I have a shophouse that is in the middle of 5 or 6 other ones. The one directly beside me has an issue with one of the support columns on the 4th floor. It is in serious crumbling condition and the rebar is all exposed allowing rain etc to flow down. I have been trying to explain to every one in my family and also those around us that I am seriously concerned with its condition and the consequences that may happen structuraly down the road. No one seems to care and keeps telling me that nothing can be done. Is this true? I have asked my wife to write a letter to the local orbator but she sais that they would think she is a joker. I think there must be something that can be done I am sure the neighbours for about 1000 baht could get someone to patch it up with cement. What are our rights and how do we protect our unit, as we have been paying the bank for years and want to protect our investment.

If you are worried, offer to have the work done for your neighbour at your cost.

Like you for Bht1000 or probably not much more the problem can be fixed.

... Mind don't go with the workers who do the work, you might see something else you don't like.

You might wind up like the old woman who swallowed a fly.

Edited March 28, 200818 yr by GuestHouse

You might wind up like the old woman who swallowed a fly.

As usual GH gives good advice. But I am intrigued about what happened to the above woman. Please expand, even if a touch off topic!

I am looking for some sound advice as to how to educate and also protect everyone who are owners in this block. Yes I have considered doing the work myself at my cost,but again does this educate? I think it goes to show that Farang has money to do everything even to fix thy neighbours house. NOT very many replies here either come on folks??

You might wind up like the old woman who swallowed a fly.

As usual GH gives good advice. But I am intrigued about what happened to the above woman. Please expand, even if a touch off topic!

Well, then she swallowed a spider, which wriggled and wiggled and tickled inside her. She swallowed the spider to catch the fly- but I don't know why she swallowed the fly. I guess she'll die.

I am looking for some sound advice as to how to educate and also protect everyone who are owners in this block. Yes I have considered doing the work myself at my cost,but again does this educate? I think it goes to show that Farang has money to do everything even to fix thy neighbours house. NOT very many replies here either come on folks??

You mean you want to change the whole mindset of all your neihbours when it would be easier to change your own.

Appart from the irrationality of that line of thought, you are also assuming that your Thai neighbours a) own the properties they are in and share your ideas on how to use buildings.

I'm guessing that you are wrong on both counts.

Look around you and see how many Thai buildings/hotels/businesses are set up with everything new and sparkling and are then allowed to slowly decay.

Remember - Nothing is permanant, everthing decays.

Edited March 29, 200818 yr by GuestHouse

I am looking for some sound advice as to how to educate and also protect everyone who are owners in this block. Yes I have considered doing the work myself at my cost,but again does this educate? I think it goes to show that Farang has money to do everything even to fix thy neighbours house. NOT very many replies here either come on folks??

You mean you want to change the whole mindset of all your neihbours when it would be easier to change your own.

Appart from the irrationality of that line of thought, you are also assuming that your Thai neighbours a) own the properties they are in and share your ideas on how to use buildings.

I'm guessing that you are wrong on both counts.

Look around you and see how many Thai buildings/hotels/businesses are set up with everything new and sparkling and are then allowed to slowly decay.

Remember - Nothing is permanant, everthing decays.

I agree, you're entirely right in that mindset. Everything does decay and that is why preventive maintenance was invented. Everything gets dirty too over and over so I guess that is why a good proportions of my neighbours don't ever clean their house as well. Yes if you look around you see many Thai properties going to the birds, and if you are a property owner, and you own the same mindset I guess yours would probably not be one I would be purchasing. Remember we are not talking about esthetics this is a serious safety concern.