What role does a village head have? How much power to they have?

[jack71]

Ive read on this forum many times about people asking the village head to help resolve problems eg noisy issues near ones house etc. 

 

What else do they do? Do they have much authority or power?

 

We are considering to buy land that has a small dirt road (public road) to access the land. The village head told us that we can only raise the soil on our land by 0.5m not 1m.   If we ignore him can I safely assume he could cause us issues and grass us up to the local govt?

 

What is their role exactly?

thanks

Jack

[sanuk711]

What was his reasoning when he told you this ??

 

.....would 1m cause a run off to the land next you?

[CharlieH]

The last thing you want to do is upset that guy !

You are moving into a new area that woukd be very unwise in my opinion.

 

To be clear, are you talking "Pu yai" for your soi/area, or "Gamnant" for your village ?

[OneMoreFarang]

As far as I see there is a huge difference between his official rights and his power and position.

 

I.e. my gf told me about a drug dealer in her village who was not only a drug dealer but also otherwise a bad person. I asked her why people didn't report him to the police. Her answer was: He is the son of the village head.

 

And that is/was end of the discussion. Like: Don't mess with the village head - even if there would be good legal reasons to do that. After all, TiT.

[Tarteso]

53 minutes ago, jack71 said:

What is their role exactly?

Ie…waking up every morning over loudspeaker with “music” and morning speech ????

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, jack71 said:

The village head told us that we can only raise the soil on our land by 0.5m not 1m.  

Go to the local govt with the reason you have for a recommended height in case of flooding, advise by expert engineer builder's,  told by architect etc, etc and he will be overruled.

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Kwasaki

[Pootegg]

 From my experience of  having had problems with local Thai people I went to see him with a translator and a bottle of hundred pipers. Explained my problem he was very understanding and put the two neighbours in their place. I am now friendly with one of the neighbours ..we line each other .. the other just looks with venom. The head man  sees us at parties and other social events .. makes the time to come and see me and makes me feel welcome. I see him as an asset and a friend .. I suppose when you have both had a few drinks language barriers vanish .  When we needed a pink card he volunteered to complete the forms for me  .. no worries .  Yellow book no problem . Better a friend than an enemy. We also are friends with the big  cheese at the tessabann his wife does a great Krappow.  Both guys know us and knows each of them knows us . Surprisingly some of the nicest official type people I have met . I maybe just lucky

[arick]

The microphone! 

[1FinickyOne]

On 12/13/2021 at 12:34 PM, jack71 said:

What else do they do?

ours drinks a lot. 

[sirineou]

On 12/13/2021 at 12:34 PM, jack71 said:

The village head told us that we can only raise the soil on our land by 0.5m not 1m

Having a consistent terrain grade is not only beneficial to your neighbors but also to you, It is good to see that your village head is taking an active role in maintaining community standards.

    Why do you want to raise your land more than ,5M, ?? What hardship will it present to you and your property,  if you only raise it ,5M.? These are the questions you need to address , that might allow you to get a variance from the ,5M limit. 

Edited December 14, 2021 by sirineou

[Bangkok Barry]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:28 PM, Tarteso said:

Ie…waking up every morning over loudspeaker with “music” and morning speech ????

I can't think of a better way to inform people of local matters. The fact it is done so early is because Thai people, especially in rural communities, rise at dawn. I just wish they'd choose better music to precede their news broadcast. Always sets my dogs howling ????

 

[ifmu]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

    Why do you want to raise your land more than ,5M, ?? What hardship will it present to you and your property,  if you only raise it ,5M.? These are the questions you need to address , that might allow you to get a variance from the ,5M limit. 

my MIL house gets flooded out every HEAVY rain we are thinking about raising the level also .. and yes it will effect the neighbors empty field  ..  

[maxcorrigan]

Seems as if anyone can apply to be village head, did'nt the chief suspect in the kho tao murders case get turned down a couple of months back after applying for vacant village head post, must be some gain in the position to bother yourselves with the job monetary or otherwise!

[sirineou]

5 minutes ago, ifmu said:

my MIL house gets flooded out every HEAVY rain we are thinking about raising the level also .. and yes it will effect the neighbors empty field  ..  

If your property floods at .5M above grade elevation then you have a good point .

So the question is , dose your road flood during the rainy season. 

The argument that I would make is not how high you elevate your property but how low it was before you back filled. obviously a property that was low such as a rice field would have to be elevated more than .5M. That's where I would start the conversation with the village boss. Smile a lot. and be friendly, remember he is elected  (I think every 6 or seven years) and he wants to keep everybody happy and liking him. 

[soalbundy]

It would be a mistake to make him your enemy, but your wife would know that anyway.

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, ifmu said:

my MIL house gets flooded out every HEAVY rain we are thinking about raising the level also .. and yes it will effect the neighbors empty field  ..  

Flooded empty fields tend to flood other lowlands unless they're diked.

[MrJ2U]

On 12/13/2021 at 12:56 PM, CharlieH said:

The last thing you want to do is upset that guy !

You are moving into a new area that woukd be very unwise in my opinion.

 

To be clear, are you talking "Pu yai" for your soi/area, or "Gamnant" for your village ?

Perhaps you can work something out.

 

Its best to have your wife and Thai family have consul with him.

 

Being pleasant and working things out can usually bring out an amicable outcome.

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

You can blame America for the village loudspeakers.

 

Their introduction was a CIA led initiative to instill  national pride at the time Thailand was threatened with a communist uprising.

Edited December 15, 2021 by JBChiangRai

[PeachCH]

From my experience in earlier days : Don't get in a dispute with him!! On special days (New year, Songkran, his birthday etc.) have always an envelope ready with 1000 Baht. Meet him sometimes for drinks. In the long run, a good relationship with him will pay out for you. He can made impossible things, just working! ????????

[mokwit]

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Always sets my dogs howling

Dude, they're singing along.

[pacovl46]

6 hours ago, ifmu said:

my MIL house gets flooded out every HEAVY rain we are thinking about raising the level also .. and yes it will effect the neighbors empty field  ..  

In that case I would build my house on stilts, traditional Thai style, so when the flood comes only your driveway will be affected and your house stays dry. 

[Bluetongue]

They can actually condone violent village arrests of thieves and druggies, usually one and the same. The issue with the land height in our village on a block I bought meant that an old lady living next door complained to him and I had to put in a cheap low wall on her side. Another time a different official told me that I had to pay 1000bt for approval to "tom din" or put dirt down. I told the wife to cancel it and I'll do it again soon, Covid means they have other worries.

 

I have heard it said over the loud speaker that he, "poo yai", knows who is stealing the motorbikes, he recovered two from Cambodian buyers, and that if it happened again the culprit would be taking a long one way walk into the forest.

[Thingamabob]

On 12/13/2021 at 3:26 PM, Kwasaki said:

Go to the local govt with the reason you have for a recommended height in case of flooding, advise by expert engineer builder's,  told by architect etc, etc and he will be overruled.

 

.....and then you will get real trouble.

[Kwasaki]

14 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

.....and then you will get real trouble.

Absolutely rubbish I don't understand this thing people have here about a village head the local govt can over-rule anything and we have done so. 

If you have a reasonable reason  to do something and it is submitted to local govt office what makes people think a village head is above the local govt. 

[Hummin]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:06 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

As far as I see there is a huge difference between his official rights and his power and position.

 

I.e. my gf told me about a drug dealer in her village who was not only a drug dealer but also otherwise a bad person. I asked her why people didn't report him to the police. Her answer was: He is the son of the village head.

 

And that is/was end of the discussion. Like: Don't mess with the village head - even if there would be good legal reasons to do that. After all, TiT.

And they willingly accepted his money when they voted for him/her! Just had two coming to our land now lately, one with 600,- and the other with 1 100,- baht to be voted. The guy who gave 600 got the most votes, but everyone kept their money. Conclusion and quite logic, the one who paid 600, is less corrupt ???? than the one who can pay more. 

 

In my eyes they are useless and can be damaging if you are not friends with them, but so far no problems in our village, and seems like a fair and decent boss, but things take time, and they do go around and talk to people to get both sides before giving an final decission. Mostly land border, talking to ampure for you if any issues, and so on. 

 

In our village, the police control the drugs, so no use calling them. 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Mostly land border, talking to ampure for you if any issues, and so on. 

And obviously they charge for their service to do that.

[Hummin]

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And obviously they charge for their service to do that.

I guess their money comes from building schools, roads, dikes, ponds, basically maintenence, etc. never heard they have any official charges, but if you want your case to go your way, then I guess there is money involved, but again, bonds, network etc is important, since they want to keep their position, and have to keep the majority of the people happy for next vote. 

[Bday Prang]

20 hours ago, Hummin said:

I guess their money comes from building schools, roads, dikes, ponds, basically maintenence, etc. never heard they have any official charges, but if you want your case to go your way, then I guess there is money involved, but again, bonds, network etc is important, since they want to keep their position, and have to keep the majority of the people happy for next vote. 

I think they don't need to worry about the next vote, I'm pretty sure they changed the system and they can remain as pu yai till they retire at 60

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:06 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

As far as I see there is a huge difference between his official rights and his power and position.

..........

And that is/was end of the discussion. Like: Don't mess with the village head - even if there would be good legal reasons to do that. After all, TiT.

Village heads are just middlemen, the facilitators of whatever goes on in their 'patch', be that legal or otherwise. There are some places where it's essentially a private fiefdom loyalty/family network (the islands for example). There are people above and below, be that wealth or positions of official power. There are some places in our turf (the remote northern borders) that are functionally lawless. The headman in our town needs my family to support him in his position. That means don't puhck with my family ????

 

Don't get me wrong. These are not bad people. In Thailand we just don't really bother pretending like we do in western democracies. In my home country whoever wants the lucrative contract gives someone at the District Council a reacharound and pretends it went through a tender process.

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by Led Lolly Yellow Lolly

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

I think they don't need to worry about the next vote, I'm pretty sure they changed the system and they can remain as pu yai till they retire at 60

I guess that can be true some places, and other places they can be up for a new vote every 4 years or if the majority of the villagers are unhappy with his work.