How Do Thais Deal With Confrontation?

[motoyen]

I live on the 28th floor of a new condo building. I like this building because it is relatively quiet and being on the 28th floor I am relatively insulated from the street noise. I am a writer so when I am working I need peace and quiet and minimal distractions. Recently my neighbor above me has installed a wind chime on their balcony and needless to say it is driving me nuts! My peace and tranquility has been shattered by the constant pinging of this wretched device.

I've complained to the building management twice and both times they have smiled and done nothing. I'm tempted to go pay my neighbor a visit in person. What do you think the outcome of such a meeting would be? Would they be embarrassed and take it down or will they freak out at the loss of face and go berserk?

[pumpuiman]

Maybe bring some kind of gift as a peace offering...carefully explain the situation...you can save them loss of face by saying you are sensitive to sounds like their beautiful wind chime, that you are very sorry to bother them and you feel terrible that your work requires quiet.

After all, it really is kind of an odd request....it's not a blaring stereo.

Perhaps offer to beautify their balcony in some other way...with plants or some furnishings as a gift.

Be humble,

Good luck.

Edited May 20, 2008 by pumpuiman

[7robbie7]

Maybe bring some kind of gift as a peace offering...carefully explain the situation...you can save them loss of face by saying you are sensitive to sounds like their beautiful wind chime, that you are very sorry to bother them and you feel terrible that your work requires quiet.

After all, it really is kind of an odd request....it's not a blaring stereo.

Perhaps offer to beautify their balcony in some other way...with plants or some furnishings as a gift.

Be humble,

Good luck.

you have just paid a lot of money for a condo yes 3-5-7 million maybe more Dont let this upset your living

i would go and knock on his door be nice about it and ask him/her to come into your condo then tell him and he will be albe to hear it as well

[Wolfie]

Maybe bring some kind of gift as a peace offering...carefully explain the situation...you can save them loss of face by saying you are sensitive to sounds like their beautiful wind chime, that you are very sorry to bother them and you feel terrible that your work requires quiet.

After all, it really is kind of an odd request....it's not a blaring stereo.

Perhaps offer to beautify their balcony in some other way...with plants or some furnishings as a gift.

Be humble,

Good luck.

Thats good advice, quite surprised for TV really

[himachal]

Installed a windchime?

How dare they????

Go and bang on their door and tell them if it's not removed within 12 hours you'll blow their <deleted> balcony off the side of the building with half a pound of semtex.

[IMA_FARANG]

I live on the 28th floor of a new condo building. I like this building because it is relatively quiet and being on the 28th floor I am relatively insulated from the street noise. I am a writer so when I am working I need peace and quiet and minimal distractions. Recently my neighbor above me has installed a wind chime on their balcony and needless to say it is driving me nuts! My peace and tranquility has been shattered by the constant pinging of this wretched device.

I've complained to the building management twice and both times they have smiled and done nothing. I'm tempted to go pay my neighbor a visit in person. What do you think the outcome of such a meeting would be? Would they be embarrassed and take it down or will they freak out at the loss of face and go berserk?

As someone else pointed out...apologise to them that unfortunately you have a problem that causes you to be sensitive to the sound of the wind chimes. Don't even hint that it is their problem, but your problem, and ask them to do a favor and help you.

Of course they will probably see through that, but since you are giving them the chance to be superior to you by granting your polite request, it just might work. That way they won't have to lose face, they may even gain it.

If that doesn't work, try and get used to the wind chime.

[motoyen]

Maybe bring some kind of gift as a peace offering...carefully explain the situation...you can save them loss of face by saying you are sensitive to sounds like their beautiful wind chime, that you are very sorry to bother them and you feel terrible that your work requires quiet.

After all, it really is kind of an odd request....it's not a blaring stereo.

Perhaps offer to beautify their balcony in some other way...with plants or some furnishings as a gift.

Be humble,

Good luck.

Good idea, I'll give it a shot.

himachal typical useless TV response.

[Nordlys]

Is your neighbor's windchime so loud that it bothers you even when your windows are closed? Seriously, if it takes the sound of windchimes to drive you nuts in Bangkok you should really consider soundproofing the walls and installaing double or triple windows in your unit.

[Pushit]

EARPLUGS

[thetravellingcat]

Do you like wind chimes? Buy your neighbor one that you like the sound of that will be beneficial to your writing. Wooden ones can be quite earthy and soothing.

[PrBkkPr]

Windchimes are used by most people according to the concepts of Feng-Shui to energise a particular area of their homes and bring in more luck. However if those windchimes according to Feng Shui are too noisy and irritates a neighbour, it will also bring bad luck to the owner of the homeowner. This is found in most books on Feng Shui including those by Lillian Too, etc. Explain this in a nice way to your neighbours and buy them a lucky plant or some other Feng Shui object that can do the trick...check out the World Of Feng Shui shop at the Regent House at Rajamdri Road, 2nd Floor. I am sure with such a gift and a diplomatic way of putting in, your neighbours will understand plus you could end up making some new friends.

[sbk]

Trollish posts made in an attempt to change the subject and their responses have been removed. For those who feel the need to troll, please read the forum rules again before posting, thanks

[Tinkelbell]

Maybe bring some kind of gift as a peace offering...carefully explain the situation...you can save them loss of face by saying you are sensitive to sounds like their beautiful wind chime, that you are very sorry to bother them and you feel terrible that your work requires quiet.

After all, it really is kind of an odd request....it's not a blaring stereo.

Perhaps offer to beautify their balcony in some other way...with plants or some furnishings as a gift.

Be humble,

Good luck.

pumpuiman, if I ever decide to move to BKK, I would wish to have 'YOU' as a neighbor.

[Bagwan]

I can't help feeling that the folks living under the flight paths in and out of Cobra Swamp may have some difficulty in understanding your problem.

[0Mix1up]

I had a similar problem, it became a racket in a storm.

They took it down when asked nicely.

A gift to replace it would be nice I guess.

Soothing to some but annoying to others.

[motoyen]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'll look into buying a wooden one.

[BusyBee123]

christ don't buy a wooden one they are just as bad, my neighbour was the same and this awful racket intensified when ever there was a slight breeze, fortunately it annoyed them eventually and they took it down, maybe wait it out for a while and when they realise they cannot sleep at night they may realise sleep is better than luck sometimes

[toptuan]

They don't.

[SaiTheSin]

So what are you going to do if these people have a new born baby? What will you offer them in exchange for the baby?? A chimp?

[nick2k]

EARPLUGS

I agree.

in my apartment, I have 3 sets of earplugs. 1 for me, and another 2 for guests. ..and when I travel whether it be on a bus or an airplane, I always pack away a pair of earplugs just in case a baby is around. after being on plane with a crying baby once, I learned my lesson. 20+ hours on a plane with a crying baby is something you really don't want to deal with.

earplugs.

[imaneggspurt]

Installed a windchime?

How dare they????

Go and bang on their door and tell them if it's not removed within 12 hours you'll blow their <deleted> balcony off the side of the building with half a pound of semtex.

Ah this is the kind of answer we on TV have come to love !

[imaneggspurt]

Wait til they go out and reach around with a pole and smash it to bits, next time you see them in the lift say " that was a very strong wind we had the other day "

[imaneggspurt]

EARPLUGS

I agree.

in my apartment, I have 3 sets of earplugs. 1 for me, and another 2 for guests. ..and when I travel whether it be on a bus or an airplane, I always pack away a pair of earplugs just in case a baby is around. after being on plane with a crying baby once, I learned my lesson. 20+ hours on a plane with a crying baby is something you really don't want to deal with.

earplugs.

If i were you i wouldnt take the baby again

[Samuian]

the other day I was asked by a customer what "this noise" was, "a cricket or cicada in the tree over there.." I replied.

Then she asked me: "Can't you switch it off?"...

A wind chime - hope it hasn't been recommend by some Feng Shui Con-Artist...

[ray23]

I think this owuld be vrey difficult to do in a huge condo building, I made it a poit to have a small party when we moved in adn meet the nr eighbors. In three years we have never had conflict. I put up wiht thier stereos and they out with my dogs. Bu if there wa a problem I would be at least spaeking to someone I know. If I have a party I make sure I invite them. Most times they don't come. But, they don't get upset either. We tend to take care of eachothers homes, when the owner leaves.

But I'm not a writer either, that would probably change things a lot.

Good luck take the high road and try to make a friend.

[Briggsy]

I have good news. My neighbour did exactly the same thing. It bugged the hel_l out of me for about a month and then amazingly I ceased to notice it.

The alternative plan is to tell them that the wind chimes remind you of your mother's long and painful death from cancer. And give them a mango.

[Tyke]

dont listen to these poofs trying to be oh so polite. why should we ? we are farang. so give it to em straight. <deleted> the wind chimes off or else.

What do you mean by 'poofs"?

[alexth]

They hate confrontations...

[ray23]

Intereresting we had a problem in our niehborhood recently. There is total psychp Soi dog on the nest street over. Onew that we always avoid when walking our dogs. For some reason he took a liking to the neighbors son directly behind us. Fences here are only 4 ft high so we see these people everyday.

So everyday the kid would ride his bike by our house dog tow. My dogs hate this creature and go absolutley nuts. Or nieghbor across the street spoke o the kid a in Thai and asked him not to bring the dog down the street. Well the kid can be a little shit, a few day later not he but several othes kids weer enjoying the show not once but several times. Keep in mind the kid has a huge a variety of streets to ride on.

Me being a bit nuts myself just told the wife to open the gate and the dogs would solve the problem. She wouldn't do that but kept complaining every evening. So I told her these are nice people we know them just talk to the parents. Her naswer was I donlt want to cause problems. I explained to he that she already had a problem. Well no movement on her part.

So they on round number three of big show in one evening I went outside to open the gate. Lock was in and I couldn't get it open. The wife sees this and the next daqy decided it was probably best to speak to the parents.

So she spoke the parents whose response was it's not our dog, that is true. It's a soi dog.

It was left at that, everyone being very polite. Well last evening no bikes no dog.

I still have the option of opening the gate, we have given them a chance to resolve the problem. If they don't then we can go to the next step.

I'm a retired cop and I had training officer that told me in my first day out of the Academy, to always start at the lowest point you can. It's easy to go up and very difficult to bring it back down when you start at the top. He was right and that applies here as well.