Topic: OLA (Oborom Language Academy)

[Uncle Che]

Another post rescued from the old forum:

OLA (Oborom Language Academy). To potential teachers be warned. This agency is not to be trusted. For teachers joining the Ramkhamhaeng and Chulla projects be careful. This agency will charge you for housing, will charge you 10% with-holding tax, will charge you for preperation work.
This agent will offer you a fixed rate and then pay by the hour. Any hours exceeding agreed hours will be payed at a lower rate. A new definition of overtime. This agent will sack you if you complain. I worked for 3 terms for them. Always promise a work-permit, but never provide. Collects 25% agent fee. Last month was a short month (exams and holidays) hours worked 49. Offered to pay 40 hours at standard rate and 9 hours at reduced over-time rate. Offer rejected, correct monies collected and then dismissed. Refused to provide statement of employment. Be warned!!!!

[Tricky Aspect]

Hi all,

just trawling through ajarn and found and old agency has popped up again (to my horror).
I hope things are better there now than they were 2 years ago. My girlfriend and I never got paid by these cowboys for a whole months work. Every week they told us to come back to the office to collect our pay and every week when we arrived we were told dont have the cash. W

[Tricky Aspect]

Sorry dont know what happened to the full post!!

The last part of the post said....

They would dump us at any public school they wanted and told us we had to work a full 27 hours. (lasted a month)
They provide NO material. NO support and would lie to you with that "land of smiles" look.
Please be careful with this agency.

thx

Tricky 

[kenkannif]

Same old same old there mate.

[Tricky Aspect]

LOL kenkannif !!!


You even warned us!!

He He

tricky

[Ronaldo]

Is it correct to assume that OLA International stands for:

OutLawAgency

[kenkannif]

LoL...why did you not heed my advice then ('cos I'm full of shite???)

Obrom Language Academy or something like that (the international bit on the end is just to sound good).

[jane_doe]

OLA is a lot of bollocks and should definitely be in the hall of shame!  People should be warned against them.

December last year, there were about 18-20 Filipinos who arrived in Udon Thani.  These Filipinos paid OLA 5,000 baht and were, in return, promised to be given a job.  Hence, they were sent to Udon Thani.  When they arrived here, lo and behold, no job for them, no job for all 18 [not sure of the exact figure] of them. 

Until now the money paid to Dr. Obrom has not been returned to the Filipinos.  Each time one of the conned Filipinos would call Dr. Obrom to ask for the money, Dr. Obrom would throw a fit and do a song and dance number yelling that Filipinos are ingrates and do not know how to be grateful.  Apparently, Dr. Obrom thinks that he has done them a huge favor by stealing their money and handing them empty promises.

A few months back I saw them advertise at ajarn and said they needed 82 teachers.  I could not help but give them a piece of my mind via email.  I did not get ay reply nor am I surprised that I did not get any.

[Uncle Che]

Thank you for posting, any more details are appreciated since this school belongs in the Hall of Shame and only needs a complaint + 30 days to enter.

[renol]

Thank ya all kindly for allowing me to post at your esteemed and honorable educational institution.

I was browsing around looking at teaching conditions in BKK and found these job offers. They seem to pay well, but are exclusively for Philipina teachers. It adds to my feelings that Farangs are looked down upon and treated harshly at my local international school and Philipinas obtain good and better working conditions. I wish Farangs could get their reputations as quality teachers back, teach the best English and obtain normal working conditions!

Philipinos can get a TEFL certificate and then obtain a work permit, lucky guys!

Power to TEFLWATCH.COM and god bless you all!

Jobs advertisement as follows:


GOOD Filipino NEWS

 
OLA International, to launch another project.   
 
OLA International is now opening opportunities for English teachers. A considerably large number of teachers are required to begin on the second semester of this school year to teach in Bangkok and around Thailand .  This requirement is open to all nationalities (native and non-native English speakers) that are qualified by education and experience. To meet the standards set by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Thailand , minimum of 60 hours (including internship) TEFL or TESOL Certificate has been made mandatory for the prospective teachers.
 
To be of help to those aspiring or prospective teachers, OLA International will start this TEFL Course jointly with ESI Language Centers , Singapore which is accredited from U.S.A. ..
 


 
This career development course will ensure you two things:  1.) More knowledge and skills needed to teach in Thailand . 2.) Job placement guarantee in Bangkok and around Thailand . 
 The TEFL cost is 18,500.00 Baht only.  Course fee includes cost of teaching (by Native Speakers from U.S.A. ) learning materials, and snacks.  Classes will be conducted every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. until course completion.

Walk in interview will begin on 26th – 29th of July, 2006 at OLA International office, 1895/39-40,


37/1 Phahonyothin Road , Bangkok
.  August 4 and 5, 2006 will be scheduled for general orientations of successful candidates. Training will commence 9th of August 2006.

 For more information, please contact or call ***** ( or email; >teacher-center.com     


For ajarn.com “Post a Job”

 OLA International is in need of many qualified English teachers from different nationalities. Native Speakers, Europeans, and Asians are all welcome.  We offer the salary of 30,000.00 Baht up to 40,000.00 Baht depending on the teachers’ qualifications and experiences.  We will provide TEFL Certificate to successful applicants before starting to teach-as mandated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) of Thailand . 

 You will be teaching 20-24 hours per week.  You will be entitled to: paid holidays, paid sick and official business leaves, accident insurance, have visa and work permit assisted, and 10 month renewable contract.

A full 2 months vacation. You lil' ripsnorter!

We will be accommodating; walk-in interviews and accepting resumes on 26th - 28th of July 2006 in the OLA International office; 1895/39-40, Soi




37/1 Phahonyothin Rd. , Bangkok
. If you are qualified, but still outside Thailand , you can send your resume online (no attachments) to >< or call ***** for appointment



Filipinos! You may visit >www.Teacher-Center.com<, click “Filipino center” link.

 

[NukeThemSlowly]

Renol, are you promoting OLA or are you joking about them?  I can't tell....

[Uncle Che]

It sounds like ***** is not respecting his/her fellow Filipinos. He/She is just another guy trying to make a buck off of the backs of Filipinos.

To meet the standards set by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Thailand , minimum of 60 hours (including internship) TEFL or TESOL Certificate has been made mandatory for the prospective teachers.

This is an utter line of BS and a lie to boot. You don't need a 60 hour TEFL Certificate, OLA is just using it as a pretext to get Filipinos over to Thailand and pay 18,500 baht. Oh yeah, we will hire you, but first you have to pay us for the training course. After you do the training course, we will pay you 30 to 40k per month.

You should not have to pay to get  job in Thailand.

[anyonefortennis]

OLA sure sounds like one to avoid, unfortunately it is companies like this that are keeping the EFL teachers salary at such a horrendously low figure.

I read, with some concern, about the TEFL International “Special Thailand Project”, they are recruiting 45 university students / recent graduates to do a 5 month teaching stint and a TESOL course.

At first glance this may seem a very honourable deed by TI, until you start to read the finer details, such as the $200 non-refundable deposit, the fact that you could end up anywhere in the country, and the fact that they are advertising the job as a “5 month adventure holiday”. Looking at the their advert I can’t figure out if the TESOL is free, or if they are spinning it by saying “we pay you $3000, and you get a TESOL Cert, once you have given us $1590 of the $3000 back”.

I know I have a reputation for bashing TEFL course providers, but this is not about course quality etc., this kind of “special project” is going to do very little to a) improve the reputation of western teachers in Thailand b) increase the present salary levels of TEFL professionals in Thailand. It will, however, be a nice little earner for TI no doubt.

It would also appear to create a conflict of interests with TI trainees who are not on the “special project”, they pay their money and do the course, but do they get a guaranteed 30K + housing a month?

So how different are TI and OLA? You pay your non-refundable deposit (on today’s exchange rate 7554 baht), and you have to do their course………..as for the rest we shall have to wait and see when the course / work starts.

Mods & Admin, I know that TEFL CP’s are outta bounds, but this is not about TI’s courses, so I would be grateful if we can discuss the virtues of the “special project” as if TI were an agency rather than a CP. 

I would be grateful to hear others comments (especially by those who, unlike myself, are unbiased), maybe my opinion is blurred by the fact that I detest TEFL CP’s, for reasons I cannot discuss on the forum. Are they doing a worthwhile project? Is there a world of difference between TI's "special project" and OLA dodgy scams? or is it TI’s new cash cow?

At the end of the day, to quote Uncle Che "you should not have to pay to get a job in Thailand".

[samvimes]

I think this project is very dubious from a commercial company. If it was from an NGO or a non profit making organisation then it would remove a lot of my doubts.

[Mods-Rockers]

Yes I have to agree, there is a fine line between being a CP and being an agency. It seems that, whilst TI may not be taking an agency fee for the placement they do get the profit from having a bum in the seat for the course, thus they make money from being an agency. I think here that we need further clarification on the issue befor a definitive statement can be made as to whether, in this case at least, TI is an agency or a CP.

[jane_doe]

OLA should not be taken seriously.  I just got an email from a ***** ******** saying that I should come to their office for an interview on Friday when I have not been job hunting for ages now as I have a very secure and stable job.

This only proves to show that they are sending out these emails in the hopes of having people come to their office and pay the agency fee. 

I have not been conned but this really infuriates me and makes me wonder how they can sleep tight at night.  Of the people who were brought to Udon Thani and promised the jobs, 4 of them were hired by our company.  That is why I know for sure that they still haven't gotten the money they initially paid OLA and that they have not heard from them or that OLA did not and does not try to contact them to resolve the problems.

[Ronaldo]

Please correct me if I am wrong but we have a dubious agency (where no job exists although a school might actually exist but that is doubtful), courses that seem to be unnecessary and literally no mention of any schools that have been supplied with teacher volunteers or paid work experience participants or actual qualified teachers.

All in all this would put me off completely from going to any agency ever and it would seem that those teacher's stranded in Udon Thani have a grievance that would make it to court and hopefully put a stop to this particular con man's pose as an educational job broker.

I just find it surprising that relevant govt departments who are often so picky on credentials, work permit issuance, visa etc. have not become involved, because one would think that complaints would be made and some form of action taken, even if it is to shake the head, wave the hands, tell you were a sucker and politely ask you to bugger off from whence you came.

TIT I guess.

[admin]

I frankly don't know if it is an agency or a course provider in this case. I do know that TI is not hiding the facts that teachers have other options and their program is one of them.

[hero]

Moved a post here - don't realy think posters are allowed to slag off other teaching related websites in this (or any other) forum on this board!

[anyonefortennis]

Well, at least you got the point of my post Sam.

My point is more related to whether the "special project" is something along the lines of what OLA are (not)providing or if TI are providing a sterling service for the good of Thai Education (lol).

Whether they are an agency, a CP or both is not the point, the point is are they scamming people? I certainly know that they are doing no favours to current EFL Teachers based in Thailand by placing 45 "holiday adventure" seekers in classrooms throughout the Kingdom.

So, once again, are they doing a worthwhile project? Is there a world of difference between TI's "special project" and OLA dodgy scams? Is it TI’s new cash cow? Do such projects further harm the reputation of EFL teachers in Thailand?

answers on a postcard.

[jane_doe]

^^

 The people who were scammed should have done something about it.  But then again, these are the types of people who

a. spent their savings to pay for the agency fee
b. left their jobs because they thought the job offered by OLA was greener pasture
c. were really educated and Education grads but just could not penetrate in the EFL industry
d. were really really short in finances

I was told by these people that fighting back was just going to cost them more money and energy, both they did not have that time, not anymore.  Another person said that the old owner, would always project to be really sickly and would always seek sympathy to the victims, making it easier for the scammed people to think that an old decaying [] man could not do anything to ruin their lives.

Sad isn't it?!

I guess OLA's defense would be that there are legitimate jobs given to other people.  If I am not mistaken, maybe around 57 or 58.  But that does not change the fact that they have taken people's money, hopes, and that they have promised something that could not be done.  If theire intention to help was true, they should have said something to the people involved, figured out a way to compensate for their loss. 

[RobRoy]

Hi!
I can say I was actually on the inside of the initial recuiting project done for Ram U for the Nothaburi project.  As my future wife is Philipina many of her friends were asking if they should go thru OLA.  I asked one of the interviewers and he said NO!  All OLA was doing is taking their money and sending them to Ram to do the same thing that anyone walking off the street would have to do.  As I saw this personally...first hand...in person I believe anybody who would associate themselves with something like OLA should get a quick "Thailand" reality check.

Let me stress, my role in this adventure is only as someone who knew how to work a phone. Thats all!

[El Tel]

It adds to my feelings that Farangs are looked down upon and treated harshly at my local international school and Philipinas obtain good and better working conditions.

This guy seems to be living in la-la land.

[jane_doe]

clearly this person does not know what he is talking about. so to the filipinos who come across this advert, don't even think about it!

[ajarn farang]

let me state this quite categorically, once and for all:

Only Losers Apply

i might be risking a contract-killing here but then i tend to take comfort in the idea that the righteous will overcome.

these people are absolute cowboys and are only in business because of their affiliation with their friends in high places. if you have one shred of self-respect, you will not work for them.

[ajarn farang]

i should not bear false witness against anyone so i will qualify what i have said.

there was a training day where many teachers on the nonthaburi project were invited on behalf of chulalongkorn university; it was organised by and held at OLA. the training day was an utter debacle. it involved one female thai ajarn talking about phonetics with little or no preparation, no hand-outs, and awful boardwork (in fact the pens she was using had run out). she seemed ill at ease in answering questions. next up was an old thai man who had come to lecture us on thai culture (everything he said had to be translated as he did not speak a word of english); the sum total of his speech was that there was only one position for the wai and everyone was instructed to learn it. then a scandinavian teacher stepped up and did some stuff about word games and also gave teachers 'survival tips' (i.e. how to stay in a job). he swore throughout the lecture 'f' this 'f' that (i wonder what chula would have made of it all). the room was too small and it was difficult to hear all that was being said.

i could say more but that is enough for now. suffice to say that they seem to put profit above performance (and the children who are supposed to be being educated are suffering as a result).

none of us are perfect and we should all take a look at ourselves and think what we can do to improve matters (me included); it's not really my place to judge other people. however, i do not have any faith in these people as things stand.

[Uncle Che]

This agency has entered the Hall of Shame.

[Ronaldo]

HURRAH

[Mars]

It is OBROM Language Academy (ola) ...not oborom!
-
Agency's i don't recommend because they take to much out of your salary...
-
BCC (business computer center)
-
Obrom Language Academy ( ola ) Bangkok
Website: http://teacher-center.com
-
example;
They take at least 10.000 p/m out of yr salary...
They are not really helping you with visa/workpermit...
(they say they do...but they allways say that i guess)
-
You should not work full time for them and if u do...better keep it a short time!
It will cost you to much working for them!
-
Afcourse there are worse agency's in town...
maybe better one's as well but i only have experience with this one!

[Mars]

There is news on the Chula Nonthaburi government-project (bangkok):
(Apparently if you chose to go with agency's like Chula and OLA, their agent requires you to do a TESL course costing 18,000 baht , regardless off your qualifications ( including TESL from any other source ))
See the threat at the ajarn.com website:
http://ajarnforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=13203
-
As what i know for sure is that 50% of the money u pay for the TEFL/TESL course is for the agency...
(even if you are allready working for them...shame...they should give a discount of 50%...don't forget that they take around 25 - 30% of your monthly salary as well)
If you are a Fillipino better NOT apply for this agency...
-
OLA website:
http://www.teacher-center.com 

[Happy]

OLA sure sounds like one to avoid, unfortunately it is companies like this that are keeping the EFL teachers salary at such a horrendously low figure.

I read, with some concern, about the TEFL International “Special Thailand Project”, they are recruiting 45 university students / recent graduates to do a 5 month teaching stint and a TESOL course.

At first glance this may seem a very honourable deed by TI, until you start to read the finer details, such as the $200 non-refundable deposit, the fact that you could end up anywhere in the country, and the fact that they are advertising the job as a “5 month adventure holiday”. Looking at the their advert I can’t figure out if the TESOL is free, or if they are spinning it by saying “we pay you $3000, and you get a TESOL Cert, once you have given us $1590 of the $3000 back”.

I know I have a reputation for bashing TEFL course providers, but this is not about course quality etc., this kind of “special project” is going to do very little to a) improve the reputation of western teachers in Thailand b) increase the present salary levels of TEFL professionals in Thailand. It will, however, be a nice little earner for TI no doubt.

It would also appear to create a conflict of interests with TI trainees who are not on the “special project”, they pay their money and do the course, but do they get a guaranteed 30K + housing a month?

So how different are TI and OLA? You pay your non-refundable deposit (on today’s exchange rate 7554 baht), and you have to do their course………..as for the rest we shall have to wait and see when the course / work starts.

Mods & Admin, I know that TEFL CP’s are outta bounds, but this is not about TI’s courses, so I would be grateful if we can discuss the virtues of the “special project” as if TI were an agency rather than a CP. 

I would be grateful to hear others comments (especially by those who, unlike myself, are unbiased), maybe my opinion is blurred by the fact that I detest TEFL CP’s, for reasons I cannot discuss on the forum. Are they doing a worthwhile project? Is there a world of difference between TI's "special project" and OLA dodgy scams? or is it TI’s new cash cow?

At the end of the day, to quote Uncle Che "you should not have to pay to get a job in Thailand".

Hi anyonefortennis.
Worked for these guys.
Spent most of my time chasing wages & trying to get legal myself.
They didn't want to know about both.
Happy
 

[bettyboo]

Sad story, these folks have been at this like forever!  TGod for TEFLwatch - & for some guidelines! :
uk:

[Mods-Rockers]

Bruce, when it started everyone said the nonthaburi project was "This deal is too good to be true" aas well. sadly many got burned there as well when the truth came out!

[Nemesis]

I split some posts off to the TEFL International Gripes thread in Sour Gripes. Let's keep this about OLA.