It's about the same in Thailand. Not only with foreigners, Thai people in a good position will tell you the same. Maids often disappear and often with items which do not belong to them.MrMan wrote: The problem is maids just disappearing. That's common in Indonesia.
.....
The maid room is usually smaller, but it's got a place to sleep and store some of their belongings, usually.
My Japanese friend - very reluctantly - accepted the suggestion from Thai friends to employ a maid during his assignment in Bangkok.
It's the custom they told them... The maid had good conditions, easy work, good pay, nice room etc. as the Japanese wife was not accustomed how to use a maid for working, she had really not much to do.
His Japanese wife noticed that every day some few items were missing, finally caught her stealing red handed.
They had to ask her to leave. Never a maid again... finished.
I know a nice Thai family, they also were looking for a maid and shop helper because of their 2 children and because both of them were working in the shop - all located in the same house. When she was starting to work, first day after lunchtime she was asking to go out for a few minutes to buy something in the convenience store nearby. - She never came back.
They found another one, who did a good work for about 9 months, after that she told them suddenly she has now a boyfriend, bye and left within the same minute. At least she said she is leaving...
Plenty of stories like that...