are schools skimming teachers' salaries?

[KhonKaenKowboy]

I'll take a photo of the brand new Mercedes parked in the best reserved space, in front of the Satit. Not some E Class aluminum can crap, either. More like the new James Bond movie. Reports of a 120,000 THB donation for admission have circulated.

[lostinisaan]

Yeah, and as a Serbian (with English not being my native language) I have noticed you made a crapload of mistakes, starting with the thread title and continuing ruthlessly throughout your rant.

You should be happy to be employed at all.

P.S. please spare me this being a forum hence your laziness to type in proper English.

Ciao

as a German (with English not being my native language) [sic] i have noticed you criticised the OP's thread title because you think he put the apostrophe after the "s" in teachers.

well... you are wrong and he is right because he referred to "teachers" (plural)

Let's toss the "grammar ball" from member to member and be happy about it. We're all wrong from time to time.

insulting people for alleged grammar mistakes is not gentleman like!

I'm sorry, just burned out from a long teaching day. Not wanting to insult you, I beg your pardon.It's just not worth to waste so much time. -

[Naam]

I'm sorry, just burned out from a long teaching day. Not wanting to insult you, I beg your pardon.It's just not worth to waste so much time. -

yo sho seems burned out nobody insulted me but the thread OP was wrongly insulted.

[gandalf12]

Presumably you signed a contract of employment which stated how much you would be paid. No use complaining now. Stop bitching you accepted it. Doesn't matter how much the school takes you agreed the price so get over it.

[kuulmellow]

You should not try to let others wire you up so easily.

you are right, it is not my money officially, but more "mine" than yours or anybody else's. Thanks for judging me as an arrogant mofo, that is what I am and that is why I have such an arrogant idea, this is not the first and not the lost time. your input was not much of value but I do appreciate anyway

You've signed a contract, stating a certain salary, right? I don't think that your fiend at the MoE has got all the information of all schools here.

You'll never be successful to "confront" the director with anything you don't like, you're only asking for the usual "Bai Gai Gai reaction".

Best of luck !!! -

thx for the reply lostinisaan.

yes, indeed I did. What does it have to do with the illegal/unlawful practice of the school? My friend has most of the info and what he sees is that for the English teacher salary line the allocated money is 10% more. It is not something I do not like, it is something I have just found out, I definitely do not dig it, but that is beside the point now.

Maybe I could say that I want a new contract or they could give me that extra as a monthly housing allowance, since it is " my money".

It's not your money.

Where did you get such an arrogant idea?

It's clear to see that's what happened when you read a response you didn't agree with,

as your vocabulary went south.

You asked a question, or posted an issue to be more exact...

did you expect everyone would side with you,

and pat you up with their response?

The easiest way to put this, is spend less time complaining about what you don't get,

and put more time working towards getting what you want,

through hard work @ your school.

With the info your so called friend gave to you,

and I say this, because if you try to put this info forward,

your friend will surely deny all of it, to save his / her position,

but anyway, you think there's more money there in the budget than what you signed your contract for,

and agreed to work with as your salary.

Now at least you know that if your job is done well,

and your appreciated, the money could come your way,

once you are up for a renewal on your contract.

Easy, to understand; I hope...?

hey ajarnmarc,

I am a pretty mellow faka and do not get wired up easily and I never expect anybody/everybody side with me, everyone side with whatever opinion they please, fine with me, I do not aim to please anybody and don't want to be pleased either. I asked for opinions/experiences and when someone judged me by my response I kept being nice and even thanked the guy. I do not remember whining just stated my opinion. I am able to decide for myself and will not seek approval from others. What I would want is far from what I am or should be (as the evidence shows) getting but again TIT, so I accept what I get and keep my nose to the grindstone, I am relatively free to do whatever I want, so if I want to quit one day, I will surely do.

I would never put my friend to such a sitch when he would have to officially prove his info, he is my friend and not just a so-called one.

you are very easy to understand or at least I think I did understand you

I do not like when an argument becomes personal as it ceases to be an argument at that point.

you have a nice evening and a couple of cold ones if that is your poison

[kingstonkid]

Bottom line is that the school gets the money, not you. The school can use any excess that is left over for things like sports equipment, hydro and upkeep of the building.

It is the same in any business. When I submitted my budget and financial statements for projects it did not mean that i was going to use all the funds in each category. It just meant that that was the ceiling that i should pay and what I thought I would have to spend. in some cases people will over budget and in some cases they will under budget. The end game is that at the end of the project there is enough money in the total pot to pay the bills.

Simple way of looking at it. You budget 1k to go to the movie with your gf/wife. that includes your BTS, tickets, pop corn, soft drink and coffee later.

Once you get to the cinema you find that the price of the ticket is higher than you thought but it inludes free popcorn and drinks. Same same.

[D3030]

You've signed a contract, stating a certain salary, right? I don't think that your fiend at the MoE has got all the information of all schools here.

You'll never be successful to "confront" the director with anything you don't like, you're only asking for the usual "Bai Gai Gai reaction".

Best of luck !!! -

thx for the reply lostinisaan.

yes, indeed I did. What does it have to do with the illegal/unlawful practice of the school? My friend has most of the info and what he sees is that for the English teacher salary line the allocated money is 10% more. It is not something I do not like, it is something I have just found out, I definitely do not dig it, but that is beside the point now.

Maybe I could say that I want a new contract or they could give me that extra as a monthly housing allowance, since it is " my money".

If your dumb ass agreed, to teach at 10% less than, what the smart teachers are getting..

Seems far from illegal or unlawful?

When you ask for a new contract.. Tell them exactly how you explained it here..

Use "illegal and unlawful" - it's your money they are stealing..

And you want your rent money back now!! Demand back pay, that always works..

Unbelievable!! > My friend said..

[Rhys]

In the end, it is not what you deserve... it is what you ask for and get..

[Somtamnication]

I so confew.

The OP gets a salary that was mutually agreed. If the director gets a cut ABOVE what the OP gets as a salary, WGAF?

As long as you get what you agreed, accept it, get on with it.

[Kwasaki]

I would thought the OP would have enquired more if his salary is so important.

I had teaching career in a local school for 2 days and by the way:-

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gentlemanlike

[ljd1308]

Here is a different twist to the above...but in a similar vein......

School employs an agency to find four English teachers........School Director allocates 4 x 40k salaries per teacher per month from the school budget following approval from fellow directors

Agency advertises and locates the teachers...teachers take up the four positions on 32k per month....

Agency invoices the school each month 40k per teacher x 4....school pays agency 40k per teacher x 4.....agency pays the teachers 32k each........ Agency then backhands (direct into the school directors personal bank a/c 25k).... Agency retains the balance as "fee's" 7k........

Admin/Finance Dept in the school is none the wiser....everything "appears" to be correct......

An actual case in a school in Bangkok...probably happening in other schools elsewhere.....

That's exactly what happens. But be warned a certain TV expert will tell you are wrong. Tell you to get off your bar stool. He knows Thailand and it's education system. He even admits to hitting a problem student just like a Thai teacher.

Is it really an issue that it works like that? If you have any experience of recruitment in most countries that is almost exactly it.

They may not give cash directly to employers but there are other benefits directly and indirectly.

If a HR manager constantly recruits good staff under budget they will no doubt get a bonus, so it is a mutually beneficial relationship between them and a recruiter.

Very similar to the set up described above and if you have ever seen the margins in recruitment(atleast in Australia) you will know who the bigger thieves are. We used to charge employers $40-45 per hour and pay the staff $18-22.

[smotherb]

Is there some pocketing of the monies? Skimming money off certainly is possible and it would not be the first time or the last and Thailand is certainly not the only place it is done. However, is it illegal or standard procedure?

The government (MoE) allocates money to schools for foreign-language and other needed-subject teachers. The school determines how best to use that money to suit that school. It is a business--get that straight. There are costs involved in staffing, recruiting, managing, evaluating, training, supplying, and handling a bunch of cry-baby foreign teachers. Do you really think your home country schools shell out in salaries all the government-allocated monies for teachers?

Consequently, I doubt it will be any surprise to anyone if you try to pursue this issue. However, go ahead and complain and demand the rest of that money. You'll probably end up making them use some of that money they didn't pay you-- when they terminate you and hire someone else.

[bwpage3]

First of all if you do not know the entire school system is corrupt, you missed the boat somewhere.

Complaining about an additional 10% on such a pitiful salary? Really? How much does that make out to be, $100 a month?

Surely you are smart enough to know you would not get rich teaching in Thailand?

However, if money is so tight you feel a need to be outraged by the "system" perhaps you should go home and find a real job that does pay more?

Thailand revolves around corruption and greed, Thailand 101.

If you think Thai's owes you or you are ever going to get a fair shake, you are badly mistaken.

Accept the fact you have a job doing something you aren't qualified to be doing as compensation for being able to live in Thailand.

Now surely man if you are smart enough to be a teacher in Thailand, you must be smart enough to start your own business and make a million baht a month? Right?

You should have known the deal going in.

You should have known the deal to live in Thailand.

Take it for what it is or move home and get a real job.

There isn't a Thai woman in the entire world worth being poor over.

[lostinisaan]

You never put up a security deposit as a teacher, if a school has asked you to do that, they are probably skimming, or pocketing some of the allowance they have to pay you. I taught for almost 6 years in Thailand at many different schools. They do not ask for money, they pay you money.

Why would you ever give a school a deposit???

I am now teaching in Cambodia where the students all speak and write English, more than and better than any student I ever met or taught in Thailand, here they are sincerely interested in learning.

Don't you miss Thailand? I mean you've spent a long time here, not just teaching. The good old times when people were "more relaxed".

I remember threads where you were "talking" about the good old times when the whitish thingy was in.

How much money are you making now? Could you tell me a little bit more about teaching in Khmer country? A private message's fine as well.

Once you see this country ( Thailand) as your home, it's pretty difficult to settle down in Cambodia. Of course only in my own opinion.

Wish you only the best, fragg the rest.

[Jeremy50]

Yes. Government schools get about 50k, but pay out about 30k, the difference is passed about, with most of the cash going to the head of department, and/or the school director. The money will be spent on paying off the directors merc, iPhones, nights out in bars, gold trinkets and other fripperies. Any other questions?

[BruceMangosteen]

The easiest way to put this, is spend less time complaining about what you don't get,

and put more time working towards getting what you want,

through hard work @ your school.

Just to make another point, merit isn't earned by the foreigners. Working hard, being on time, preparing for lessons, being polite and respectful etc. don't earn you one extra satang when it comes to renewal time. You are still considered an imposition on the Thai culture. The deadbeat drunken teacher will get the same offer as your kind and caring self.

As for Directors skimming, it isn't that. I doubt seriously English "Department Head"s are involved at all in any negotiations with an agency or equipment purchases. Directors are expected to be compensated financially by other Thai people. It isn't considered corruption. The other concept that "Agencies" are some how professional people maintaining offices etc. needs to be debunked. They "work" off a phone and nothing more in most cases. It, as I've outlined elsewhere, is a sales person much like a real estate sales person. Focus and running like a rabbit to the closing and then running like a rat from any problems "teachers" may have.

[BruceMangosteen]

Yes. Government schools get about 50k, but pay out about 30k, the difference is passed about, with most of the cash going to the head of department, and/or the school director. The money will be spent on paying off the directors merc, iPhones, nights out in bars, gold trinkets and other fripperies. Any other questions?

All sarcasm aside(please), I'd like to again ask the obvious question......

One which I've not spent hours and hours and days thinking about as someone who thought he/she was in a position to do same would have...

How could a Director's school get 50K a month per "Native English Speaking" teacher, then convert the apx. 20K each generates for the school to his/her pocket? The easiest way would be of course to use an agent who just gets say 48K and profits 18K and then shares it using an ATM transfer. But I'm asking how a Director whose school hires directly could then convert said money which comes from Bangkok to his personal account/palm? Thank you, please don't be sarcastic. How would that actually occur mechanically and without triggering some sort of audit?

[kaorop]

Guess you dont realize "The money always flows up", TL and particularly the edu system are masters.

[kuulmellow]

First of all if you do not know the entire school system is corrupt, you missed the boat somewhere.

Complaining about an additional 10% on such a pitiful salary? Really? How much does that make out to be, $100 a month?

Surely you are smart enough to know you would not get rich teaching in Thailand?

However, if money is so tight you feel a need to be outraged by the "system" perhaps you should go home and find a real job that does pay more?

Thailand revolves around corruption and greed, Thailand 101.

If you think Thai's owes you or you are ever going to get a fair shake, you are badly mistaken.

Accept the fact you have a job doing something you aren't qualified to be doing as compensation for being able to live in Thailand.

Now surely man if you are smart enough to be a teacher in Thailand, you must be smart enough to start your own business and make a million baht a month? Right?

You should have known the deal going in.

You should have known the deal to live in Thailand.

Take it for what it is or move home and get a real job.

There isn't a Thai woman in the entire world worth being poor over.

you are absolutely right bwpage3. I was aware of the amount of corruption but this has surprised me, I guess I was naive/stupid/short-sighted. The amount of money we are talking about is at least 3500 b/month and upwards, so for 12 months it can add up to an extra month, which could be handed to the teacher as a bonus, instead it goes to somebody else.

It is not about being tight on money or anger/outrage but more about fairness, which seems nonexistent here.

BTW, I am qualified, have a Bachelor's degree and many years of experience so I am not really a backpacker on gap year. I did not come here to get rich but to have a carefree life, what I have however more money would never hurt so I can invest in myself or travel or save up more.

I am definitely smarter now and will know how to negotiate better next year.

Thanks for your input.

[tonray]

Yes. Government schools get about 50k, but pay out about 30k, the difference is passed about, with most of the cash going to the head of department, and/or the school director. The money will be spent on paying off the directors merc, iPhones, nights out in bars, gold trinkets and other fripperies. Any other questions?

All sarcasm aside(please), I'd like to again ask the obvious question......

One which I've not spent hours and hours and days thinking about as someone who thought he/she was in a position to do same would have...

How could a Director's school get 50K a month per "Native English Speaking" teacher, then convert the apx. 20K each generates for the school to his/her pocket? The easiest way would be of course to use an agent who just gets say 48K and profits 18K and then shares it using an ATM transfer. But I'm asking how a Director whose school hires directly could then convert said money which comes from Bangkok to his personal account/palm? Thank you, please don't be sarcastic. How would that actually occur mechanically and without triggering some sort of audit?

It is done (as I have seen) via buying items for the school from a 'preferred' vendor. I saw an old government high school outfit old classrooms with state of the art LCD TVs....2 years later they had never even been plugged in...rotting away in the heat and humidity. The vendor is usually someone with some connection to the director, in law, neighbor, etc....it's called money laundering. The vendor then pays back the director in some way...maybe a paid speech to his employees or industry group stressing education, maybe a future 'favor'. Any way it stinks.

[bwpage3]

Yes. Government schools get about 50k, but pay out about 30k, the difference is passed about, with most of the cash going to the head of department, and/or the school director. The money will be spent on paying off the directors merc, iPhones, nights out in bars, gold trinkets and other fripperies. Any other questions?

All sarcasm aside(please), I'd like to again ask the obvious question......

One which I've not spent hours and hours and days thinking about as someone who thought he/she was in a position to do same would have...

How could a Director's school get 50K a month per "Native English Speaking" teacher, then convert the apx. 20K each generates for the school to his/her pocket? The easiest way would be of course to use an agent who just gets say 48K and profits 18K and then shares it using an ATM transfer. But I'm asking how a Director whose school hires directly could then convert said money which comes from Bangkok to his personal account/palm? Thank you, please don't be sarcastic. How would that actually occur mechanically and without triggering some sort of audit?

Trigger an audit? Where do you think you are in the USA?

This is Thailand man. Financial Corruption is the fruit of life and it interwoven into the school system as well.

People in positions of power need money.

They make money anyway they can including skimming off of salaries.

If you do not understand this, you must have you head in the sand.

The Director of the Uni near my house also owned the food stands on campus.

Where do you think all their attention went and which do you think made more money for the director.

It is a Thai way of life. Important people need money to be important. Thai 101

[bwpage3]

First of all if you do not know the entire school system is corrupt, you missed the boat somewhere.

Complaining about an additional 10% on such a pitiful salary? Really? How much does that make out to be, $100 a month?

Surely you are smart enough to know you would not get rich teaching in Thailand?

However, if money is so tight you feel a need to be outraged by the "system" perhaps you should go home and find a real job that does pay more?

Thailand revolves around corruption and greed, Thailand 101.

If you think Thai's owes you or you are ever going to get a fair shake, you are badly mistaken.

Accept the fact you have a job doing something you aren't qualified to be doing as compensation for being able to live in Thailand.

Now surely man if you are smart enough to be a teacher in Thailand, you must be smart enough to start your own business and make a million baht a month? Right?

You should have known the deal going in.

You should have known the deal to live in Thailand.

Take it for what it is or move home and get a real job.

There isn't a Thai woman in the entire world worth being poor over.

you are absolutely right bwpage3. I was aware of the amount of corruption but this has surprised me, I guess I was naive/stupid/short-sighted. The amount of money we are talking about is at least 3500 b/month and upwards, so for 12 months it can add up to an extra month, which could be handed to the teacher as a bonus, instead it goes to somebody else.

It is not about being tight on money or anger/outrage but more about fairness, which seems nonexistent here.

BTW, I am qualified, have a Bachelor's degree and many years of experience so I am not really a backpacker on gap year. I did not come here to get rich but to have a carefree life, what I have however more money would never hurt so I can invest in myself or travel or save up more.

I am definitely smarter now and will know how to negotiate better next year.

Thanks for your input.

Friend, Thailand is not a carefree life if you have to work. It is carefree if you have enough money to be carefree and not worry about working.

The stress you are under is not care free.

Foreign teachers will never get a fair shake in Thailand in this day and age.

If you were in Thailand 20 to 30 years ago, it was a different story. Not today.

If I could only make 35,000 thb per month, I would want to be on the beach doing some carefree job like selling tee-shirts, not putting up with all the stress of trying to be a teacher where they don't really want foreign teachers.

Thai teachers would never ever dare complain about wrong doing.

That says it all. You have to be able to accept what is wrong for the privilege to be working in Thailand and turn your eyes away.

Thailand has become a place where you have 2 choices? Either live in the sticks or live near the poverty line in an area you might enjoy living.

Not a carefree life being a teacher.

I am sure with your degree you could a nicer country to be a teacher that might actually give you some respect.

Find a Thai princess and run off to a better life outside of Asia where you can make some real money.

[BruceMangosteen]

I saw an old government high school outfit old classrooms with state of the art LCD TVs....2 years later they had never even been plugged in...rotting away in the heat and humidity.

Those TV's are in a lot of schools. They were part of the "pad" concept but the deal fell through on the pads. The Chinese vendor didn't want to meet the specs they quoted or were required, I don't recall. But the TV's were put in the classrooms first, and in fact were too small to use for the designated purpose anyhow. Students beyond the first couple rows can't see the script etc.. They remain functional I think, not "rotting" away but I'm not sure. The money was there and spent. I had thought supplied from Bangkok. The pad issue is either in the courts or forgotten. Now you will see the lowest cost projectors being installed which have a life span of less than one school year.

[muzmurray]

I saw an old government high school outfit old classrooms with state of the art LCD TVs....2 years later they had never even been plugged in...rotting away in the heat and humidity.

Those TV's are in a lot of schools. They were part of the "pad" concept but the deal fell through on the pads. The Chinese vendor didn't want to meet the specs they quoted or were required, I don't recall. But the TV's were put in the classrooms first, and in fact were too small to use for the designated purpose anyhow. Students beyond the first couple rows can't see the script etc.. They remain functional I think, not "rotting" away but I'm not sure. The money was there and spent. I had thought supplied from Bangkok. The pad issue is either in the courts or forgotten. Now you will see the lowest cost projectors being installed which have a life span of less than one school year.

Of course you are not sure, because you don't have a clue what the various schools around the country did with the TV sets.

[BruceMangosteen]

The Director of the Uni near my house also owned the food stands on campus.

The food stands and canteen in High Schools are required to pay a entry fee, something on the order of 5000Baht, then a monthly rent and a daily cleaning fee(very small). Who gets the entry/key money I don't know but it isn't paid directly to the Director. She will always have trusted middle men/women. This continued implication Directors are running all over campus getting share of every transaction is troubling and I have my doubts. Sure, corrupt people in all walks of Thai life, but at schools? Paving contracts? Computer suppliers? Canteen slots?Book suppliers? Air Conditioner repair contracts? The list is just endless and I think it's just wrong to label the entire system as corrupt.

[aidenai]

The Director of the Uni near my house also owned the food stands on campus.

The food stands and canteen in High Schools are required to pay a entry fee, something on the order of 5000Baht, then a monthly rent and a daily cleaning fee(very small). Who gets the entry/key money I don't know but it isn't paid directly to the Director. She will always have trusted middle men/women. This continued implication Directors are running all over campus getting share of every transaction is troubling and I have my doubts. Sure, corrupt people in all walks of Thai life, but at schools? Paving contracts? Computer suppliers? Canteen slots?Book suppliers? Air Conditioner repair contracts? The list is just endless and I think it's just wrong to label the entire system as corrupt.

Your posts' content on this sub-forum all have a kind of megalomania in them. I am honestly curious to know a bit more about you.

- do you have a degree?

- do you have a TCT teacher license?

- do you have long time experience in different schools in Thailand?

- are you a native speaker of English?

All your posts on here read as if all questions above have to be answered with 'No'.

[lostinisaan]

The Director of the Uni near my house also owned the food stands on campus.

The food stands and canteen in High Schools are required to pay a entry fee, something on the order of 5000Baht, then a monthly rent and a daily cleaning fee(very small). Who gets the entry/key money I don't know but it isn't paid directly to the Director. She will always have trusted middle men/women. This continued implication Directors are running all over campus getting share of every transaction is troubling and I have my doubts. Sure, corrupt people in all walks of Thai life, but at schools? Paving contracts? Computer suppliers? Canteen slots?Book suppliers? Air Conditioner repair contracts? The list is just endless and I think it's just wrong to label the entire system as corrupt.

Your posts' content on this sub-forum all have a kind of megalomania in them. I am honestly curious to know a bit more about you.

- do you have a degree?

- do you have a TCT teacher license?

- do you have long time experience in different schools in Thailand?

- are you a native speaker of English?

All your posts on here read as if all questions above have to be answered with 'No'.

+ 1

Would you please be so kind and answer the questions, eventually some more information about your experience that could help others who're struggling somewhere in the outskirts of Bangkok, or at a small school in the middle of nowhere.

I'd like to add three more questions to aldenai's:

- how long have you been living in Thailand?

- from where did you get all this so important information about the food stands, TV's, tablets, etc.?

- reading your posts, it seems that you're currently employed as an English teacher. How much do they pay such an experienced guy like you?

Your answers would be deeply appreciated and very useful for others who do not have so much teaching and Thailand experience.

Thanks a lot in advance. -

[BruceMangosteen]

+ 1

Would you please be so kind and answer the questions, eventually some more information about your experience that could help others who're struggling somewhere in the outskirts of Bangkok, or at a small school in the middle of nowhere.

I'd like to add three more questions to aldenai's:

- how long have you been living in Thailand?

- from where did you get all this so important information about the food stands, TV's, tablets, etc.?

- reading your posts, it seems that you're currently employed as an English teacher. How much do they pay such an experienced guy like you?

Your answers would be deeply appreciated and very useful for others who do not have so much teaching and Thailand experience.

Thanks a lot in advance. -

While you are being polite which is much appreciated, I'm not here to talk about myself or qualify my statements with a foundation. If you are anyone disagree or have other experiences related to the subject/topic, just post them. Don't play the silly childlike game of trying to attack the messenger as some do on here. You know them, they play the games with you as well. We are here to exchange information and thoughts, not critique others.

As for your direct "questions",

The information about food stands isn't really that important to most. It's a fact however. How do I know? I've tried at two schools to have a food stand in the canteens. Simple idea, sell monkey on a stick. No one else was doing it. I found out the prices and didn't go for it. ps: Those selling french fries and deep friend chicken nuggets are doing the most custom. The drink concession is another interesting matter. The distributor gets the concession and it's exclusive. When they switched to "EST" soda pop I inquired about what happened to Coke and/or Pepsi?(don't recall which it was) I was quickly advised it was up to the distributor, students health etc. not the issue. Bottled water is included but not as profitable as soda by the plastic cup.

I outlined the TV's and Pad's issue above. It was all in the English newspapers back when it went down. Do your own search of the matter if you are interested. I think it pre dates the military take over of Thailand but I'm not sure. Where it stands now? Who knows as I say. I don't personally care so not going to do your homework for you mate. God bless you OO.

[onlycw]

thx for the reply lostinisaan.

yes, indeed I did. What does it have to do with the illegal/unlawful practice of the school? My friend has most of the info and what he sees is that for the English teacher salary line the allocated money is 10% more. It is not something I do not like, it is something I have just found out, I definitely do not dig it, but that is beside the point now.

Maybe I could say that I want a new contract or they could give me that extra as a monthly housing allowance, since it is " my money".

Why do you think schools i. delay advertizing till June / end contracts in February / not pay for days worked prior to classroom duty?

Well, someone is pocketing the difference, JMHO.

You think the school will return the March salary when it will be paid by the government?

[bwpage3]

The Director of the Uni near my house also owned the food stands on campus.

The food stands and canteen in High Schools are required to pay a entry fee, something on the order of 5000Baht, then a monthly rent and a daily cleaning fee(very small). Who gets the entry/key money I don't know but it isn't paid directly to the Director. She will always have trusted middle men/women. This continued implication Directors are running all over campus getting share of every transaction is troubling and I have my doubts. Sure, corrupt people in all walks of Thai life, but at schools? Paving contracts? Computer suppliers? Canteen slots?Book suppliers? Air Conditioner repair contracts? The list is just endless and I think it's just wrong to label the entire system as corrupt.

In the case I mentioned, your comment is absolutely not true.

The director is out in the canteen supervising every lunch period and collecting the money herself.

No one dares question her motives, however, she does drive a brand new expensive car.

The entire system IS corrupt and you should do a little research and reading before making such a wild claim that it is not.

I can remember a case with the Tech Schools in Pathumthani. Supplies, new computers, all kinds of things, money just disappeared.

You obviously have not figured out that you do not get to a position of power in Thailand, in schools or other, without money or without money to pay for the position.

They are not earning that money from their salary, that is for sure.

Did you just read about the 2500 masters degrees that were issued when the school was only authorized for 350 students?

If you do not understand this corruption is deeply entrenched in schools as well as all government positions, you have missed the boat.