Thai National working in South Korea potential scams and information

[1]

A friend of mine has a son about 21 who is looking at working in South Korea. He has somebody lined up that he says manages the complete process. My friend is extremely concerned about him being scammed as he has  to pay 35,000b up front and asked if I knew anything about this type of thing. So I'm hoping I can get some positive feedback here to share with her.

 

I know there are lots of Thai people that work in South Korea, probably both legally and illegally. So I'm just wondering if anybody knows of any reputable companies offering a job agent type service or maybe has information regarding scams or issues surrounding this to watch out for.

 

Sorry if I'm a bit short on detail, but it's pretty much all I have.

 

Any information greatly appreciated

[JeffersLos]

Quote

potential scams

 

I took out a loan of 35,000 baht for my son to go to South Korea, but they refused him entry and now I have no money and have to pay for his detention and flight to Thailand.

 

 

Can you give me loan please please

[jackdd]

Afaik to be able to get a legal work visa/permit (whatever they call this in Korea) as a laborer in Korea, he has to be able to speak some Korean and needs to have this certified.

Does he speak Korean? If not it's going to be illegal work, making him an easy target for extortion.

[1]

14 hours ago, jackdd said:

Does he speak Korean?

Not that I am aware of and doubt he has intention to learn.

 

I get the sense this is part of the illegal work force prolific in South Korea.

[Farma]

Many many years ago a former brother in law worked in Taiwan a couple of times.

 

Employment was through agencies usually run by influential people and politicians.

 

Anyone could apply for a job, but, unless you paid a fee your application would never be processed. 

 

There are many scams out there so I'd recommend he ask around for anyone who's worked in Korea and follow their advice.

[clivebaxter]

Thousands of Thais are working in S Korea, 4 of our family. They try and stay for 5 years until their passports run out. They can earn about 4x what they can here.

[ronaldo0]

49 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

Thousands of Thais are working in S Korea, 4 of our family. They try and stay for 5 years until their passports run out. They can earn about 4x what they can here.

What type of work are they doing ? Wife of a guy that’s friends with my wife went there a year ago and says she works in a bar and makes around 50,000 bht a month.

[clivebaxter]

Most of the work is agricultural work getting about 40k a month

[CharlieH]

I have heard/read some horrendous stories of communal living huts and passports witheld extra "charges" deducted from income and so on.

Otherside of the coin, better salary etc and able to send money home etc.

By all accounts its a minfield and one should exercise extreme caution with "agents".

 

Man6 females say they are "fruit picking" but we all know where they are actually working and its out of sight out of mind for those back home.

[CharlieH]

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[DJ54]

I personally knew 2 people that went work in S. Korea. One worked in the fields farming couldn’t hack the hard work came back before tourist visa expired. She told the supervisor 

she wasn’t a man, he said you look like a man so work like man. Being a Tom is not as easy as one thinks. 

 

The other on tourist visa went to work at proper massage massage so I was told... but I didn’t believe for a minute.

she convinced her boyfriend it was proper. She overstayed

her visa and I’ve asked her how she got back.. 

 

An uncle in law asked me to borrow money his daughter and

son were going to S. Korea. I asked when will he pay back.. and said you’ve known a long while they were going why didn’t save..  I said no to his face and he hasn’t liked me so much since.. I not bothered about it.

 

if it’s a tourist visa it’s most likely not legitimate. About a year ago the authorities both Thai and S. Korea cracked down on it.

women traveling alone and never traveled questioned and many denied to leave..  try googling it. 

[hotchilli]

On 4/20/2021 at 3:02 PM, 1 said:

A friend of mine has a son about 21 who is looking at working in South Korea. He has somebody lined up that he says manages the complete process. My friend is extremely concerned about him being scammed as he has  to pay 35,000b up front and asked if I knew anything about this type of thing. So I'm hoping I can get some positive feedback here to share with her.

I would tell him to seek out someone that has or is working in Korea and can recommend an agent if needed or can recommend an employer.

Paying 35,000 baht up front with no guarantees is no way to go working overseas.

There must be many social network sites where some information can be found... not from an agent making promises.

[Berkshire]

22 hours ago, ronaldo0 said:

What type of work are they doing ? Wife of a guy that’s friends with my wife went there a year ago and says she works in a bar and makes around 50,000 bht a month.

I was told by a Korean friend that a Thai female going to Korea will "100%" work as some sort of bargirl (massage parlor or otherwise).  The guys most likely end up in the fields.  Sure the pay is high, but the cost of living in S. Korea is quite high.  I would always advise Thais interested to go (especially if there is some sort of upfront payment) that they should avoid at all cost.

[FritsSikkink]

If you have to pay to get work it is not worth it at all.