I worked via an agency for a school in north Thailand.  When my salary was due after 1 month they failed to pay me my salary...

Now I've been working via a different agency at a government school in Surat Thani.  My salary was due at the end of the month.  It is now the 2nd August and no salary paid yet.

<deleted> is the matter with these agencies? When I taught in Laos and Myanmar, I never had any late salary payments.

You would think that teaching agencies would appreciate an experienced NES teacher working for the low salary, and would ensure prompt salary payment.  Apparently not the case for me 

Rant over

It could be that the school hasn't paid them yet, that's quite common especially with government schools.

I agree, it's not an acceptable excuse.

4 hours ago, Loaded said:

It could be that the school hasn't paid them yet, that's quite common especially with government schools.

I agree, it's not an acceptable excuse.

Not even close to acceptable. The teacher doesn't work directly for the school and it wasn't a condition of his/her employment. As I mentioned elsewhere, sometimes violence needs to be introduced into situations concerning not paying people for their work. 

NEVER work for an agency unless desperate.

Guess you can stop worrying about teaching kindergarten to mattayom students...

Don't start working again until you're paid. 

 

People often say that TEFL teachers are a negative and whiny bunch - you can see now why. I don't know of many other jobs where people mess you around and you're being negative for pointing it out.

 

It's sh**** industry that really needs a huge kick up the arse. 

The attitude is inherited from the Thai Educations system, farangs are needed but not wanted in teaching.  Without them the system would self destruct. 

Use your judgement.  If the money is an issue, you're a bit stuck. If it isn't, go on sick leave until you are paid.

 

Get a university job. They always pay on time and you don't really have to do any work. Well, you may have to do 12 hrs a week between holidays if you are unlucky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19 minutes ago, mogo51 said:

The attitude is inherited from the Thai Educations system, farangs are needed but not wanted in teaching.  Without them the system would self destruct. 

"Without them the system would self destruct.  "

 

Ah, a variation on the "final nail in the coffin" theme that was once so popular. Both the Thai economy and the "Thai Educations (sic) system" dependent on farang contributions. Thanks for the laugh.

Have you noticed something in common, or mistaking them as people that care?

sounds like or similar to  defamation to me. be careful 44 different ways in Thailand I understand probably maybe.

 

You would think that teaching agencies would appreciate an experienced NES teacher.

They appreciate the money!  The money you make for them and the money they can take you for. You're like a little fish dinner to them.  Once they strip off as much flesh as possible, they toss the bones and find another tasty little fishy who raises for the NES bait.

Suggestion: Japan or Korea. 

Reneging on a contract is generally considered just a dark business practice.   You, having lived in this area of the world for some time now must understand this concept.

 

Good Luck! 

I think the labor department would like you to visit them

 

Cheers

Work for a private school. They are much better. 

I have been through much worse and many of my students even worse still. JUst say no to these creeps, don't work for them, they are corrupt crooks like the cops and the government. Stay away from them, many countries will treat you much better, Thailand is a cesspool.

10 hours ago, Rod Gold said:

Reneging on a contract is generally considered just a dark business practice.   You, having lived in this area of the world for some time now must understand this concept.

 

Good Luck! 

 

Not sure which contract you refer to, but many working(teaching) though an agent don't have a valid contract. Also many "agencies" are nothing more than a Thai with a phone. If you refer to a "contract" between a Government school and an "agent/agency" once again, the face issue is diminished because of the role the agent plays in it all. The only thing "dark" in many eyes including mine remains not paying people for their work, and sometimes dark just has to be dealt with in a dark way i.e. violence. I'm not an advocate of violence, but it has a way of making all people equal. 

9 hours ago, gemguy said:

I think the labor department would like you to visit them

 

Cheers

 

Most likely the individual is working illegally. I don't think a visit to a Government office in state of working illegally and complaining about non payment of earned wages is going to get you very far. But hey, who ever knows. Would you risk your arse over this or rather just spend the 2000 Baht to have her car smashed up? or better yet, phone taken away?

As Mr. Trump says....the gloves are off. 

The agency finally paid up, but it is to their lost and the school/students, because I resigned immediately after getting paid.  The reason that I provided to the school was that I will not work for any agency that pays late, because I will never know if I have just worked 'free' for the previous month.,

 

Ho hum - are their any agencies that pay salaries in advance?

 

Just to add that I have been working legally for this agency, with a new B visa and WP application in progress.  I guess they had cashflow problems, which is a concern in itself.

There seems to be an ongoing racket in Surat Thani....an agency that is an extension of a TEFL program.  Otherwise, you're preaching to the choir.

Quote

Just to add that I have been working legally for this agency, with a new B visa and WP application in progress.  I guess they had cashflow problems, which is a concern in itself.

 

Hopefully you didn't already get your license waiver from Krusapa?  As it'd be a shame to burn 1x waiver due to the poor business practices of an agency.

15 hours ago, SlyAnimal said:

 

Hopefully you didn't already get your license waiver from Krusapa?  As it'd be a shame to burn 1x waiver due to the poor business practices of an agency.

 

You need that for your WP application to actually be processed(written progress above). Of course, in some minds, having it on your list of things to do is in process/progress. Cash flow problems don't exist for agents/agencies. It's a matter of who pays, just like in a traffic accident. O O

I don't understand why people use agencies. I recruit for our schools and there is no fee. Agencies are just a rip-off.

1 hour ago, remobb said:

I don't understand why people use agencies. I recruit for our schools and there is no fee. Agencies are just a rip-off.

 

Agencies aka like I mentioned, a guy/gal with a phone, are perceived as the one who loses face when a teacher fails to show up for school or is a drunken idiot or all the rest. The "school" can just complain to the agent vs. directly confronting the "teacher" they employed without any background or other investigation. It's all a matter of face. We also read, but it's never confirmed, that some "agents" kick money back to Directors. I personally doubt this in most cases, but can allow for some wiggle room as there are always crooked people in almost every institution of these sizes. Lastly, as "why" isn't a question work in Thailand, the Thai's in schools can avoid the "why" so many foreigners from the western world tend to bring up in conversation or requests. OO and God Bless the Philippines. 

Take em to court.

OP,  please shed a light on these 2 issues have played out over time.

 

I'm used to such shenanigans in Vietnam. One language center sent an e-mail stating that they needn't pay me as I was not having a WP. (Try getting a WP without the employer's support). Seems the obsession with money is irresistibly overwhelming for some?