Welcome to the VERSO Orbit!

Greetings All,

A) A huge warm welcome to the 2019-2020 VERSO team and we can't wait to have you spinning in our juke box making up funky play lists. In case you didn't know - joining us in August we have:

1. Chad Walsh <chad.walsh@verso.school>
   • Middle Loop Leader - from VIS in Laos
2. Pote Pothongsunan <pote.p@verso.school>
   • Middle Loop Cohort Leader - STEM+ - from Seattle
3. Suzanne Kitto <suzanne.kitto@verso.school>
   • Grade 7-8 Cohort Leader - From Stanford American International in Singapore
4. Andrea Schmuttermair <andrea.schmuttermair@verso.school>
   • Grade 5-6 Cohort Leader - from MIS in Germany

5. Mihoko Chida <mihoko.chida@verso.school>

• Grade 3 -4 Cohort Leader - from Nischimachi in Tokyo

6. Moira Litchfield <moi.litchfield@verso.school>

• Grade 1-2 Cohort Leader - from MIS in Germany

7. Nick nick.garvin@verso.school>

• Early Childhood - EC Cohort Leader - from UWC Phuket

8. Rolly Maiquez <rolly.maiquez@verso.school>

• Director of Technology - from American International School — Hong Kong

9. Cameron Fox <cameron.fox@verso.school>

• Head of School - from American International School — Hong Kong

Learning Design Team currently in Bangkok

Marlon Ng <marlon.ng@verso.school>

Karen O'Neill <karen.oneill@verso.school>

Paul O'Neill <paul.oneill@verso.school>

Welcome again and we are so excited to have you all on board and we actually wish you were here now, but not long to go!

We wanted to open up some communication and begin to provide some information as you plan your move. These are just a few thoughts as we prepare to bring you into the fold later this year and hopefully create a safe and comfortable landing into Thailand.

Please be aware that this is all new for us - and for the company as well - and that in many ways we will collectively write the handbook as we go. Your patience and humor is always welcome and please let us know how we can help. Keep in mind we are a start up and will have lots to learn from and improve.

A few updates:

Our Phase 1 website went live this month - still a lot to fix - but take a look https://www.verso.school/

We posted some recent photos of a site visit on the VERSO facebook page The build is looking absolutely amazing. It’s very inspiring and I guarantee you will be blown away once you see it.

We know you will have lots of questions so we just wanted to reach out and give you some useful information and dates to help with your planning.

Official Start Date The official start date as per your contract is 1 August and that’s the date from which your pay will commence. Please note the Learning Design Team and Khun Punla (HR) will be in Bangkok when your arrive if you need to contact us.

Arriving in Bangkok

Immigration

After your passport has been stamped by immigration please make sure that you have the correct stamp in your passport;

• Non Immigrant B for employee
• Non Immigrant O for family members
• If it has been stamped incorrectly please make the immigration officer aware and have them correct the stamp.

Keep your white arrival card in your passport -- this is very important.

Address for arrival card upon entry to Bangkok:

Eastin Thana City Golf and Sports Club

100-100/1 Moo 4 Bangna Trad Highway,

KM14, Banchalong, Bangphil, Samut Prakan

10540 Thailand.

Mobile Phone SIM Cards

In the arrival hall at the airport there are a number of mobile provider booths, AIS, Dtac. and TrueMove. These providers are all similar in cost and price. We advise that you purchase a prepaid SIM card with top up capacity. This shouldn’t cost more that 500 baht.

Temporary Accommodation

Hotel accommodation at Thana City Resort will be available from 27 July - 5 August. Arrival before that means you will need to cover your own hotel costs until the 27th. You can make immediate use of your housing allowance after the 5 August, however this will be a reimbursement - so you will have to pay up front and seek reimbursement. You will be paid in arrears so your first pay will be processed at the end of August. We will be sending a survey with details of your arrival. If you require hotel accommodation, once we have your arrival dates we will book your accommodation.

Temporary Accommodation and Serviced apartments: An option could be to extend your stay in the Thana City Resort. We will endeavor to seek a preferential rate for this option. You may decide to get a serviced apartment for a month until you have a bank account set up. And a serviced apartment typically doesn't ask for a 2-3 month deposit

AirBNB is worth looking at in Bangkok. Note that your rent allowance is reimbursed on receipt. If you spend under your accommodation allowance you will only have reimbursed what you pay in rent.

Settling in Allowance

Overseas hires will have a THB40K (single) THB60K (couple/dependents) settling in allowance. You may want to reserve that for part of your rent deposit. It is difficult to access large lump sums from your international bank in Thailand - max THB20,000 per day + 200THB fee / transaction.

The Orientation programme is still being refined. However there will be time to attend to personal matters eg, accommodation, personal effects for your new home, etc.

Bank accounts cannot be set up until your work permit is granted (aiming for before end of August).

Permanent Accommodation

Rental Deposits:

Please be aware that when you find and rent your place, you will be required to pay 2 months rent as a deposit and 1 month rent in advance. This is something you need to provide yourself.

Please note that many apartments come fully furnished. The security deposit is refundable at the end of the lease subject to the terms of the lease contract. Employees are responsible for recovering the deposit from the landlord at the end of your contract.

VISA Application

This will be managed by Punla.

It is advisable to make sure your passport is valid for 12 months with 6 blank pages.

The visa you will be applying for is a Non Immigrant B Visa (Business Category). This requires the company to send you a considerable amount of paperwork that you will need to take to the Thai Embassy or Thai Consulate - either in your home country or host country prior to arrival in Thailand. This process can take up to four weeks. Punla will be liaising with an external visa agent and U-City to organise this and she will be asking you to let her know of your travel arrangements over Summer so we know where to send the documentation. She will be in communication with you throughout this process.

When you receive your passport back from the embassy/consulate, double check the category of visa that has been granted. Please see the example at the bottom of this page

When you apply for your visa(s), apply for a single entry. However, if you plan to travel outside Thailand within 90 days of your arrival, you will need to apply through Immigration for a multiple reentry (HR will help coordinate this if needed).

Once you have your visa(s) , scan the pages and send them to Punla so that she can confirm that you have the correct visa(s).

There will be support at this end once you arrive to obtain your Visa and work permit.

Bank Account: Once your work permit is obtained - the company will help you set up a bank account.

Shipping: Our advice is to be cautious about what you ship into Thailand. Most apartments are fully furnished or partially furnished. Also most western luxuries can be purchased here. There’s also an active Expats disposal network on facebook. So you may want to think frugally about what you ship here. Also it may be that your shipment can’t leave your port until your work visa is arranged - which can’t happen until you get here. So think about bringing clothes and personal needs to last for about 6 weeks.

Forwarding addresses: - there are two addresses for the moment - the UCIty address (Parent company) and the Project Office Address. The UCity address will most likely be used for your Visa application. If you need to have things forwarded to you, the Project Office address is probably more appropriate as a temporary address until you get your own place.

Work Permit

To obtain a Work Permit you will need the following:

• Visa
• Passport
• Medical Certificate (we assist you with this)

An external agent will work with us to obtain the work permit. This will require you to spend some time with the agent at the labour department. This process will be teaching you the virtue of patience.

After work permit is granted you visa will be renewed for 1 year. However you will need to relinquish your passport every 90 days for this to be checked by immigration.

We aim to have your work permit issued before the end of August.

Other Certificates

Please bring originals of every certificate you have including degree, transcripts, police checks and personal certificates.

Banking & Credit Card

Generally the banks require you to have a work permit prior to opening up a bank account.

We are working with Bangkok Bank at the moment to see if we can speed up the process.

There are a variety of credit card providers, each with their own requirements. Generally they require proof of employment, bank account and an payslip deposited into that bank account.

Shipping

If you are shipping goods from your previous destination we recommend you use door to door services by using shipping companies such as Allied Pickfords, Asian Tigers or Crown or another moving company at your origin. Please note that the sea freight is likely to only be released by customs after you have your work permit. Having your shipment arrive after the work permit is granted will mean that you are likely to avoid any import duties to complete customs clearance which can be very expensive.

Please note that in some countries they will not release your goods for shipping until they have sighted your work permit. Please check with the shipping company you choose.

Medical and prescription

In regard medication and prescriptions, if you have essential medication, it is advised that you bring them with you with a doctor's certificate until you can determine if that medication is in Thailand. The doctors certificate or letter should detail your medication requirements and dosage. It is advised to bring this in its original package.

Having said that there are many medications available over the counter in Bangkok.

Driving licence

We strongly recommend that you have a valid International Driving Licence when you come to Thailand. Please apply for the International Driving Permit under the Convention of Road Traffic of 1949 then you can convert this to a Thai Driving Licence.

This process again will support your development in the virtue patience.

Address - U City

U City Public Company Limited

21 TST Tower Soi Choei Phuang,

Viphavadi-Rangsit Road, Chomphon,

Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900

Thailand.

+662 273 8838

Address - Project Office

VERSO International School Project Office

Thana City Golf and Sports Club (2F Building A),

100-100/1 Moo 4 Bangna Trad Highway,

KM14, Banchalong, Bangphil, Samut Prakan

10540 Thailand.

+66 2130 6822

Accommodation

Taking time once you get here might also be helpful.

Around the school precinct there’s lots of accommodation which could be condos or even houses. Here’s a link to the Nouvelle Condos which overlook the school. Nouvelle Condos And the Hip Flat site is a reasonable accommodation search engine. The Thailand Property Site is another good resource. If you are looking for property around the school search for Thana City and/or Bangplee area. And if possible look for properties on the same side of the Bangna Trad Highway as the school.

Some agents who can work with you are:

Jay Setta jay@bkkhomeseeker.com Ph: +66 6 4694 2955

Puna Ponpimai punabkk3@gmail.com LINE ID: punabkk

Robert Ritacca — admin@flatmonthly (Khun Aummie) — bdm@flatmonthly.com (Robert) LINE ID: fmrobert

If you contact them mention VERSO.

Travel from downtown can be difficult and possibly most problematic going home of an afternoon / evening. If you are thinking of living downtown - stay on or close to the Sukhumvit Line.

The closest places on the Sukhumvit line to Thana City are Bangna / Udomsuk / Punnawithi.

If you choose to live around the school local shops and markets would be comparatively cheaper than downtown.

There is a large shopping mall close by - Mega Bangna. And a new one Central Village being built very close to the school opening Aug 2019.

You are close to the airport (BKK) and also on the way to Chonburi and Pattaya.

Lots of green space and opportunity to walk or ride to school.

Downsides would be access to downtown - a 30 min taxi ride to Bangna Station dependent on traffic.Then BTS ride 12 stops to Siam.

You would probably need a car - or definitely a scooter to access the local areas.

There’s lots of local food - but restaurants are mostly in malls which is a commute. Food Panda deliveries may be limited in this area.

We are working on a program for onboarding and will aim to have a pretty soft landing when you arrive in August to allow you to do the things you need to do to get settled.

If you have any questions - please reach out to Karen, Marlon, Paul and Punla in Bangkok.

We hope the year is going well and your plans for moving are going smoothly.

Just remember to keep breathing!

V-TEAM