Should I employ a maid?

Home help is easy to come by and relatively inexpensive. Most maids are Thai but there are also quite a few Burmese maids looking for work. If you are interested in a foreign maid you should check they have all their necessary papers or they will need to do visa runs. The government does 'crack down' on workers who do not have the correct paperwork, now and then. If you live in a large house or have a large family, be aware that you may not be able to find one maid to handle all your needs and you may have to employ a number one and a number two maid. Monthly salaries range from Bt 7,000 per month up to around Bt 14,000. Ask for recommendations and gather and check the references. Interview several before you make your choice.

Live in / Live out / Full time / Part-time

There are lots of options for your maid. Usually the maid will tell you her preference during the interview. Nearly all apartments and houses will have a maid's room if you want a live in maid. Part-time maids can be paid hourly, daily or monthly. If you have young children it is especially important to get a good referral or a reference you can check. Thai people love children but will not necessarily be very good at enforcing your rules or having the same level of attention towards safety as you may have!