Work For Thai Girlfriend In Bangkok

[pedro01]

Hi

My Thai girlfriend reckons she wants to start working again. She left school at 16, and so far has worked on building sites, as a nanny and in a shoe shop.

She's looking because she's bored mostly - she speaks good English.

Anyway - we are looking at unskilled work obviously - any idea where a good place to start looking is ?

Agencies, local newspapers etc...

Any thoughts ?

Pedro

[elsie]

Two big Thai websites she can start with.

http://job.pantipmarket.com/

http://classified.sanook.com/job/

[Thai-Spy]

Hi

My Thai girlfriend reckons she wants to start working again. She left school at 16, and so far has worked on building sites, as a nanny and in a shoe shop.

She's looking because she's bored mostly - she speaks good English.

Anyway - we are looking at unskilled work obviously - any idea where a good place to start looking is ?

Agencies, local newspapers etc...

Any thoughts ?

Pedro

The incomplete schooling is going to create a lasting barrier to her opportunities. If you have the means, you might consider getting her through school then into a vocational training program.

[Valjean]

Does she want to work for the money or for something to do / self-worth? If money isn't an issue one suggestion. I had an ex-gf with limited education. I wasn't a big one on just sending money (I wasn't living here then) - what's the end game in that??? So I found an company (NOG in this case) and funded an internship for a year and half. Really about the same money as I could have sent. Since then they kept her on in a well-paying job. she's learned a ton - business, computers, organization, etc. Today she has a decent job, is finishing school, great work-social life.

[pedro01]

Hi

My Thai girlfriend reckons she wants to start working again. She left school at 16, and so far has worked on building sites, as a nanny and in a shoe shop.

She's looking because she's bored mostly - she speaks good English.

Anyway - we are looking at unskilled work obviously - any idea where a good place to start looking is ?

Agencies, local newspapers etc...

Any thoughts ?

Pedro

The incomplete schooling is going to create a lasting barrier to her opportunities. If you have the means, you might consider getting her through school then into a vocational training program.

OK - that's a very good point. How exactly would one approach this ? I mean, would she have to go to back school with a bunch of 16 year olds ? Are there any special programmes for people in this situation ? Night school etc ? Is there any way to kind of 'fast-track' this ?

It's certainly worth considering for sure.

[pedro01]

Does she want to work for the money or for something to do / self-worth? If money isn't an issue one suggestion. I had an ex-gf with limited education. I wasn't a big one on just sending money (I wasn't living here then) - what's the end game in that??? So I found an company (NOG in this case) and funded an internship for a year and half. Really about the same money as I could have sent. Since then they kept her on in a well-paying job. she's learned a ton - business, computers, organization, etc. Today she has a decent job, is finishing school, great work-social life.

The reason for her to work - is more self-worth than money, so your idea may also work well here.

This is another good idea - I presume NOG is NGO, right ?

What kind of duties did they start her on in the NGO ?

Did you actually have to pay the NGO to do this ? And pay her rent/food too ? Sounds like it may get expensive...

Pedro

[Tywais]

OK - that's a very good point. How exactly would one approach this ? I mean, would she have to go to back school with a bunch of 16 year olds ? Are there any special programmes for people in this situation ? Night school etc ? Is there any way to kind of 'fast-track' this ?

It's certainly worth considering for sure.

I think Thai-spy's suggestion is very good. It will advance her and keep her from getting bored. There are adult night schools for this purpose (finishing Mathom 6) but it depends at what grade she left as to how long it will take. So she doesn't have to sit in a class with 16 year olds. Sounds like she left in the 11th or 12th grade so should take between 1-2 years to complete via night school. A lot will depend on her own desires to complete it also.

[thaihome]

The school thing is good idea. There is a fast track adult education program at the school on Sukhumvit right by the Ekamai BTS station, I don't know the name. Classes are on Sundays.

TH

[pedro01]

Wow - thanks for all of the replies.

I'll go to Ekkamai & check out that school.

Cheers

Pedro

[Khutan]

Wow - thanks for all of the replies.

I'll go to Ekkamai & check out that school.

Cheers

Pedro

Pedro;

Can you tell us what you find after you hae a look, my wife is in about the same situation.

[pedro01]

Wow - thanks for all of the replies.

I'll go to Ekkamai & check out that school.

Cheers

Pedro

Pedro;

Can you tell us what you find after you hae a look, my wife is in about the same situation.

Sure will...

[lornanicolsals]

Hi

My Thai girlfriend reckons she wants to start working again. She left school at 16, and so far has worked on building sites, as a nanny and in a shoe shop.

She's looking because she's bored mostly - she speaks good English.

Anyway - we are looking at unskilled work obviously - any idea where a good place to start looking is ?

Agencies, local newspapers etc...

Any thoughts ?

Pedro

I am looking for a nanny / babysitter

i run a nanny agency

full or partime

please let me know more details

lorna

[Valjean]

Does she want to work for the money or for something to do / self-worth? If money isn't an issue one suggestion. I had an ex-gf with limited education. I wasn't a big one on just sending money (I wasn't living here then) - what's the end game in that??? So I found an company (NOG in this case) and funded an internship for a year and half. Really about the same money as I could have sent. Since then they kept her on in a well-paying job. she's learned a ton - business, computers, organization, etc. Today she has a decent job, is finishing school, great work-social life.

The reason for her to work - is more self-worth than money, so your idea may also work well here.

This is another good idea - I presume NOG is NGO, right ?

What kind of duties did they start her on in the NGO ?

Did you actually have to pay the NGO to do this ? And pay her rent/food too ? Sounds like it may get expensive...

Pedro

Yes I mean NGO. They paid her a salary that I covered plus I think about 10% or 20% for taxes and benefits. It was really up to me on the amount within reason. I set it up at around 15,000 a month. If she started this job under normal circumstances I’m sure it would have been less. If I was going to send a few hundred dollars a month over this just seemed better. She can live on this like a lot of Thai’s do so food and room were up to her. (lots of on the job food as you’ll see below)

This group has a large house and volunteers of all ages and both sexes from around the world stay there. She started doing light office things and being the all around gofer. My deal with them was even if she was only qualified to be a maid they had to give her a job and train her. They did this fine. She organized social evenings out; bowling, dinner, meet people at the airport, etc. Now she supervises the maids and cooks, buys all the food and really runs the “household”. And does more and more in the office and computer. She is often left in charge of things. Her English has gone from very basic to solid conversational. The Director trusts her like no others with money and everything and she has really become a trusted right hand. The volunteers adore her.

about school - she also is doing the education now on Sundays. 1 year done and 1 to go to finish secondary school. She likes it and is with people she likes. But doesn't like the homework. She is 28 btw. Puts on the black skirt and white shirt like all students.

Edited October 13, 2006 by Valjean

[think_too_mut]

Wow - thanks for all of the replies.

I'll go to Ekkamai & check out that school.

Cheers

Pedro

My wife did that. At that time, it was possible to fast track. She did 6 (7-12) in 3 years.

Sundays only and it was Phrakhanong station. She said many places do that (see, one at Ekkamai which is 10 mins walk from Phrakhanong is being suggested).

All people in the class were adults.

Monday to Friday she was doing courses in English, computers, typing, accounting (got a credit for completing it later in the studies).

Every day night school is different: it is meant to provide real knowledge (for competing for University) while the Sunday's one is more to cover maturity and life experience with diplomas needed for the job many already do. Or for something that requires HSC.

For example, (collectively) visiting an orphanage and writing an essay about it covers an exam in one subject (can't remember which one).

Nevertheless, she passed the tests and is now year 4. of marketing studies. I am happy she has done the school rather than 6-8K baht per month threadmill work.

Check with schools in your area, good chance they also do that, very likely there wil be no need to travel.

Many schools would enroll her but the classes may be held at other (more convenient) locations and only exams are at the school itself.

[monkey woods]

Doesn't she fancy anything a bit more "hands-on"?

[game4shame]

Doesn't she fancy anything a bit more "hands-on"?

harsh!!

[Unknown]

Hi

My Thai girlfriend reckons she wants to start working again. She left school at 16, and so far has worked on building sites, as a nanny and in a shoe shop.

She's looking because she's bored mostly - she speaks good English.

Anyway - we are looking at unskilled work obviously - any idea where a good place to start looking is ?

Agencies, local newspapers etc...

Any thoughts ?

Pedro

If she speaks English, was a nanny and can cook, at least a bit, she could make good money being a maid.

I mean more than in any other job considering her qualification.

And Thai maids being in high demand, no need to go through an agency, just advertise yourself in the foreign community.

Edited October 13, 2006 by Unknown

[Cigarette Burn]

Doesn't she fancy anything a bit more "hands-on"?

harsh!!

It made me smile

[pedro01]

Doesn't she fancy anything a bit more "hands-on"?

Took a while - but there was bound to be an idiot on the thread at some point.

Probably think all Thai women are 4 sale, eh ?

Bloody keyboard warriors. So brave.

Pedro

[kuma]

Does anyone know where exactly these schools are? We have beem trying to get my gf enrolled and it is the usual experience here - what takes 12 minutes at home takes days of frustration.

We were at a school near Ekkami yesterday - a large school in a square off sukhumvit with a temple beside it and a large clinic beside it as well. They said they do not do classes there (someone said) and then told us to cross the street (at this point we are on the odd soi side of sukhumvit) and walk towards prakhanong. There we find two more large schools, one seems to be a university and one a school of sorts (technical maybe?) They also tell us they do not offer classes there and tell us to go backto the school we just came from. I saw one other school across from the mall at Ekami, it looked to be a "science university" so we did not try it.

Then I got on the net and have been thru site after site (ministry of education, office of the basic education commision, guidance.go.th, office of the non formal education commission etc etc) and when we do finally find a number that is working or is answered - I kid you not 80% of the numbers listed are either not in service or no one answers after days of trying - they can give us no useful info and at this point it is all up to her because i cannot speak enough thai to get what we need but every call ends with her having nothing

If anyone has some more specific info or a number it would be greatly appreciated.

Wow - thanks for all of the replies.

I'll go to Ekkamai & check out that school.

Cheers

Pedro

My wife did that. At that time, it was possible to fast track. She did 6 (7-12) in 3 years.

Sundays only and it was Phrakhanong station. She said many places do that (see, one at Ekkamai which is 10 mins walk from Phrakhanong is being suggested).

All people in the class were adults.

Monday to Friday she was doing courses in English, computers, typing, accounting (got a credit for completing it later in the studies).

Every day night school is different: it is meant to provide real knowledge (for competing for University) while the Sunday's one is more to cover maturity and life experience with diplomas needed for the job many already do. Or for something that requires HSC.

For example, (collectively) visiting an orphanage and writing an essay about it covers an exam in one subject (can't remember which one).

Nevertheless, she passed the tests and is now year 4. of marketing studies. I am happy she has done the school rather than 6-8K baht per month threadmill work.

Check with schools in your area, good chance they also do that, very likely there wil be no need to travel.

Many schools would enroll her but the classes may be held at other (more convenient) locations and only exams are at the school itself.

[kuma]

Actually here is an update on my last post. I decided to try again at Prakhanong based on the post below and this time we did indeed find a school that offers the chance for Thais to upgrade thier primary school - to get Mattayom 3 (lower secondary) and later Mattayom 6 (upper secondary)

The place is called the "I English Center". You can call them at 02 391 4810. To get there go to Phrakhanong BTS Station and exit on the "odd soi" side of Sukhumvit (I can never keep NSEW straight in my head here) and walk in the direction of On Nut Station. At the base of the escalator up to the station, at the far end closest to On Nut, there you will find the school, it is a small frontage, very non descript (after spending so much time chasing all the big schools thinking they had programs there, they still may but we had no luck getting a positive answer).

The program they offer is 3500B to get your Mattayom 3. Here is the thing that I find difficult. The pprogram is one day a week (sunday) for 2 hours - lasting 2 years!! Ouch. I understand that many Thais doing this are working - usually 6 days and as such they can only hope to do it this way, but I am wondering if there are any schools that offer something a bit more accelerated - say 3 days a week for 4 or more hours over 8 months or something along those lines. If anyone knows of such a program could they please reference it.

But at least we did find a school and a program - no thanks to the ministry but thanks to this forum.

Does anyone know where exactly these schools are? We have beem trying to get my gf enrolled and it is the usual experience here - what takes 12 minutes at home takes days of frustration.

We were at a school near Ekkami yesterday - a large school in a square off sukhumvit with a temple beside it and a large clinic beside it as well. They said they do not do classes there (someone said) and then told us to cross the street (at this point we are on the odd soi side of sukhumvit) and walk towards prakhanong. There we find two more large schools, one seems to be a university and one a school of sorts (technical maybe?) They also tell us they do not offer classes there and tell us to go backto the school we just came from. I saw one other school across from the mall at Ekami, it looked to be a "science university" so we did not try it.

Then I got on the net and have been thru site after site (ministry of education, office of the basic education commision, guidance.go.th, office of the non formal education commission etc etc) and when we do finally find a number that is working or is answered - I kid you not 80% of the numbers listed are either not in service or no one answers after days of trying - they can give us no useful info and at this point it is all up to her because i cannot speak enough thai to get what we need but every call ends with her having nothing

If anyone has some more specific info or a number it would be greatly appreciated.

Wow - thanks for all of the replies.

I'll go to Ekkamai & check out that school.

Cheers

Pedro

My wife did that. At that time, it was possible to fast track. She did 6 (7-12) in 3 years.

Sundays only and it was Phrakhanong station. She said many places do that (see, one at Ekkamai which is 10 mins walk from Phrakhanong is being suggested).

All people in the class were adults.

Monday to Friday she was doing courses in English, computers, typing, accounting (got a credit for completing it later in the studies).

Every day night school is different: it is meant to provide real knowledge (for competing for University) while the Sunday's one is more to cover maturity and life experience with diplomas needed for the job many already do. Or for something that requires HSC.

For example, (collectively) visiting an orphanage and writing an essay about it covers an exam in one subject (can't remember which one).

Nevertheless, she passed the tests and is now year 4. of marketing studies. I am happy she has done the school rather than 6-8K baht per month threadmill work.

Check with schools in your area, good chance they also do that, very likely there wil be no need to travel.

Many schools would enroll her but the classes may be held at other (more convenient) locations and only exams are at the school itself.

[britmaveric]

Doesn't she fancy anything a bit more "hands-on"?

Took a while - but there was bound to be an idiot on the thread at some point.

Probably think all Thai women are 4 sale, eh ?

Bloody keyboard warriors. So brave.

Pedro

Pedro ignore it mate, not worth a response.

[AlexLah]

Hi all,

I am looking for that as well to help a female friend of mine.

Thai girl 28 years and recently divorced from her UK BF.

As the guy payed all the bills and provided a home to her after her divorce she ended up having nothing.

Yep UK guy wanted her to do the housekeeping only when they were together.

So I told her to move in my place as I have a spare room and told her to look for a job.

She tried all superstores like Tesco and Carrefour but they ask for some sort of degree.

She worked as a waitress before but wants to find a job with some more future carreer.

This girl was very 'Thai' minded before but now very open to new ideas.

So I asked her if she was interested in having some more education so she could sell herself better.

And she is, but it is difficult to find a school to help her.

So this Fred is very usefull!!

Take care all!

Kind regards,

Alex

[mmushr00m]

Hello Guys

I am actually looking for ppl to work. I dont really care about education, background etc.

MUST be proficient in English, written and spoken.

PM me if you want more info, I dont want to post a job in this thread.

cheers

[The Dan Sai Kid]

We live in Chiang Mai and my wife has just finished a massage therapy course. Working freelance she can make up to 15,000 baht a mont (not including tips). Most spas in Chiang Mai employ freelance massese'. There are also not enough therapists - so the masseuse can be choosy anout where they work.

In april we are coming to BKK for a bit so my wife can do the course at Wat Po.

Non-massage qualifications are irrelevent - one of the Ajarns at the massage school left education at Phratom 6. The ability to speak english is an advantage.

Edited February 14, 2007 by The Dan Sai Kid

[bonnylad]

Doesn't she fancy anything a bit more "hands-on"?

Like digging a 6ft by 6ft hole in my back garden for my Thai wife.

Edited February 14, 2007 by bonnylad

[Furbie]

By all means, get her the education instead of finding work. I believe even Pizza Company requires M6. Without it, maid and massage are the two main options. M6 and/or a vocational degree are needed to earn a "decent" living.

I know someone who did the Sunday classes – it was at Ekkamai. Though what she was learning really appeared to be quite basic; she would show me her homework sometimes and I was shocked at the level. If you are around Ekkamai on a Sunday afternoon you can see all the girls (yes, it is mostly girls) in their school outfits, though I am not sure where the school is exactly. I think it was very cheap – I am sure she could not afford the 3,000 mentioned by another poster as her salary was something like 7,000 a month.

You can have her attend other private classes during the week – English and computer skills are the two most important.

[malcy]

Doesn't she fancy anything a bit more "hands-on"?

Like digging a 6ft by 6ft hole in my back garden for my Thai wife.

jesus a 6 foot thai woman she must be a monster ! no wonder you want rid of her

[solo siam]

By all means, get her the education instead of finding work. I believe even Pizza Company requires M6. Without it, maid and massage are the two main options. M6 and/or a vocational degree are needed to earn a "decent" living.

I know someone who did the Sunday classes – it was at Ekkamai. Though what she was learning really appeared to be quite basic; she would show me her homework sometimes and I was shocked at the level. If you are around Ekkamai on a Sunday afternoon you can see all the girls (yes, it is mostly girls) in their school outfits, though I am not sure where the school is exactly. I think it was very cheap – I am sure she could not afford the 3,000 mentioned by another poster as her salary was something like 7,000 a month.

You can have her attend other private classes during the week – English and computer skills are the two most important.

Dunno about that, my Thai wife just passed her high school equivelent and I couldn't help her a bit on the maths side, it was pretty advanced and I was always an A grade student at Maths. The English was disgraceful however, She showed me her test results and half the answers she had got correct the teacher had marked as incorrect, really basic stuff - I don't know if the teahcer just marked it wrong, I would guess they use standardised tests with constant answers, if so its no wonder the level of English here is so terrible if even the answers to the test are incorrect (please note there were correct answers in the selection, but they were considered incorrect).

[kuma]

So as it turns out I took my gf to the prakhanong I english center to sign up for the Mattayom 3 but they were able to confirm what I had anyway suspected, she is really functionally illiterate. She does not have a good enough grasp of Thai to be able to read and write at the level needed to complete the course.

I suspect that is not unusual, especially for girls from poor rural families.

I am looking to find a Thai language teacher that she can spend some time getting some tutoring to bring her up to a level where she can go to these classes. If anyone knows of someone please let me know here or PM if you wish.

At the school they said they thought she would be better served by learning english instead of thai because thai is so difficult to learn. Now I am wondering is that really the case? Could it be that upgrading herself in her native language would be tougher that learning english from scratch?? Any opinions out there? Or perhaps they just prefer she be enrolled at thier english school, since they cannot help us with my gf thai?? They did try to find me a language teacher to help tutor but said they were not able to find one....

By all means, get her the education instead of finding work. I believe even Pizza Company requires M6. Without it, maid and massage are the two main options. M6 and/or a vocational degree are needed to earn a "decent" living.

I know someone who did the Sunday classes – it was at Ekkamai. Though what she was learning really appeared to be quite basic; she would show me her homework sometimes and I was shocked at the level. If you are around Ekkamai on a Sunday afternoon you can see all the girls (yes, it is mostly girls) in their school outfits, though I am not sure where the school is exactly. I think it was very cheap – I am sure she could not afford the 3,000 mentioned by another poster as her salary was something like 7,000 a month.

You can have her attend other private classes during the week – English and computer skills are the two most important.

Dunno about that, my Thai wife just passed her high school equivelent and I couldn't help her a bit on the maths side, it was pretty advanced and I was always an A grade student at Maths. The English was disgraceful however, She showed me her test results and half the answers she had got correct the teacher had marked as incorrect, really basic stuff - I don't know if the teahcer just marked it wrong, I would guess they use standardised tests with constant answers, if so its no wonder the level of English here is so terrible if even the answers to the test are incorrect (please note there were correct answers in the selection, but they were considered incorrect).