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Pension and healthcare


Airbagwill

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A foreigner working in Thailand for any other company would expect a housing package, resettlement and healthcare. If you are going to work long term, you would either arrange your own pension or expect the company to offer some deal.

 

However it appears that ESl teachers fall outside this.

They receive wages that are below the government minimum for foreigners and have absolutely no benefits package.

surely this must contribute to the low standard of English in Thailand?

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On 9/13/2020 at 1:22 PM, Airbagwill said:

A foreigner working in Thailand for any other company would expect a housing package, resettlement and healthcare. If you are going to work long term, you would either arrange your own pension or expect the company to offer some deal.

 

However it appears that ESl teachers fall outside this.

They receive wages that are below the government minimum for foreigners and have absolutely no benefits package.

surely this must contribute to the low standard of English in Thailand?

Maybe just incorrect posts on here are the main problem.

 

Teachers at government schools become members of the Thai social security scheme. This scheme offers health care, unemployment benefit and payments after the age of 55, albeit minimal.

 

To be honest, anyone depending on government pensions in any country is foolish. I believe that everyone should also make their own provisions for retirement.

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If working for a government school you will be enrolled under the Social Security scheme which provides comprehensive cover.

 

If at a private school, they are uniquely exempt from the Thai Social Security scheme and free to opt out in favor of their own "health insurance" schemes which are indeed usually worthless. I have known people to reach the maximum benefit within 24 hours of admission and then be stuck with all the rest. Might be better at the top international schools (or perhaps they opt into SS) but not at most.

 

If at a private school, get the details of the health insurance offered. It will almost always be insufficient (you need at least 3 million baht cover). In which case you should get your own policy.

 

If under SS there is a pension provision. Not under SS, doubtful.

 

Private schools in Thailand are not known for good salaries or benefits. They get away with low salaries or minimal benefits because a lot of people are anxious to live in Thailand. Again, the handful of top tier international schools  differ -- but jobs at those are very, very competitive.

 

 

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All teachers at private & international schools are excluded from socisl security. After they were allowed not to contribute they were supposed to put something in place but few do. I only know of a couple of international schools that offer a pension/provident fund. The majority that don't have pensions argue they have a bonus in lieu of pension. However that's not really an argument as a bonus doesn't have to be paid as its dependent on performance. The fact that international& private schools don't offer a bonus is a bit naughty as they pay zero corporation tax. The finance ministry had proposed making the probident fund compulsary for all companies but it wouldn't surprise mevif schools were excluded ????

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About private schools not offering social security: I have been a teacher for four years at the same school now, two of which have been with SS. I did have to ask about getting it, in lieu of my previous AIA package, but I did get it and so did my foreign colleagues.

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On 9/15/2020 at 12:00 AM, Airbagwill said:

To make your own arrangements, you need enough salary to do so and the long term security to do this 

It seems that the deal offered to teachers in Thailand is really pretty poor .....well below the market norm.

A great plus is the Thai social security and the benefits already mentioned by another poster.

 

Once you've paid into the SS, you can continue privately, and you have full hospital coverage. And that for only 438 baht.

 

  If you've worked 25 years, or even less, you'll get a pension when you're 60, which isn't much, or you can get all money back that was paid in from the employer and you.

 

  But if you're planning to stay in Thailand, you should never give up the Thai SS. It's worth a lot. Usually, older people get sick more often. 

 

  

 

 

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On 9/16/2020 at 12:12 PM, Sheryl said:

If working for a government school you will be enrolled under the Social Security scheme which provides comprehensive cover.

 

If at a private school, they are uniquely exempt from the Thai Social Security scheme and free to opt out in favor of their own "health insurance" schemes which are indeed usually worthless. I have known people to reach the maximum benefit within 24 hours of admission and then be stuck with all the rest. Might be better at the top international schools (or perhaps they opt into SS) but not at most.

 

If at a private school, get the details of the health insurance offered. It will almost always be insufficient (you need at least 3 million baht cover). In which case you should get your own policy.

 

If under SS there is a pension provision. Not under SS, doubtful.

 

Private schools in Thailand are not known for good salaries or benefits. They get away with low salaries or minimal benefits because a lot of people are anxious to live in Thailand. Again, the handful of top tier international schools  differ -- but jobs at those are very, very competitive.

 

 

Yep, they get away with low salaries and a heavy teaching load. 

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32 minutes ago, teacherclaire said:

A great plus is the Thai social security and the benefits already mentioned by another poster.

 

Once you've paid into the SS, you can continue privately, and you have full hospital coverage. And that for only 438 baht.

 

  If you've worked 25 years, or even less, you'll get a pension when you're 60, which isn't much, or you can get all money back that was paid in from the employer and you.

 

  But if you're planning to stay in Thailand, you should never give up the Thai SS. It's worth a lot. Usually, older people get sick more often. 

 

  

 

 

432 baht a month. You can get this after paying into the system for a year. You can claim the pension at 55 or a lump sum. I think 15 years is the minimum needed to get the pension every month. 

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On 9/16/2020 at 12:19 AM, Big Guns said:

All teachers at private & international schools are excluded from socisl security.

 

They are not excluded, they can go under it if they want. But it is not mandatory for them, whereas it is for most other employers.

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