Government schools not paying - what to do?

[WonnabeBiker]

Labour Court is highly efficient and free. regrettably, it's not open when the Defendants are a government high school.

Am not impressed with Administrative Court. (They have a small army of secretaries and couldn't even serve the lawsuit in weeks and weeks, with the required number of copies made when the case was submitted?!) Many months later, it is clear

a) there won't be even any attempt to settle this.

it's unclear how much time this simple case is gonna take?

As the fee is 2% of the amount claimed and we are talking about payment for time worked, I have avoided claiming the unpaid salary. Instead, it was mentioned to corroborate what kind of deadbeats one is dealing with.

• I've opened an account at the branch they are banking with.
• The following month, I called several times "to sign the book" and get paid. That was a waste of time. On one occasion, the excuse was "the director has your check". *** Why's that? Just wait for the half-starved mouse to come out of its hiding place and go for the cheese? (Imagine a maid needing to get paid. and some horny boss makes her come to him to get paid... That's not good in a large organization. Enough said).

Now they want me to come ang sign the book - something I was trying to do when I was in the office. That was months ago!!

It will mean 2 x 10 hours on buses and the need to stay at a hotel and to rent a motorcycle just to get there. (Song taews charge 500 B each way for the last leg). And then there is the matter of interest payable to me.

I need the money badly and am very bitter about the whole set-up. You see, the Region XX office's solution was "write a letter to the director, asking to get paid". That was months ago. I was polite and never got an answer.

Before you think I'm some bad teacher - the whole reason for me getting fired on the spot was to save the expense. No attempt was made to fill the vacancy. That is quite common at rural government schools... First, the school collects 700 B for each student "for the foreign teachers". Then they fire some to cut costs.

My contract requires them to give 3 months' notice in writing. The contract language is English.

Hours before the end of the last day of the month, I was handed a 1 page letter in Thai (which I cannot read). So this is how it's done?

Labour Court said, you must go to Administrative Court.

^^^

With all these rice farmers waiting to get paid since Fall 2013, can I just join their queue?

I'm deeply concerned about this and cynical approach. And I've signed an authorization for some other teacher to sign on my behalf. No response - but they have my bank details (they used to transfer the salary).

Surely, they can prepare something to sign, then deposit a check or transfer the salary or spend 37 Baht on an EMS letter?!?

What matters? The signature or the actual payment of the salary?

[Sunbelt Asia]

Unfortunately, employees of government schools cannot appeal to the Labour Court as you have found out and the Administrative Court is the correct place to go for this case.

It is unclear on what the school wants you to sign off on, it could be a release from further action and that you have received your pay. It could be signing off on your work permit or it could be that they are asking you to waive your rights and drop the Administrative Court Case.

Regardless, the only recourse for you would be the Administrative Courts if attempting to negotiate with the school director does not work. You might want to consider phoning them directly and explaining the difficulty for you in returning to the school to sign whatever it is they want you to sign.

[sunbeltlegal][/sunbeltlegal]