Why Would You Need A Thai Government Employee To Sign A New Contract?

[lostinisaan]

Hello and Sawasdee khrap,

I really have a serious question and got no idea why my school wants me to show up with a government employee, referable a Thai teacher to sign a new contract.

I'd posted that last year, but it seems that I'm the only one who's to please somebody to come with me to sign various documents in favor of me.

I thought that this would be a one time thing, but so longer i think about it, so less I understand it. Unfortunately, I'll have to ask an old friend to come with me, have to take my wife as well, but I'm completely lost, because i don't get the reason(s) for it.

The same school, where the director lied to me that he'd register the school at the SS office. That went on for a few months, until i went to the SS office, had to lie to them that I wouldn't work, to get back into the system, where I've already paid in for ten years.

Another part I don't understand is the Ministry of Finance part, please see attached document. It's an ordinary smaller Anuban government school in a small town.

The joke is that this is my fourth school within ten years and I've never seen/ heard anything similar. The reason why I posted this is to give me some ideas if i really want to continue at such an institution.

Any useful input is wanted and deeply appreciated. Thanks for your time and consideration. -

P.S. Please see attachment.

[lostinisaan]

Sorry, couldn't edit it anymore. First sentence should be preferable, not referable. Sorry.

P.S. The only other foreigner who's working there's a Filipino, who'd to do that for the last three years. I should have added that this guy doesn't seem to be trusted, as he can't have the key to our office, which is in our so called "Special Program" area.

He never had something like an office before, so it seems they decided to let him stay there, but he can't have his own key???

Only three people have the keys, when I wanted to make some copies for him ,they told me no. Not for him, which made me feel very sorry for this guy.

So they do not trust a guy who's working for them for three years, who can't even get into the office if my Thai co teacher, or I'm not there?

Are we considered thiefs, or teachers? Still time to find a new job, so any advice, thoughts, experience, etc...would be great.

My biggest mistake was to resign my last position. Som Nam Naa would be the best Thai words for it. Cheers-

Edited April 19, 2015 by lostinisaan

[aidenai]

Ministry of Finance = the place where the budget comes from.

My current and previous employment contracts with both OBEC and OHEC institutions have/ had the same clause.

[lostinisaan]

Ministry of Finance = the place where the budget comes from.

My current and previous employment contracts with both OBEC and OHEC institutions have/ had the same clause.

Thanks mate. I do know what the Ministry of Finance is and that they- one way the other- support schools and other institutions.

Here's a good question in addition to my others. Do they receive money for foreign teachers? There're so many stories that all schools in Thailand would receive a certain amount of money for foreign teachers. Is there such a budget, or is it just a fable?

The schools on the other hand always tell you that your salary comes from paying parents, in my case this year two classes of a so called "Special Program", where the kids are being taught bilingual.

( Okay, we just started last year and might add computer and other subjects as well, to math, science and English lessons.)

What I'm trying to say is after making the math, what the parents are paying is really a lot more what they're paying me. Of course do they have to pay other bills as well.

Does anybody know if it's true that the Ministry of Finance substitutes schools, to pay foreigners' wages?

I'm sorry, didn't mean to ask too many questions, but it would be great to know what's actually going on.

At my former school I had to sign up for another school, only that they could receive 10 K per month, which was a one year project, as far as i remember.

Thanks a lot for any honest answers, deeply appreciated.

Edited April 19, 2015 by lostinisaan

[SlyAnimal]

If you're concerned about the contract, and don't trust the version which you have, then imo ask for a Thai version (And get someone with good English to translate it for you), or alternatively discuss the contract with whomever wrote it and ask for clarification on some of the items in it & then re-write it for them in a more clear format (Be very polite if you suggest this, like maybe tell them that you understand that they wouldn't have been taught English for Legal purposes at university).

As otherwise you're relying on the spirit of the contract and the employer/employee relationship to resolve disputes, since some items in the contract are unclear and thus could screw someone over if a problem ever did arise.

e.g. "The teacher neglects teaching and other responsibilities as by "school"" is, in it's current form, basically saying that the school can determine whether you've neglected your duties or not. Neglected is very very very open to interpretation. My contract* has a similar clause (Actually all of the clauses are "similar", and even in the same order, I assume they've taken these from Thai contracts and translated them + added to them etc), whereby my contract says "Rescission of the agreement by the employer on account of the employee's serious misbehaviour or desertion of duty without justification", for which I'd use misconduct rather than misbehaviour, and think they really got out the big legal jargon thesaurus when using the word "Rescission", but otherwise is very well worded (As is most of the contract).

With that in mind, my contract details the section regarding the Ministry of Finance, as actually being about indemnity, whereby basically (It's a big paragraph lol) if you suffer an injury or violence while working at the school, then the employer shall compensate you in accordance with the regulations set out by the Ministry of Finance. Which I would assume, is basically there to ensure that you can't sue the school.

* I'm actually referring to an old contract, as I'm still waiting for my one lol.

[Kf6vci]

While I've had this Ministry of Finance clause in previous contracts, I've never heard of the need to bring a government employee to a school for any reason.

Your identity is beyond doubt

If they want a character reference, they can ask for it and handle it without you being present.

OTOH, I've been given the sucker treatment countless times. Getting to sign documents in thai and such.

I would suspect some foul play with the director wanting some witness.

Contracts are only as goog as the people who sign them. Thai schools will learn this and some teachers as well. (Surprise! There are often problems regarding payment of the last salary )

[Rhys]

Findthelightinessarn,

Why put up with this... Leave already...find a school in another province that will appreciate and pay you a little better.. do you have all the necessary initials after your name?

When I read your post, I shake my head, why doesn't he leave already.. take the family to a better situation.

A Thai school pull a similar stunt... on a short term contract 3 months, thus no wp.... then they tried to weasle out of paying me the last month because the summer vacation kicked in..

In the end recieved a partial salary, and I left the school....

And it was funny, I laughed, when I heard the gates to the front of the school had a new lock and no one had a key and traffic was backed up..