Go to the local Labour office with a letter clearly explaining your situation and the threat made by your employer regarding your salary, etc. Ask to speak to the most senior officer at the Labour office and explain the matter to him or her while providing them with a copy of your letter. Make it clear to them verbally and in your letter that you are doing this to make the situation a matter of record and because you are requesting their assistance in insuring fair treatment by your employer.
Prepare another letter stating basically the same things and present it to your employer so that there is no misunderstanding that you have reported the matter to the Labour Ministry and it is now a matter of record.
Tell your employer you have also turned the matter over to your lawyer (even if you don't have one) and that you are prepared to see this through to the very end if you are not treated fairly and legally when leaving your present employment.
Good luck!
Last edited by soijetcornergirl; 20th March 2008 at 18:28.
"Life is so much better here since I discovered the Ignore List."
Just been to the Ministry of Labour at Chiang Mai's city hall with my wife in tow. They told us that we should be paid as stated in the contract but can't take any action until they dont pay me at the end of April. Hopefully a few polite words to my boss telling him what they said should do the trick.
If they don't pay me I will get a lawyer and they should get my final pay-cheque. Hopefully being diplomatic though will save everyone a lot of hassle.
^Good on you, Bill. Let us know what the thieving boss says after your conversation.
Well done m8.Originally Posted by wildbill
As soon as they know you went to the MoL they will pay IMO
Sorry to hear about this, but not uncommon. Just a final mind-fuck, but why do Thais insist on making such a poor final impression with their foreign teacher staff?
Well, the ways the Thais see it -- you aren't working and you won't be physically present during that month so you don't get paid. Contracts here are for paperwork reasons mainly (from a Thai's perspective). Not trying to side with the school admin on this, but that's just the way they see it. And further down you have all the whining Thai teaching staff questioning why you should get paid for not even being in school for work. Thais run on a simple concept: work and you get paid; they don't run on contracts. Shit no.
However, if you could get a lawyer to scare 'em then by all means do so if it's worth the trouble.
EDIT: Just read the part where you went to the MOL. Holy crap.. those guys are actually helpful? That doesn't seem so Thailand-ish! Amazing! I should start buying land in hell... it must have frozen over already...
I wish I could afford to make just a dollar a year.
Just Buy a Mac
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^ Mate I've never personally heard of the MoL being funny with teachers that are in the right. As I've posted many, many, many times before Thailand is VERY employee orientated (be it Thai or otherwise).
Riddle me this brother can you handle it
Your style to my style you can't hold a candle to it
Equinox symmetry and the balance is right
Smokin' and drinkin' on a Tuesday night
It's not how you play the game it's how you win it
I cheat and steal and sin and I'm a cynic
^I'd like a look at the contract.
Did it say anywhere in there that you gave a bond that if you fail to complete you contract term you had to forfeit a "bond" - say for expenses paid in getting WP/TL.
If so, you may be on a much more sticky wicket...
The MOL here are wonderful in cases like this. They are very very pro-employee.
It's a shame that not more English is spoken down there, but take a Thai with you (a Thai who's on your side) and you'll get sorted.
The worst job in Thailand must be the man who has to sit down with a blue marker pen and mark a number two on the two-baht coins to stop people thinking they are one-baht coins.
also, are you a contracted worker - if so, Labour law doesn't really help you
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Agree - the MOL are the best "free" labour law advice you'll get in Thailand - shame their website is so crap!!
Last edited by Pinky; 20th March 2008 at 15:42. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Nothing in the contract like that. I am just serving out my contract as promised and expect to get paid accordingly. I have not broken it, just I'm not planning on signing a new one.
Its not my fault that school will be closed for April!
Anyway, we shall see in the morning. The more I think about it the more confident I feel I will get my money.$$$$$
Worst case scenario is that you can pay a Thai to be on your side.
WB - reading this thread several times, it sounds to me like you are a contracted worker [someone on a contract of 2 years or less].
If, and I say if, that is the case, you'll be pretty screwed as you can only be paid for work done.
I'm pretty sure I wrote something on the forum about the difference between being a contracted employee - say through an agency - and being an actual employee of the school. But I cannot find the post.
My advice will be to talk to the MOL - as this is a statutory duty - but look at your contract too.
I am a contracted worker and the contract says I should be paid at the end of each month for 12 months. The MOL said pretty much the same. All farrang teachers in our school are on the same contracts.
Spoke to my boss again today and told him about my contract and what the MOL said. He mumbled a lot of rubbish about getting a new teacher and budgets but he kind of agreed that i was in the right. He said its the director who is trying to save money and he will speak to him next week to try and make sure i get paid.
Trying to pay it friendly at the moment because if it does get nasty it could drag out for as long as a year. (So I have been told) Since I have to return to England to make some real money I would probably have to just let it go.
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Wooo Hooo! 100 Posts And An Established User At Last!
Last edited by wildbill; 21st March 2008 at 08:49. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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