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I missed the hiring season so when to go?
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Mysty66



Joined: 01 May 2017
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Sun May 07, 2017 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Still sorting through the info in the above posts and again thanks for the replies.
But for the record I am a man. I just realized my user name could cause some confusion as the reference in the name is a little obscure. Will change when I get some time.
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Tazz



Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Sun May 07, 2017 5:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So it's the old 'pay an agent mister' scenario with regards to some of these embassies is it? Shocked Maybe that explains why the 'difficult' embassies-Jakarta, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur make the task of getting one of these as difficult as they can for 'walk in' applicants? Surprise, surprise-when the application is dealt with through 'an agent' all these requirements-proof of accommodation booked for 60 nights, a letter from your bank manager attesting to your character, simply 'disappear' when an extra fee is paid that the agent splits with the embassy staff! This crap has been going on at the Indonesian embassy in Singapore for years. 'Come back in 3 days Mr.' changes to collect at 3pm today, once some coin has been paid. Very Happy
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916

PostPosted: Sun May 07, 2017 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tazz wrote:
So it's the old 'pay an agent mister' scenario with regards to some of these embassies is it? Shocked Maybe that explains why the 'difficult' embassies-Jakarta, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur make the task of getting one of these as difficult as they can for 'walk in' applicants? Surprise, surprise-when the application is dealt with through 'an agent' all these requirements-proof of accommodation booked for 60 nights, a letter from your bank manager attesting to your character, simply 'disappear' when an extra fee is paid that the agent splits with the embassy staff! This crap has been going on at the Indonesian embassy in Singapore for years. 'Come back in 3 days Mr.' changes to collect at 3pm today, once some coin has been paid. Very Happy


No you don't need an agency or agent but it is much easier to let the tour agency do the package for you. They do the standing in line. You sit at the hotel and drink cheap beer and watch TV.

The other option is to do it your self. The cost is just about the same and you get to stand in line for hours instead of drinking beers and watching TV.

If you want to do it a bit cheaper then Savannakhet will run about 1000 baht (US$30) less and take about the same time but you do all the standing around, finding your room, etc.

Penang is about the same as Savannakhet in terms of ease. In before noon and pick it up the next day after 2.

KL and Singapore have always been ball busters. That is why nobody goes there for a visa. Manila used to bust your chops but I have been told that they are easier now. My last experience there was in 2008 so it is just word of mouth.

Cambodia is pretty easy and Hanoi is a pain.

.
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Hermosillo



Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 176
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2017 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tazz wrote:
So it's the old 'pay an agent mister' scenario with regards to some of these embassies is it? Shocked Maybe that explains why the 'difficult' embassies-Jakarta, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur make the task of getting one of these as difficult as they can for 'walk in' applicants? Surprise, surprise-when the application is dealt with through 'an agent' all these requirements-proof of accommodation booked for 60 nights, a letter from your bank manager attesting to your character, simply 'disappear' when an extra fee is paid that the agent splits with the embassy staff! This crap has been going on at the Indonesian embassy in Singapore for years. 'Come back in 3 days Mr.' changes to collect at 3pm today, once some coin has been paid. Very Happy


Some places are almost impossible, even with an agent. Historically, Penang, Vientiane, and Savanaket are doable. However, you will find plenty of people stuck there for days, as well as people going for a "B" and coming back with a 60. A small minority of the schools simply require you to hand them your passport with a 30 Day entry, and they give it back to you several days later all legal and ready...same for TL and WP. While that may be to high of an expectation for LOS, I sure as heck would go with my gut feeling about the school's ability to help you navigate the BS. Anyone getting a B visa is suspect, maybe not justifiable, but it is reality. The thousands, who are working illegally aren't helping anyone. I'm glad they are cracking down on the fake credentials, and ihey are now considered to be a threat to national security. Another big bomb blast this week at a Big C may expedite the witch hunt. I will have no sympathy for any fake, who gets handed a few years of room and board at Thai Government expense.
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Tazz



Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Tue May 16, 2017 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the place has become a magnet for the truly besotted and the truly desperate.....anyone qualified and experienced isn't going to be satisfied with being placed by a dubious recruitment agency in a government school out in the boonies-working a full 45 hour week for around $1000 a month...or less!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot at the end of next March, after 10 months loyal service there's a nice 2 month unpaid vacation waiting for you, even if the teacher signs for another year! Shocked
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AV15



Joined: 27 Feb 2017
Posts: 51

PostPosted: Wed May 17, 2017 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tazz wrote:
I think the place has become a magnet for the truly besotted and the truly desperate.....anyone qualified and experienced isn't going to be satisfied with being placed by a dubious recruitment agency in a government school out in the boonies-working a full 45 hour week for around $1000 a month...or less!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot at the end of next March, after 10 months loyal service there's a nice 2 month unpaid vacation waiting for you, even if the teacher signs for another year! Shocked


Yeah, without Thai women no one would come to work in Thailand.

With that said it's easy to do a fair bit better than 40 hours a week for $1,000, even if you're a total newbie with no qualifications. Work part-time in language schools in Bangkok and you can get that $1,000 for only 2 or 3 days a week working. Yeah it still sucks, but only idiots do the 40 hours a week grind for peanut wages.
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Tazz



Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 512
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Wed May 17, 2017 1:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeah I'm sure it's possible for the inexperienced newbie to do a lot better than $1000 a month. But why are so many of the older [been in Thailand 10 year or more] types, who are married as well, settling for this? Surely they are in a position to approach the government schools directly- and sell themselves?
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916

PostPosted: Wed May 17, 2017 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Because most of them have never bothered to put in the effort to upgrade their qualifications to get off the entry level of the ladder.

You are not going to get into 60k, 80k, 100k+ jobs with a 40 year old BA and a Thai wife even if you do have 10 years of experience warming a chair at a government school.

It is far easier to moan and bitch than it is to be proactive and do something about it.

.
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AV15



Joined: 27 Feb 2017
Posts: 51

PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 5:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tazz wrote:
yeah I'm sure it's possible for the inexperienced newbie to do a lot better than $1000 a month. But why are so many of the older [been in Thailand 10 year or more] types, who are married as well, settling for this? Surely they are in a position to approach the government schools directly- and sell themselves?


Well my answer to that would be there's a lot of idiots out there. I don't even think it's a qualifications issue at that level, anyone can do better than 5 days a week for 35k baht a month, even with no higher level quals.

For example - in Bangkok it's possible to get 700 baht per class at a language school. Do 6 classes on Saturday and 6 more on Sunday. There's your $1,000 a month and you're only working 2 days a week for it. I did exactly this last time I was in Thailand, it wasn't difficult to set up at all and I didn't have any higher qualifications at the time.

If you're earning 500 baht per class (which is extremely easy to set up as that's the standard rate) then you'll work 3 days a week for your $1,000, but it still beats 5 days a week at a government school.

Only the stupid are working 5 days a week for $1,000. Obviously 3 days a week for $1,000 is still pretty crap mind you, and it's difficult to go beyond that unless you get lucky or have the right quals. And even if you do have the quals, Thailand pays less than other countries in Asia i.e. work at a Korean university and you'll get around 80,000 baht a month plus accomodation, work at one of the better Thai unis that also demands an MA and you'll be lucky to get 60,000 baht with no accomodation, and likely a lot of deskwarming thrown in too.

Some international schools pay decently, but again they're generally less than comparable schools in other countries. And the problem with those elite schools is the better paying ones demand an awful lot of work, so you lose a lot of the chilled out lifestyle that is one of the draws for living in Thailand to start with.

Most people ultimately decide it's better to work outside Thailand, and use long school vacations to visit the country.
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Hermosillo



Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 176
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I saw an amusing ad today. A school in Chiang Mai is looking for substitutes to cover for their farang teachers. They will be gone to Laos to get visas, and will be gone for ten days. So not only did they not have their teachers anywhere near legal for the school year they need a week and a half to get visas. Do you think they are flying? And even with visa they obviously will not have WP. There is no way in Hell the subs will be legal, either. Will they be paying the teachers and the subs for days worked in May? Do you believe your uncle was reincarnated as a soi dog?
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sigmoid



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276

PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2017 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is the kind of thing that I was referring to:

BOMB STRIKES BANGKOK HOSPITAL ON COUP ANNIVERSARY
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2017/05/22/explosion-reported-bangkoks-phramongkutklao-hospital/
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Hermosillo



Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 176
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 2:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was at Slam Paragon buying cigars. Looks like the one at the kiddie concert in Manchester was about 100 times worse. Perhaps, things are deteriorating more in England.
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