14 hours ago, tonray said:

When I was teaching, routinely took about 60 days for Non-B paperwork, considering I was hired a week before semester began usually. Many schools are only filling their positions a week before semester starts (or even after it starts) and they routinely wait to see if the teacher shows up for a month before producing the paperwork. 

 

When going to Chaengwattana for extensions after 45 days had passed on the Non-B, the IOs clearly knew you were working prior to getting your WP. common and accepted practice everywhere.

But still an illegal act to work without a WP, and who takes the fall if someone phones Imm' and complains about illegal working in such and such an area. I've seen it happen a couple of times. 

The longest I've waited for a WP is around two weeks. 

When you have the correct visa or extension in your passport it should take the employer only a few days to gather the correct paperwork together and a quick visit to the labour office, pay the fee and they will issue the WP.

On 8/25/2017 at 2:34 AM, TerryLH said:

"And Thailand wonders why they have SO much trouble attracting quality educators . . ."

Guessing you didn't read the OP?

I read the same post as he did and I understood the comment. A qualified professional will not cut corners like this. The reason is that the qualified professional does not have to do so

 

On 8/25/2017 at 3:40 AM, poohy said:

Nothing unusual here in the sticks

A few  years back I worked for a rural university in the south for 2 years (actually a really cushy number, nice house, motorcycle provided, and decent salary) but they just couldn't be bothered to do any paperwork.

They may not have been bothered to do so, and that speaks volumes about the "school".  Is it any wonder that there is a lack of respect for some people employed as "teachers"? Part of being a good teacher is having  professional ethics.  Good quality teachers do not associate themselves with  facilities that violate the most basic of regulations.

 

The OP must  exit his working relationship without delay as he is working illegally. The school and the  people saying it is ok will not be the ones to bail the OP out of jail or to remedy his blacklisting. This is not worth the risk.  All it takes is one petty complaint.

2 hours ago, Loaded said:

Underlined as well! You really do know your stuff.

Could you quote the source for your 'statistics'?

Or perhaps your own research paper on this particular subject?

Surely, you wouldn't have just made it up.

I should have clarified (in case it wasn't obvious), that I was speaking of Western visitors - not visitors from neighboring countries who are not limited by rules like the "2 land-border crossings on exempt" policy - so are freely available for illegal hiring in low-wage jobs.

It's not rocket science to figure out what jobs are available to Western-foreigners under-the-table (illegally) in Thailand.  Do you think Westerners come here looking to mop floors at less-than-Thai wages, and less than even the Burmese and Cambodians will do the job?  Not likely.  In addition to teaching English, "Diving instructor" is another popular one trotted out - but how many are those in the whole of the country?  Therefore, not hard to determine that "teaching English" is the most common illegally-worked job for Westerners.   But if you think my logic on this is flawed, please provide additional info to help us understand the other job(s) that Westerners come here to work illegally in greater numbers than they do for teaching.

 

Many of us have been hit-up at immigration-checkpoints and consulates, with the accusation of "working illegally,"  to spite the fact we could earn far more in our passport-countries, if it was "work" we were looking for.   And if we were "bad guys," we'd just buy ED visas from corrupt-schools with "connections." 

 

If a crackdown on illegal-working was undertaken in-country, where it could actually do some good, this random-accusation business at checkpoints and consulates could stop; both we and Thai people would benefit.  As-is, the only beneficiaries are Cambodia, Vietnam, and other countries where more and more Westerners are now staying, instead of Thailand.

Edited August 27, 20178 yr by JackThompson

^ so you made it up

4 minutes ago, Loaded said:

^ so you made it up

I don't think so.

I think you will find that there are many people that are working as teachers at tutoring schools illegally since the schools cannot meet the requirements.

It's really regrettable that the OP got into this situation.  Giving him/her the benefit of the doubt, there is only one way "out".  

- Step one is to stop working altogether.  

- Step two is to get an extension on your tourist visa.  

- Step three is to find a proper job, which means the new employer will need to provide paperwork for you to have the tourist visa converted into a non-imm B, then get a work permit, both before your first day of work.  If the employer doesn't seem to know how to do all of this, your best bet is to turn your back on that employer.  There are plenty of schools around that know how all of this works and are following the rules.

 

Good luck , and welcome to Thailand.

Your on a Tourist and you are not allowed to work! I suggest you go home while you can and get a job! Thailand wants good people here not the ones who break the law!

5 hours ago, overherebc said:

But still an illegal act to work without a WP, and who takes the fall if someone phones Imm' and complains about illegal working in such and such an area. I've seen it happen a couple of times. 

The longest I've waited for a WP is around two weeks. 

When you have theo! correct visa or extension in your passport it should take the employer only a few days to gather the correct paperwork together and a quick visit to the labour office, pay the fee and they will issue the WP.

He's working on a Tourist Visa! Time for him to go!

It's normal to start working while school gets all the paperwork sorted, have decided they'll keep you etc.... immigration are pretty understanding concerning this and will only throw the book at someone if they've been working for a good while without the required paperwork. Honestly, some of the "breaking the law, go home etc" posters here.... prolly into anal BDSM stuff in traffic warden uniforms.


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1 hour ago, tomwct said:

Your on a Tourist and you are not allowed to work! I suggest you go home while you can and get a job! Thailand wants good people here not the ones who break the law!

Drop the accusation and rant. The OP here is the VICTIM of deceiving. And I will refrain to say what you look to be from the few hate lines you wrote.

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I don't think so.

I think you will find that there are many people that are working as teachers at tutoring schools illegally since the schools cannot meet the requirements.

I don't think so.

 

Tutoring schools mainly employ Thai formal school teachers to teach subjects - not EFL. Many, if not most, are not licensed, or even registered, with the MoE. The current government is trying to tax them.

 

I think you are confusing them with language schools. Language schools are non-formal schools (category 15/2). They teach EFL.

14 hours ago, Loaded said:

It's always funny to read the comments from foreigners who have lived here many years but still use the values and social mores of their home country to judge and comment on Thailand's attitude to rules, laws and regulations.

 

Thai authorities do not enforce laws unless they are specifically told to do so. This is why there is flagrant ignoring of laws relating to driving, corruption, gambling, prostitution, employment etc but you will read of isolated 'raids' against organizations that have upset someone.

 

And please stop commenting on how foreigners should refuse to work until they get what they feel they should have. I nearly choked on my toast I laughed so loudly.

 

PS

The government's recent announcement about a crackdown on illegal labour relates 100% to Cambodian and Burmese cheap unregulated labour. It's the government showing the USA that it's serious about people trafficking. It is not aimed at foreign teachers at all.

Please read what I said. I was pointing out that the only way to stop schools from doing this would be for every teacher to refuse to work, which we all know would never happen.  I dont try to hold Thailand to any standard, actually I like corruption (when it works for me!!! )

9 hours ago, overherebc said:

But still an illegal act to work without a WP, and who takes the fall if someone phones Imm' and complains about illegal working in such and such an area. I've seen it happen a couple of times. 

The longest I've waited for a WP is around two weeks. 

When you have the correct visa or extension in your passport it should take the employer only a few days to gather the correct paperwork together and a quick visit to the labour office, pay the fee and they will issue the WP.

While it may be illegal to work without  WP it rarely works in practice. I don't know one teacher who had a WP on the first day they started work in my school. Immigration knows this, as it takes time to process papers. Thr problem comes when schools deliberately do not seek to get the WP. This is a school with probably close to 100 teachers, and one Thai staff member to track and process all WP's and extensions of stay. All other big schools have the same issues regarding slowness of getting the WP. As long as the paperwork is in process then it's OK.

17 minutes ago, DavisH said:

While it may be illegal to work without  WP it rarely works in practice. I don't know one teacher who had a WP on the first day they started work in my school. Immigration knows this, as it takes time to process papers. Thr problem comes when schools deliberately do not seek to get the WP. This is a school with probably close to 100 teachers, and one Thai staff member to track and process all WP's and extensions of stay. All other big schools have the same issues regarding slowness of getting the WP. As long as the paperwork is in process then it's OK.

100 foreign teachers ? Or 100 total ?

20 minutes ago, tonray said:

100 foreign teachers ? Or 100 total ?

Foreign teachers - of all nationalities. ...actually, I think the number is closer to 60 or 70. Still, quite a number to process all paperwork each year. The WP can be issued for 2 years at a time, but my school has never done that. It would be a reasonable way to save on time and paperwork. 

Edited August 27, 20178 yr by DavisH

11 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Foreign teachers - of all nationalities. ...actually, I think the number is closer to 60 or 70. Still, quite a number to process all paperwork each year. The WP can be issued for 2 years at a time, but my school has never done that. It would be a reasonable way to save on time and paperwork. 

How many students ? I taught in one of the biggest high schools in Bangkok and we had 6 English teachers, 4 Chinese teachers and 1 Japanese. That's crazy. Is this a private International school ?

How can someone who is unable to write English, teach it?

12 hours ago, tonray said:

How many students ? I taught in one of the biggest high schools in Bangkok and we had 6 English teachers, 4 Chinese teachers and 1 Japanese. That's crazy. Is this a private International school ?

English Program. There are over 900 students; class sizes 20-25 or so. I'm including the fact there are some foreign students in the Thai program as well (they have over 3000 students).