Fantastic response with my last plea for help (many thanks for all those who answered), so I am going to hope someone out there can advise me on this latest question.

We moved here from Spain two months ago. We have a biggish house, we both work from home, (or rather I will once I get some help in the house), so I need to organise some part time help. Work will mainly be washing up (dishes), vacuuming and washing floors, that kind of thing.

Wondering firstly, how to find good honest reliable help and second, should it be done officially or 'cash in hand'. Also, how much is fair ? Per day, per hour ???

Both neighbours have other arrangements (family living in), so no help there.

Any help or advice appreciated.

PS We live in Pattaya, near Mabprachan Reservoir.

Most everything is cash in hand here. Can't really advise how to find help as we asked friends and neighbors but since you are new that makes it kind of tough. Also, an english speaking requirement might be kind of hard to fill as well.

Try here:

http://www.thailandguru.com/help-maids.html

Finding a maid that speaks English will be really difficult. Services like this help provide translation and you can get a phrasebook or picture dictionary will probably work out okay.

I stopped trying to get a maid as all the ones I found only did a basic surface clean and I needed to be home when they were there. I really felt uncomfortable trying to tell them how to clean since it is so cheap and losing a weekend afternoon when could do the work myself. Since you work at home though that shouldn't be as much of a problem.

Try here:

http://www.thailandguru.com/help-maids.html

Finding a maid that speaks English will be really difficult.  Services like this help provide translation and you can get a phrasebook or picture dictionary will probably work out okay.

I stopped trying to get a maid as all the ones I found only did a basic surface clean and I needed to be home when they were there.  I really felt uncomfortable trying to tell them how to clean since it is so cheap and losing a weekend afternoon when could do the work myself. Since you work at home though that shouldn't be as much of a problem.

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Many thanks for your reply. Interesting to hear of your experience in trying to get a maid. At this point, I would be happy to get any help at all, and feel confident I can explain what needs to be done. I would be home as you say, when she is there.

Thanks a million for the link. Very interesting. I will investigate further.

Being nosey - do you just do it all yourself now ? Have you completely given up ?

We own a bungalow resort so we must have staff. However, when we had just our own place I did everything. I don't mind and I was still young when I first came (no electricity during the day, handwashed all our clothes!) but that said I do enjoy having permanent full time staff to do the work around here. They do not, however, do our laundry or clean our room. I feel they have enough responsibilities cleaning rooms, washing dishes, cooking food, doing laundry and working in the garden to have them do my personal stuff too.

However, by doing everything myself the first 12 years or so I am a dab hand at not only dehusking the coconut but scraping it and making curry. I can do most everything a Thai woman can do and (with some of the younger ones) do a better job at it too.

Try here:

http://www.thailandguru.com/help-maids.html

Finding a maid that speaks English will be really difficult.  Services like this help provide translation and you can get a phrasebook or picture dictionary will probably work out okay.

I stopped trying to get a maid as all the ones I found only did a basic surface clean and I needed to be home when they were there.  I really felt uncomfortable trying to tell them how to clean since it is so cheap and losing a weekend afternoon when could do the work myself. Since you work at home though that shouldn't be as much of a problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Many thanks for your reply. Interesting to hear of your experience in trying to get a maid. At this point, I would be happy to get any help at all, and feel confident I can explain what needs to be done. I would be home as you say, when she is there.

Thanks a million for the link. Very interesting. I will investigate further.

Being nosey - do you just do it all yourself now ? Have you completely given up ?

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I just do the half-arsed job myself. I have an apartment by myself so it's easier to clean than a whole house. The maids worked for the building and I paid WAY too much because my furnishings look expensive. They were asking 500bt. for two hours and wouldn't come down on the price. The jobs they did were not even really cleaning the place, my bacony and plants got more attention than my kitchen floor. I know they worked for Thais for way less as well, I was pretty laid back, gave them food to try and make it work, but it just didn't.

If I hired an outside maid after that, the house maids would probably cause trouble. They might cause a new maid to quit and/or gossip more than usual about the single farang woman in the building. When I did stop hiring them, they complained (to put it mildly) about a little water my guests tracked from the pool, once. Security in the building was already giving me problems (long story) and I really saw this as not worth the hassle. My apartment was nice but when I moved out I realized that this is not normal, even in Thailand.

We own a bungalow resort so we must have staff. However, when we had just our own place I did everything. I don't mind and I was still young when I first came (no electricity during the day, handwashed all our clothes!) but that said I do enjoy having permanent full time staff to do the work around here. They do not, however, do our laundry or clean our room. I feel they have enough responsibilities cleaning rooms, washing dishes, cooking food, doing laundry and working in the garden to have them do my personal stuff too.

However, by doing everything myself the first 12 years or so I am a dab hand at not only dehusking the coconut but scraping it and making curry. I can do most everything a Thai woman can do and (with some of the younger ones) do a better job at it too.

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WOW! How interesting. Sounds like it was quite tough at first though. Dehusking a coconut looks tough too. Good for you ! Staff situation seems easier here than say Europe. Still hard work though I am sure. All the best.

Try here:

http://www.thailandguru.com/help-maids.html

Finding a maid that speaks English will be really difficult.  Services like this help provide translation and you can get a phrasebook or picture dictionary will probably work out okay.

I stopped trying to get a maid as all the ones I found only did a basic surface clean and I needed to be home when they were there.  I really felt uncomfortable trying to tell them how to clean since it is so cheap and losing a weekend afternoon when could do the work myself. Since you work at home though that shouldn't be as much of a problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Many thanks for your reply. Interesting to hear of your experience in trying to get a maid. At this point, I would be happy to get any help at all, and feel confident I can explain what needs to be done. I would be home as you say, when she is there.

Thanks a million for the link. Very interesting. I will investigate further.

Being nosey - do you just do it all yourself now ? Have you completely given up ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just do the half-arsed job myself. I have an apartment by myself so it's easier to clean than a whole house. The maids worked for the building and I paid WAY too much because my furnishings look expensive. They were asking 500bt. for two hours and wouldn't come down on the price. The jobs they did were not even really cleaning the place, my bacony and plants got more attention than my kitchen floor. I know they worked for Thais for way less as well, I was pretty laid back, gave them food to try and make it work, but it just didn't.

If I hired an outside maid after that, the house maids would probably cause trouble. They might cause a new maid to quit and/or gossip more than usual about the single farang woman in the building. When I did stop hiring them, they complained (to put it mildly) about a little water my guests tracked from the pool, once. Security in the building was already giving me problems (long story) and I really saw this as not worth the hassle. My apartment was nice but when I moved out I realized that this is not normal, even in Thailand.

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Seems like moving out of that place was a good decision. Who needs that kind of hassle? Very nice 'speaking' with you Pearl.

I am tougher than nails really

I married my Thai wife and explained to her that part of her wifely duties was to keep the place clean and tidy.

I now have to beat her with a big stick twice a week and she still fights back and wins.

What should I do now?

You can eat off MY clean floors and I am a wizard at ironing. Sometimes the dogs eat my cooking but usually they go and eat at a neighbours house.

Edited October 21, 200520 yr by billd766

Many thanks for your reply. Interesting to hear of your experience in trying to get a maid. At this point, I would be happy to get any help at all, and feel confident I can explain what needs to be done. I would be home as you say, when she is there.

Thanks a million for the link. Very interesting. I will investigate further.

Being nosey - do you just do it all yourself now ? Have you completely given up ?

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Becareful of what you wish for. "Any help at all" is more stressful than "No help".

Communication problems (if they do not understand English) will result in you being really irritated (e.g. washing dishes and food still inside it, and then putting the dirty dishes in the cupboard after drying them (with the food stuck in them)).

repeatedly asking for cobwebs to be dusted down.

repeatedly asking that labels on clothes be matched to the settings on the Iron, versus ironing everything on "linen" and burning clothes that you brought from overseas.

Whatever you do, don't rush into getting help. Take your time and do it right. In fact you might even want to test them (iron something at least) before you hire.

I married my Thai wife and explained to her that part of her wifely duties was to keep the place clean and tidy.

I now have to beat her with a big stick twice a week and she still fights back and wins.

What should I do now?

You can eat off MY clean floors and I am a wizard at ironing. Sometimes the dogs eat my cooking but usually they go and eat at a neighbours house.

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You are joking, right? You must be married to one of your (Thai) dogs, with four legs, that eat your cooking and usually go and eat at a neighbor’s house, because there is never a reason to beat a woman.

What should you do now? Stop beating your dog because no matter how hard you try, a dog or a cat is never going to clean for you. Dogs may fetch newspapers, but some instructions are too complex for dogs to follow.

Rainx, don't worry, of course he is joking--check out his previous post in "Another black eye".

Just as an FYI, check out the smilies the poster is using, it usually gives you a clue if he/she is joking or not.

Rainx, don't worry, of course he is joking--check out his previous post in "Another black eye".

Just as an FYI, check out the smilies the poster is using, it usually gives you a clue if he/she is joking or not.

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Thanks. Wish there was a smiley for a sigh of relief.