The new normal? Experience with an agency

[Siamfornication]

It was a very long journey. Thailand, here I come! At the airport, I sent most of my stuff as a parcel to the new school.355 Baht postage for 23 kg.

A Thai lady helped me get the address and phone number of the school. But when I called them, it transpired that they have no contract with my agency.

WHAT THE ...?!?

Just a few days ago, we had confirmed that I would be getting a house at the school.

Now, the agency changed schools and I no longer hear of "a house" being provided. Besides getting lambasted for having contacted the school directly - a big NO NO. (Honestly, I was just worried about not having a contact ).

Okay, I guess I'll be holed up in some hotel and then find some apartment and a motorcycle to rent. Getting broadband, a refrigerator and air is on my new to do list.

What next? Will I be asked to sing the national anthem, teach math or science? I'm in the dark!

A contract was promised "upon arrival".

Is such bait and switch customary?

[Slip]

Oh crap- that sounds rough. Don't despair straight away. Do you have the necessary qualifications? If you do this is quite a good time to be on the market- term starts in 10 days and plenty of schools will not be ready yet.

EDIT: But yes, this sort of behaviour is common enough- the trick is to find a good school. In nearly 15 years I'm yet to meet a teacher who thought their agency did a decent job.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Slip

[lostinisaan]

It was a very long journey. Thailand, here I come! At the airport, I sent most of my stuff as a parcel to the new school.355 Baht postage for 23 kg.

I've got no idea why you even mention how much you paid for your luggage. How can you even trust an agent is hard to believe.

A Thai lady helped me get the address and phone number of the school. But when I called them, it transpired that they have no contract with my agency.

A Thai lady had to help you to get the address of the school? So you never heard what school it will be, because you state that she helped you to get the address. I mean Google and son, na khrap. It only "transpired that you've obviously don't have a job at the school.

WHAT THE ...?!?

Where's the commons sense?!?

Just a few days ago, we had confirmed that I would be getting a house at the school.

WE had confirmed? How did you do that? On the phone, or in an e-mail?

Okay, I guess I'll be holed up in some hotel and then find some apartment and a motorcycle to rent. Getting broadband, a refrigerator and air is on my new to do list.

Are you kidding now? It seems that you'll have to make sure that you really have a job now, before you're looking for your future wife.

What next? Will I be asked to sing the national anthem, teach math or science? I'm in the dark!

You might have to pay for your hotel room and nobody wants to hear you singing anything.

A contract was promised "upon arrival".

Why don't you get back to this forum, once you've signed a contract and you know for sure that you really found employment.

Is such bait and switch customary?

Something smells really fishy. Don't you smell the smell?

Edited May 5, 2015 by lostinisaan

[thesetat2013]

Welcome to Thailand. Get out of the agency and find a job on your own. If the agent already lied to you and you have not even started working then you can imagine it will only get worse. Expect pay deductions or non payment of salary. Holiday pay may be taken. Bonuses may not be given. Excuses will be made and you are almost powerless to do anything about it except to quit.

[cgphuket]

Based on your previous posts it doesn't sound like your at the top of the food chain. Sure you want to play the holier than though card?

It was a very long journey. Thailand, here I come! At the airport, I sent most of my stuff as a parcel to the new school.355 Baht postage for 23 kg.

I've got no idea why you even mention how much you paid for your luggage. How can you even trust an agent is hard to believe.

A Thai lady helped me get the address and phone number of the school. But when I called them, it transpired that they have no contract with my agency. alt=facepalm.gif.pagespeed.ce.EuN79TyYk_JFYd>

A Thai lady had to help you to get the address of the school? So you never heard what school it will be, because you state that she helped you to get the address. I mean Google and son, na khrap. It only "transpired that you've obviously don't have a job at the school.

WHAT THE ...?!?

Where's the commons sense?!?

Just a few days ago, we had confirmed that I would be getting a house at the school.

WE had confirmed? How did you do that? On the phone, or in an e-mail?

Okay, I guess I'll be holed up in some hotel and then find some apartment and a motorcycle to rent. Getting broadband, a refrigerator and air is on my new to do list.

Are you kidding now? It seems that you'll have to make sure that you really have a job now, before you're looking for your future wife.

What next? Will I be asked to sing the national anthem, teach math or science? I'm in the dark!

You might have to pay for your hotel room and nobody wants to hear you singing anything.

A contract was promised "upon arrival".

Why don't you get back to this forum, once you've signed a contract and you know for sure that you really found employment.

Is such bait and switch customary?

Something smells really fishy. Don't you smell the smell? alt=facepalm.gif>

[SlyAnimal]

Unfortunately a lot of teachers have had bad experiences with agencies, often in relation to misrepresentation or simply through outright lies.

There are some good agencies out there, through which some teachers are very satisfied.

Generally speaking though, most teachers are of the opinion that it's best to get hired directly by a school, rather than via an agency.

[Siamfornication]

Thanks, guys. What's the big deal with the "You shall not contact the school" thing? (It's not like they don't have a contract and would try and make some deal with some stranger chosen by the agency).

I just want a name and a phone number when I'm stuck. Besides, I would love to get recommendations (which hotel? where to rent a bike? ...). Showing up hot and flustered with some 3x kg of luggage would be awkward. Perhaps the school will want to help with the transition?

All this is both stressful and somewhat unnecessary.

• Bet someone knows someone who i. has a motorcycle for rent and ii. sublets a room in a house ... Then there are many questiodns I'd like to ask a foreign colleague. Not to mention small (unimportant?) things like getting a schedule and info on which classes to teach.

At least, I'm promised a contract. That contract will differ from the one agreed on last week (the new school doesn't provide housing and I doubt that I can fine a house nearby for only 2,000 Baht)

May you live in intersting times is a Chinese curse.

[lostinisaan]

Thanks, guys. What's the big deal with the "You shall not contact the school" thing? (It's not like they don't have a contract and would try and make some deal with some stranger chosen by the agency).

I just want a name and a phone number when I'm stuck. Besides, I would love to get recommendations (which hotel? where to rent a bike? ...). Showing up hot and flustered with some 3x kg of luggage would be awkward. Perhaps the school will want to help with the transition?

All this is both stressful and somewhat unnecessary.

• Bet someone knows someone who i. has a motorcycle for rent and ii. sublets a room in a house ... Then there are many questiodns I'd like to ask a foreign colleague. Not to mention small (unimportant?) things like getting a schedule and info on which classes to teach.

At least, I'm promised a contract. That contract will differ from the one agreed on last week (the new school doesn't provide housing and I doubt that I can fine a house nearby for only 2,000 Baht)

May you live in intersting times is a Chinese curse.

If you're interested in a teaching position at a primary school in Ubon Ratchathani, working directly for the school with a starting salary of 30 K, please page me.30 K for 12 months, plus all expenses paid for.

Cheers-

You have to be NES and hold a degree. Cheers-

[SlyAnimal]

Thanks, guys. What's the big deal with the "You shall not contact the school" thing? (It's not like they don't have a contract and would try and make some deal with some stranger chosen by the agency).

I just want a name and a phone number when I'm stuck. Besides, I would love to get recommendations (which hotel? where to rent a bike? ...). Showing up hot and flustered with some 3x kg of luggage would be awkward. Perhaps the school will want to help with the transition?

All this is both stressful and somewhat unnecessary.

• Bet someone knows someone who i. has a motorcycle for rent and ii. sublets a room in a house ... Then there are many questiodns I'd like to ask a foreign colleague. Not to mention small (unimportant?) things like getting a schedule and info on which classes to teach.

At least, I'm promised a contract. That contract will differ from the one agreed on last week (the new school doesn't provide housing and I doubt that I can fine a house nearby for only 2,000 Baht)

May you live in intersting times is a Chinese curse.

The issue is that, from the sounds, you haven't signed a contract with the agency yet?

So you could potentially* contact the school directly and get a direct hire instead. Then the agency wouldn't get their cut (so you and the school could split the 5k - 20k per month which the agency was going to collect from the school for finding you etc.

* potentially, as the school may have an agreement with the agency forbidding direct hires, but depending on the penalty, it still might be worth their while to hire directly.

[gerryBScot]

Now that you're here you can do what you want - doesn't sound as if you are under any obligation to anyone. The agency is going to come on strong and try to dictate to you what you can and can't do. That's so they can screw you which is their intention by the sounds of it. There are good agencies but some of them are the most mercenary people you could ever meet. Don't sign anything until you're completely happy with it. On the basis of your experience so far with current agent I wouldn't sign anything period. If you've got enough money to cover your living costs for the next couple of weeks you should be able to find yourself a nice little job somewhere without the hassle of a bandito agent screwing you for everything and anything - it's the hiring season right now. So long as you have the credentials.....there's even someone offering you a job on here!

[lostinisaan]

Now that you're here you can do what you want - doesn't sound as if you are under any obligation to anyone. The agency is going to come on strong and try to dictate to you what you can and can't do. That's so they can screw you which is their intention by the sounds of it. There are good agencies but some of them are the most mercenary people you could ever meet. Don't sign anything until you're completely happy with it. On the basis of your experience so far with current agent I wouldn't sign anything period. If you've got enough money to cover your living costs for the next couple of weeks you should be able to find yourself a nice little job somewhere without the hassle of a bandito agent screwing you for everything and anything - it's the hiring season right now. So long as you have the credentials.....there's even someone offering you a job on here!

Yep, the OP could start next week, have a starting salary of 30 K for 12 months, expenses paid for, inclusive accommodation on campus.

Best Thai cuisine in from of free lunch from Monday to Friday. The school's in a bigger and really nice city in the northeast.

Position is still available, the money isn't too bad, considering free housing in a bigger city.

[bangmai]

You can add getting a proper visa to your to do list.

[Loaded]

Agencies are desperate for warm bodies at the current time. They are being incredibly stupid if they intentionally mislead or misrepresent.

However, it's possible that the lady he spoke to that said the school doesn't have a contract with the agency was wrong. Anyone who has been here more than 5 minutes knows that this is very common. Making an unsolicited phone call to the school's general number during the summer break really isn't the way to obtain reliable information. The person who answers probably can't communicate in English, they have no awareness of what the directors of the school have planned and they usually say any old tosh just so that they can end the call quickly and get back to playing candy crush.

IMO turning up unannounced and contacting the school directly is nearly as bad as the agency misrepresenting themselves.

There's always a second side to every vitriolic post made by a TV member. Too many people love to hate.

[angsta]

Which agency is it?

Why would you send 23kg ahead of time?

[lostinisaan]

Agencies are desperate for warm bodies at the current time. They are being incredibly stupid if they intentionally mislead or misrepresent.

However, it's possible that the lady he spoke to that said the school doesn't have a contract with the agency was wrong. Anyone who has been here more than 5 minutes knows that this is very common. Making an unsolicited phone call to the school's general number during the summer break really isn't the way to obtain reliable information. The person who answers probably can't communicate in English, they have no awareness of what the directors of the school have planned and they usually say any old tosh just so that they can end the call quickly and get back to playing candy crush.

IMO turning up unannounced and contacting the school directly is nearly as bad as the agency misrepresenting themselves.

There's always a second side to every vitriolic post made by a TV member. Too many people love to hate.

Loaded, your last sentence. Is it a coincidence? Just had a nice chat today and the result was, better said we both came to the conclusion that the biggest enemies of foreigners living and working as teachers in Thailand, seem to be other foreigners.

I honestly hope we're both wrong............

[Rhys]

Suspect hire.. cannot find his way around... man up.... do it yourself... many have so can you...

[Rolo Tomazi]

"The new normal"?

Things don't work out with what was promised by agency or school? No house, no schedule, no contract - ?

That's the "old normal" and you should know that if you'd been around SE Asia for as long as you claim.

P.S.: Quite classy handle you chose, speaks volumes.

[lostinisaan]

"The new normal"?

Things don't work out with what was promised by agency or school? No house, no schedule, no contract - ?

That's the "old normal" and you should know that if you'd been around SE Asia for as long as you claim.

P.S.: Quite classy handle you chose, speaks volumes.

Okay, my eyesight could be better, or I might even need new glasses.

But where did you get the information from that the OP had been around SEA for so long?

[angsta]

"The new normal"?

Things don't work out with what was promised by agency or school? No house, no schedule, no contract - ?

That's the "old normal" and you should know that if you'd been around SE Asia for as long as you claim.

P.S.: Quite classy handle you chose, speaks volumes.

Okay, my eyesight could be better, or I might even need new glasses.

But where did you get the information from that the OP had been around SEA for so long?

Nope, can't see it either.