Thai business owners who think they own the public road

[Dazinoz]

My GF used to live in Kampangding Road in Chiang Mai. Once I parked in front of massage shop and started to walk from my car with my gf to her room. Lady started yelling at me. I asked my gf what was she saying . My gf said she say you can't park there. I asked here where the sign was saying no park. She pointed to a hand written sign in Thai on the front of the shop. I started saying no official sign and the girl threw here cigarette at me. Now it was only a cigarette but I started yelling you throw at me and I call police (jokingly of course). Owner came out and wyed and sorry sorry sorry. So I just said to her 5 minutes and then I go. She was ok.

 

In the same road is a French restaurant. I parked there one day when the restaurant was closed. When I got back an A3 size sign was taped to my windscreen saying not to park there. I ripped the sign off and threw it into the shop, after all it was his paper and tape. The owner, a Frenchman, came out and the argument started. Same thing as the Op said. He said had paid for the footpath and the road and he said he will call the police. So I said go ahead. He made gestures of going to hit me so I said to my gf to start videoing with her phone. I waited some time but no police. My gf was talking to the next shop owner, a Thai, and said that the Frenchman had a lot of trouble with people over parking. She said one night he even dragged a motorbike out to the middle of the road and left it there. The amazing thing is when you went past when his restaurant when open he had signs everywhere on the road and no room to park.

 

I try not to anger the locals even if they are another Farang. There are others ways to get even if the desire is there.

[sawadee1947]

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Relying on safety belts and airbags won't help you if your SUV is hit by a cement truck running a red light. That's passive safety.

Active safety consists of constantly assessing risks at 360 degrees, and using anticipation accordingly. I rarely travel at more than 40 km/hr on the scooter, so my evasion and stopping ability is quite good. Probably better than a SUV.

Do you travel at night? I don't. That's by far the most dangerous time to be on Thai roads.

Pay attention. There are always cement trucks around..... ?

[ravip]

5 hours ago, Dazinoz said:

My GF used to live in Kampangding Road in Chiang Mai. Once I parked in front of massage shop and started to walk from my car with my gf to her room. Lady started yelling at me. I asked my gf what was she saying . My gf said she say you can't park there. I asked here where the sign was saying no park. She pointed to a hand written sign in Thai on the front of the shop. I started saying no official sign and the girl threw here cigarette at me. Now it was only a cigarette but I started yelling you throw at me and I call police (jokingly of course). Owner came out and wyed and sorry sorry sorry. So I just said to her 5 minutes and then I go. She was ok.

 

In the same road is a French restaurant. I parked there one day when the restaurant was closed. When I got back an A3 size sign was taped to my windscreen saying not to park there. I ripped the sign off and threw it into the shop, after all it was his paper and tape. The owner, a Frenchman, came out and the argument started. Same thing as the Op said. He said had paid for the footpath and the road and he said he will call the police. So I said go ahead. He made gestures of going to hit me so I said to my gf to start videoing with her phone. I waited some time but no police. My gf was talking to the next shop owner, a Thai, and said that the Frenchman had a lot of trouble with people over parking. She said one night he even dragged a motorbike out to the middle of the road and left it there. The amazing thing is when you went past when his restaurant when open he had signs everywhere on the road and no room to park.

 

I try not to anger the locals even if they are another Farang. There are others ways to get even if the desire is there.

Scum is scum. Whatever the brand or colour. Wish some TVF members realise this (or accept the fact).

[Trujillo]

Quote

 Lady started yelling at me. I asked my gf what was she saying .

You really need to start those Thai language classes. 

[Dazinoz]

5 hours ago, Trujillo said:

You really need to start those Thai language classes. 

I did.....too old.

[Happy Grumpy]

Simple.

 

Drive on.

 

 

Then drive back at 4am to park your turd there.

[Happy Grumpy]

Or start spreading rumours in Thai that it is a death shop. Anyone that walks through the doorway drops dead within 12 hours. 

 

 

[kannot]

On 7/14/2018 at 9:56 AM, lionsincity said:

I've come across a few  "bull in the china shop" type foreigners in thailand and it amazes me how much they get away with before they finally get wacked.

Im amazed how much Thais  will try it on and am surprised they dont get whacked even more than they do.

[Sparkles]

One can understand any shop owner wanting to keep parking in front of their premises clear for their own clientelle  but they should have thought of that before they signed a lease or processed a purchase.Public roads are just that. There couldnt be a worse city apart from Bangkok to find parking.

 

There are many sois where you simply can't park as you would block traffic in both directions.

 

CM is a city,which  I believe is 600 years old and its never made any attempt during all that time to address the parking problem or even create more green. space.Its now paying the price.

 

 

 

 

[ThaiPauly]

On 7/13/2018 at 12:24 PM, Trujillo said:

I would never put a photo of myself as an avatar. This world contains people who can get offended at slight matters and knowing what you look like means it may be possible to find you. 

 

 

I do ?

[Cake Monster]

On 7/13/2018 at 12:30 PM, cmsally said:

I would say not totally the fault of the business owners. Whoever invented the ubiquitous shophouse really counted on the fact that each unit would have to use the street in order to survive. So the planning dept is just as much to blame.

The " shop house " was originally intended as residential only.

The Thais decided that the space underneath the living area, which was intended for car parking,  could be used to sell WHY, repair motor cycles, and open Restaurants.Etc, Etc Etc

There is actually a law that prohibits encrouchment onto the road, and there should be a clear 3 Meter space to allow for pedestrians Etc between the shop front and the edge of the Soi.. But as this is lawless Thailand the laws are flouted to the full

 

[stereolab]

16 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

The " shop house " was originally intended as residential only.

The Thais decided that the space underneath the living area, which was intended for car parking,  could be used to sell WHY, repair motor cycles, and open Restaurants.Etc, Etc Etc

There is actually a law that prohibits encrouchment onto the road, and there should be a clear 3 Meter space to allow for pedestrians Etc between the shop front and the edge of the Soi.. But as this is lawless Thailand the laws are flouted to the full

 

Our village has recently had a major tidy-up of shop front areas, which had become a complete shambles with vendors.It

has made a major improvement to the look of the area. Only time will time if the encroachment returns. New buildings have begun to replace the corrugated iron old styles houses on the High Street, bringing the overall look of the place up a couple of notches. The approaches to Nong Khai, in particular, have been improved dramatically.

[BobBKK]

16 hours ago, ThaiPauly said:

I do ?

Me too  ?

[cmsally]

The problem we have with people parking is that they park right across our gate way and think that is OK. We have a pretty long road frontage and people can park along the wall all they want. But there seems to be an assumption because that area is taken it is OK to park right in front of the gate and completely block the way out or in ! ?

If we catch them before they walk away and point out politely that we can't get out, we either get "attitude" or reply "just a minute". We have learned that "just a minute" translates as about 3hrs so now tell them they can't block the gate way for even a minute !

[Dazinoz]

1 hour ago, cmsally said:

The problem we have with people parking is that they park right across our gate way and think that is OK. We have a pretty long road frontage and people can park along the wall all they want. But there seems to be an assumption because that area is taken it is OK to park right in front of the gate and completely block the way out or in ! ?

If we catch them before they walk away and point out politely that we can't get out, we either get "attitude" or reply "just a minute". We have learned that "just a minute" translates as about 3hrs so now tell them they can't block the gate way for even a minute !

I had the same issue at my last house. It was a townhouse in a mubaan and people could park against a wall of the adjacent building. My townhouse was only 2 from the end and would often park a long way back or double park and block my drive. I came home one day a a car had double parked blocking my drive so I parked right up behind so had no chance getting out. A little while later the owner returned and looked in dismay as how she was going to get out. I came out of house and she asked me was this my car. I replied yes and she started getting agro as she could not get out. I pointed out that I lived there and because of her selfish parking I could not get into my house. I pointed out that I would talk to the gate guards who I was friend with and stop her entering the mubaan. She then became very apologetic.  

 

Another night someone parked back from the wall and partially blocked my drive. As I carefully edged into my drive watching their car i hit my brick fence damaging my car. I noticed when the other car finally left it had 2 broken tail lights. Don't know how that happened.

[watcharacters]

On 7/13/2018 at 2:36 PM, seancbk said:

It's common courtesy to leave the spot outside a shop for the owner. 

 

Parking in general in Thailand is an issue.    One poster suggested the fault in the matter needs to be shared by the road  planning members but that's not really addressing the  situation at hand.

 

While I personally would  not follow the actions of the OP  I fully understand his frustrations in dealing with business owners who  genuinely believe    "It's common courtesy to leave the spot outside a shop for the owner. "        I guess I'm uncommon.

 

What's not to like about a fellow who carries bolt cutters in the bed of his truck.     He must be trusting of others not to steal his cutters.

 

I'd probably consider a stand more often but the risk is all on the person parking.     I don't want to come back to my car and find I need a new paint job.   Maybe I'd feel different if my car was a "beater"?

[watcharacters]

On 7/13/2018 at 2:48 PM, kannot said:

On 7/13/2018 at 3:27 PM, Maejo Man said:

The witch's hats are my favourite, I just gently reverse into them and move them further along. For chairs I actually get out of the car and move them onto the pavement.

 I had a business some years ago in a shophouse, but never placed anything in the road to "reserve" my space. To my mind it's a public road, but there again, I do not have Thai mentality, despite having living here for well over 30 years.

 

 

 

Didn't you know   "It's common courtesy to leave the spot outside a shop for the owner. "?      

[watcharacters]

On 7/13/2018 at 3:43 PM, seancbk said:

 

I expect most customers to be on foot, having parked in a proper car park somewhere.    

 

 

 

 

555   555

 

I like your sense of humor (humour).

 

[Vacuum]

45 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

I had the same issue at my last house. It was a townhouse in a mubaan and people could park against a wall of the adjacent building. My townhouse was only 2 from the end and would often park a long way back or double park and block my drive. I came home one day a a car had double parked blocking my drive so I parked right up behind so had no chance getting out. A little while later the owner returned and looked in dismay as how she was going to get out. I came out of house and she asked me was this my car. I replied yes and she started getting agro as she could not get out. I pointed out that I lived there and because of her selfish parking I could not get into my house. I pointed out that I would talk to the gate guards who I was friend with and stop her entering the mubaan. She then became very apologetic.  

 

Another night someone parked back from the wall and partially blocked my drive. As I carefully edged into my drive watching their car i hit my brick fence damaging my car. I noticed when the other car finally left it had 2 broken tail lights. Don't know how that happened.

You should had removed its frontwheels......

[ramrod711]

On ‎7‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 11:24 AM, Trujillo said:

Is that an actual photo of you in your avatar? 

 

Did you explain the law to them in Thai? If not, you might as well be clucking like a chicken for all the good it would do you. 

 

Having said that, I feel your pain. At some point, however, you should understand that your car will be "keyed" by someone, or your tires slashed. Just FYI.

The very last time I parked "downtown" was several years ago. I noticed the shop owner on the opposite side of the road from the temple just down the street from the Lost Bookstore gesturing toward me. I came back and closely examined my pickup, found that it had been marked on the tailgate, possibly with a piece of wood. Easily polished out, but now I park at Kad Suan Kaew and take a song taew to the old city, much less stressful.

[Cricky]

2 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

Didn't you know   "It's common courtesy to leave the spot outside a shop for the owner. "?      

Yeah right, so the unlicensed shop owner can park his untaxed, uninsured vehicle.

[watcharacters]

1 hour ago, rickjza said:

Yeah right, so the unlicensed shop owner can park his untaxed, uninsured vehicle.

 

 

Everyone should know the small shop owners have every right in the world.

 

At least  they think so.

 

[bristolgeoff]

i know a place in cm they is a like a roller door entrance to the house.the old lady will sit they all night if someone parks in front will come and say can not.the daughter will come home the roller door will open cars goes in or parks in the space in front of the house.one night someone did park they and the police were called many of them.the daughter could have parked just down the road and waited until  they left.

         this went on for  a while the thai neighbours tried to help but this failed.in time the car owner come and moved.the thai police gave a ticket i think.it was fun to watch at the way it folded out.all that could have happened was the daughter parked down the road waited until the car left and then return.the mother and daughter on the phone,the police they thinking what to do next.all could be avoided  with common sense,this is thailand 

[rumak]

 Ten got into a heated argument with two men who were trying to steal the mirrors off his car, 

 

todays news.   Now he is dead.    hard to control our emotions.   sometimes it does not work out

well.