kriskt818 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 (edited) Hello Everyone, This is my first time posting. I taught in Thailand about year ago. I signed a contract with this agency *(Name edited out)*. I was to get 32000 baht/month for teaching English. At first the lady who hired me paid me for the first month. I had no reason to suspect she'd not pay me for the next month since she has earn my trust. However when the time came for me to receive my salary, the money wasn't transfer to my bank account. She keeps giving excuses on why she can't pay me just yet. Eventually I decided to report her to the government. I brought the contract we signed with me. The government told me it's not their problem and the only way I can resolve this is to take her to court. We all know how slow the justice system works in Thailand so it could takes years for me to get a case against her. In this sense she away Scott free and will continue to find other teachers to scam and not pay. No wonder this country is good for nothing, I can't even be motivated to become a good teacher because it doesn't matter. For those of you who wants to work as a Teacher in Thailand do so it your peril. If you are fortunate enough to work for an honest agency great! Consider yourself lucky and keeping working. If it's your first time looking for a teaching job heed my warning, no contracts and just about nothing can protect you from dishonest people who wants to scam you. This is not America where I can sue the skirt off this criminal. It's Thailand, a land of crooked smiles that only good for cheap food, hotels, vacation, and women. Edited September 18, 2013 by Scott Name edited out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Puyai Posted September 18, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted September 18, 2013 Oh dear. I feel for you OP, but you have opened yourself up for a right bashing. The grammar police will love this one..... 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Off-topic posts deleted. You might want to re-read the forum rules before posting. One poster suspended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Your report her to the government. Did you report her to the labour office, that is the correct government department dealing with this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriskt818 Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 I went to the labour office and they told me it's not their problem and I should hire a lawyer and sue her. It would have taken more money to hire a lawyer than what she owes me. Even though I brought the contract with me, it didn't help my cause. That's why crooks like her thrive in Thailand because they can do these things and suffer no consequence. No wonder Thai education is pretty crummy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phronesis Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Being scammed out of a paycheck is the least of your worries. Wait until you are scammed out of your life savings. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Some post have been removed for Thai bashing. Topic is regarding an individual/company, not a whole nation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chonabot Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 This post makes me glad that I've never used an agency, and at this rate, I never will. As for taking this bad experience to use as a yardstick to judge a whole nation - no comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriskt818 Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 Dr. Robert Do you happen to work for one of those agency? I worked the whole time, put in the hours and didn't get paid. I later found out she has been doing this to other teachers too and have done so for many years. There is something wrong with the Thai system. How can this crook get away and profit at the expense of innocent hard working people for so long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phuket electrician Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Nob ed's that turn their noses up at others aren't worth the time of day and should be ignored. The art of a good communicator is to convey a message, if it's received and understood then you have succeeded. Far to many sad losers on TV. You were just unlucky. Pick yourself up, put it down as a lesson and try again, that's what life is about. If you have the right qualifications you will find another job. Good luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanBBK Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Could it be that pine of the roots of this problem is that too many English teachers work here illegally ? Working without proper permits makes employees (everewhere in the world) an easy target to scams. Did the OP pay tax on his first paycheck? Why would he work fit so little 32k anyway? Does he have a proper teaching degree? Just me thinking, before bringing the kids to school... Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phuket electrician Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) Everyone has a choice, why would anybody have kids, believe in religion, buy a mass marketed 'smart' pointless product, buy anything advertised as premium? A teacher should inspire students and invite them to learn. Show them that we don't know anything and anyone that thinks they do is deluded. Have sympathy for negative sad people. They are a lot of fun and far to easy to agitate. Edited September 19, 2013 by Phuket electrician Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phuket electrician Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) I teach full time for B20,000 / month. Edited September 19, 2013 by Phuket electrician 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Posts discussing grammar and spelling have been deleted. One person has been suspended. Continued off-topic posting will earn warnings and suspension. Stay on topic please. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriskt818 Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 And you know I'm not the only one who suffers from this person's greed. I later found out that I was a replacement for a teacher who quit because he didn't get paid and the students were left without an English teacher for a whole month. It scares me that schools in Thailand would deal with these shady agencies. Do they value their children's education? This is not just an isolated incident. I know people who are scammed by other agencies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schondie Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Count me in for the hatred towards these pimping agencies. I'm finishing my contract with a dirty rotten one from Hat Yai next week. They have targeted small schools in the backwaters and now all these schools think it's the norm to only pay 9 months pay a year. The school is surprised that I don't want 9 months pay a year when another school has offered 12 months pay. Not sure what to say about your lost month's pay. It looks like it's not going to be forthcoming and as much as that would make my blood boil, it's best written off. I'd create a nice Facebook page warning others about them and naming and shaming the agency. Send me a personal message if you want to tie it in with one I'll be doing during October. Something along the lines of "Agencies of shame in Thailand". If it saves one other teacher from getting ripped off it's worth it. Make sure you have any correspondence to prove your case before making a page though, they may try and get it removed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schondie Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 I forgot to mention that on the whole, the Labour Department do usually help sort things like this out. It wouldn't be surprising that the person you saw has some sort of relationship with the agency owner. From my experiences with bad schools and agencies, the Labour Department are very helpful in sorting things out so I'm a bit suspicious that they won't help. I'd be angry as hell too if this happened to me but as they say "revenge is a dish best served cold". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phuket electrician Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 six teachers wanted at Rajabhat Phuket - apply in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeijoshinCool Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 I decided to teach for a year. What better way to learn about a country, than spend time in its schools? But I talked to a lot of foreign teachers first. Those who worked for the school direct, and those who worked for a company. Armed with that, I declined an offer from a company, and went direct. I also "negotiated" getting paid every two weeks. Never a problem. Moral: if you are going to teach in a foreign country, you should do your homework first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slip Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 I always wonder why people work through agencies in this country. The best idea (imo) is to do the leg work and get yourself in front of decision makers in the schools. Choose a town and get out there. Sorry to here you suffered this rip off OP. Agencies have a bad reputation in this country for good reason. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loaded Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 The OP may be telling the truth, but we are only getting one side of the story. I find it difficult to believe the labor office would say hire a lawyer. This isn't how they work if the OP had a genuine grievance. I'm not doubting there are some terrible agencies out there, but if you have an employment contract, the labour office will support you... unless there's more to this that the OP wants to say. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slip Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Ouch, sorry 'here'/'hear' and me a teacher too. Too late to edit. Apologies to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Just to give you a heads up. Libel and defamation are taken very serious and because something is the truth, it does not prevent you from getting into deep trouble. For that reason, we do not allow name and shame topics. Whatever you do, please exercise care. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirchai Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 The OP may be telling the truth, but we are only getting one side of the story. I find it difficult to believe the labor office would say hire a lawyer. This isn't how they work if the OP had a genuine grievance. I'm not doubting there are some terrible agencies out there, but if you have an employment contract, the labour office will support you... unless there's more to this that the OP wants to say. You're right Loaded. They seem to be in favo(u)r of the employee. All provinces also have a place at the city hall. where they'd give you a free lawyer. Might be more to the story.- 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriskt818 Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 In favour of the employee how? Ok this was in Bangkok. I went to the Labour Department with the contract I signed with the Agency and they told me to handle it on my own. If this was the US, people like her wouldn't dare do this because I can sue her for a lot more than what she owes me. Thailand is known for having a lot of corruption. I wonder if the Labour Department is paid by these crooks to not do anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriskt818 Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 I got her facebook and emailed her friends. A few teachers came forward and I still have the conversations I had with them along with all the excuses she gave me for postponing my wages. One lady couldn't go back to the Philippines because this crook owes her two month wages. Some how I think the only way to deal with these people is to confront them and make threats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loaded Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 I got her facebook and emailed her friends. A few teachers came forward and I still have the conversations I had with them along with all the excuses she gave me for postponing my wages. One lady couldn't go back to the Philippines because this crook owes her two month wages. Some how I think the only way to deal with these people is to confront them and make threats. Confronting Thais and threatening them sounds like the right solution. Go for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeijoshinCool Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 I always wonder why people work through agencies in this country..... One of the reasons is that some of the bigger companies have managed to get in bed with certain district offices. Schools in those districts can't, or won't, hire directly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghworker2010 Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 To take revenge you should create a facebook page as suggested above and also why not create a blog and then name and shame the agency. The more times that the agency appears in the internet the better. Also raise a negative report on lonely planet thorntree website title 'if travelling to thailand to work as teacher dont work for xxxx agency'. Tell your story on as many places on the internet as possible. there are plenty of guys in thailand who have lost $500,000 to a bar girl. You should be lucky your only out $1k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Fixit Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Your report her to the government. Did you report her to the labour office, that is the correct government department dealing with this. Quite right - you go to your local labour court with your contract and sue her. Did she give you a work permit? My pal got 52,000 baht from his agent - did your agent's name begin with a 'K'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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