Siam International School

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:46 am

Any word on this school? there is a review but does anyone have anything else to add? Students? Admin? Staff? Location?

Nefarious · Post by **Nefarious** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:20 am

A review of Siam International School? Where? I couldn't find it. That school received a scathing rebuke on a website here in Thailand that has since closed down. It's fairly well known here as a place to stay away from. They've had new Directors there every year. I'll ask around and get back to you if I hear anything new...

Jody · Post by **Jody** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 6:38 pm

I had a dealing with Siam International once,the director was an American women who said she normally hires at hiring fairs in Canada? The salary and benefits were way below ISB or NIST but more then what most Expat teachers make in BK. She wanted me to call her and could not call me, this was the first sign- I mean if they can not make a Long distance call then they sure are not going to give you decent benefits. In any case I tuned down the post because it did pay enough, had a 3 month probation period (and after what I read about the 3 month scam and Thai schools...) and had limited benefit. Still I would take a job there if I was younger and did not have a family. They have a very nice web site. ??

guest3 · Post by **guest3** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 1:57 pm

What is the Thai 3 months scam? thanks

Jody · Post by **Jody** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:19 pm

The 3 month scam- your contract has a 3 month probationary period, after that time you could be terminated ? they then have limited obligations to you. I have heard some schools do this when they only need short term people- it gets them out of paying for exit benefits. Since the job at Siam International was to start at the last 3 months of the school year I did not have any confidence that they would extend my contract, I would only have given them 3 months to secure a teacher who would take the job at a lower pay. Now this may be just paranoia, but I have heard stories?.

Hongru · Post by **Hongru** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:26 pm

I had an experience with this school too. Negative! I signed a contract at a recruiting in Canada. Excited. Later on, I was informed the school director who hired me was no longer in position. I had to bail out because they will only pay me 2/3 of original salary!!! No credibility, they can change the salary in the contract so casually.

nefarious · Post by **nefarious** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:43 am

More information about Siam International School @

http://www.teflwatch.org/forum/index.ph ... 41#msg2241

P.A.M. · Post by **P.A.M.** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:38 pm

we were also hired by a very positive and upbeat director who saw potential in the school. She went to the recruiting fair in Canada...

Two months after signing, i recieved a disturbing email stating that they had misquoted my salary (the owner found out that i am of filipino descent!!!) ...because i am asian-american, my contractual salary was going to be "changed" to fit the correct payscale --a $500 monthly paycut from their original offer!!!!! We did manage to work out a compromise on the salary, and were ready to go....

On our way to bangkok from our previous posting, we found out that the director had resigned and that the school was REALLY just full of "for show" decisions. They are despirate for the WASC accreditation BUT dont seem to want to place the financial and educational investment to make the school truly worth accrediting. Other friends also gave us fair warning about the SIS's messy dealings. They have had 4-5 directors in the 4 years that they've been in operation....BIG warning sign.

So we made last minute decision to back out and spent our summer scrambling for new international posts...

MAYBE, when the admin. turn a new leaf and start focusing on actually LISTENING to the folks they hire and getting programs in that Work--not just good on paper--then MAYBE SIS will become the school they are wanting to be.