsewhere come to think oif it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ooooh sarccy

Okay I got 7K back my unmarried colleagues got 3K back, so that's over a 50% difference. So not a lot of money, but proportionately a lot more

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And I think that answer indicates rather starkly why you are an English teacher in Thailand.

[Sumitr Man]

Ken - don't forget you have a young one too, which increases your allowable deductibles (i.e. a married man may be paying more than you in tax even if they are on the same crack <--- it's all in the deductibles mate!).

[kenkannif]

That's what I'm saying isn't it??? Kind of ish if you squint and that!

But then my mate who has a kid but isn't married pays the same and gets the same back as my other mate here that isn't married and doesn't have a kid???

All I did was sign a bit of paper a few years ago, and now I get more back???

Edited September 18, 2005 by kenkannif

[kenkannif]

And I think that answer indicates rather starkly why you are an English teacher in Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not though mate

But remember it's fair easier to say something 'orrible than it is to say something nice!