Do Business "own" The Parking Spaces In Front Of Their Building?

[Jimmyd]

On the Cherry's thread, pattayagirl mentioned that she was told by someone at Raj restaurant that she couldn't park in front of their restaurant because it was their space.

On Sunday, I went to eat at the arcade across from Mike's shopping mall, and parked in front of Diana Inn--not exactly in front, but past their restaurant almost up to the bars to the left of Diana Inn as you face it. When I was leaving, the guard came out and told my wife that this parking is reserved for Diana Inn customers and placed a cone to block anyone else from parking there.

In addition, I also often see cones or other things things placed on the street to 'reserve' spots. Is this really true--that business can commandeer spaces on what appear to be public streets?

[dotcom]

Happens all the time. TIT. If you stress on it will make you crazy. Public land private land is a very big issue here.

All I can say on the topic is that our hosts view it very differently.

I know lots of falang have left places like Hua Hin due to all the BS that happens on so called "public" beaches.

I see this BS you mention all the time - especially in a local vegetable market.

[pattaya_girl]

Yes I parked my car outside the Raj Indian restaurent, there was plenty of room for other people to park if needed, if there wasnt i would have parked somewhere else. Moments later, an Indian Lady came to my car and asked me to move. (she was speaking a lot of Indian) I asked the lady where the sign was for Raj customers only, and I did point out that it was 3rd Road, and did the restaurent actualy own the Road, she did not reply to me, just waving her hands about, so I continued on my way into Cherries. The Lady at Cherries agreed with me, that she was probably dissapointed because i was dining at Cherries and not her restaurent. I always see the Lady since then, stood outside the Raj door, in an Indian Gown, and she always stares at me going past. Quite simply, if she would have asked me in a nice and polite manner, I would have moved my car, no problem, but myself and colleages dont think she did ask politely, so in my view she got what she deserved - my car parked on her front.

[froggshw]

pattaya girl...you wanna be careful just parking anywhere you feel...twice I have come back to my car and found flat tyres,1 time the air was just let out of the tyre,another time it was done properly with a knife pushed through the sidewall,needed to replace the tyre

[pattaya_girl]

yes I know, and the lady on the door of Cherries kindly offered to watch my car while I ate, so in this instance all was ok - if no one had of been around I would have moved.

[pattaya_girl]

Just wanted to add - Its not the moving so much thats annoying, its the fact that these shopowners ect, always seem to wait until you switched the engine off, got out of the car, locked up and proceed to walk away, I wonder why they never ask before, it would be a lot easier.

[JSixpack]

Is this really true--that business can commandeer spaces on what appear to be public streets?

Yes, unless you can have your car watched and protected while you're away. Same with motorcycle taxi stands--infringe on

"their" space at your peril.

[britmaveric]

Well I thought empty parking spots belonged to the moto-taxi lads?

[raro]

I always park on public parling space even if the shop owner adjacent to the particular spot considers this his private area. Just lock the car and walk away. Don't even argue with them. If you have to, say that it is your space since you pay your taxes.

Had once the door scratched, no other problems.

[Meg_2003]

pattaya girl...you wanna be careful just parking anywhere you feel...twice I have come back to my car and found flat tyres,1 time the air was just let out of the tyre,another time it was done properly with a knife pushed through the sidewall,needed to replace the tyre

So, where do you recommend people should park? Its almost impossible to find a parking spot which is NOT outside any kind of building/business/shop/restaurant.

[Meg_2003]

Moments later, an Indian Lady came to my car and asked me to move.

This lady seems to have a serious attitude problem. I ate at the "Raj" restaurant once, the food was terrible (almost had to leave my meal) so I didn't leave a tip. Upon leaving, She was stood at the front door, She did not hold the door open for me like she did for others, and gave me a filthy look as I was leaving, and this is after I spent a couple of thousand baht in there. Very annoying and I will never return there again!!!

[PhilHarries]

I don't know about the roads but you just try walking along the pavements (sidewalks) in the likes of soi 13/1, 13/2, Pattayaland 1 & 2 or even Beach road (landside). Apart from the uneven surface many businesses seem to consider the whole width of the pavement to be their property.

Parking is a real pain in the ar5e in Pattaya, always has been and always will be.

[pattaya_girl]

When i first came to live here 7 years ago, I accidently parked on a motor bike taxi stand - there was nearly a murder !!!!! i moved immediately else i dont think I would be here to type this reply now lol.

[Pattaya46]

So, where do you recommend people should park?

Use bahtbus, and no more car park problems

[Chang_paarp]

So, where do you recommend people should park?

Use bahtbus, and no more car park problems

Good idea, can you ask the ones out my way to work past 5pm so I can go into town.

[whatsoever]

In Pattaya many buisness owners like to park thier plastic chairs outside on the road. If you dare to move them, some of them will fly into a rage and may even try to kill you.

[Ulysses G.]

It cost a LOT of money for rent here. It should incude the front of the store so customers can park (bikes) and enter the store easily.

[JSixpack]

I don't know about the roads but you just try walking along the pavements (sidewalks) in the likes of soi 13/1, 13/2, Pattayaland 1 & 2 or even Beach road (landside). Apart from the uneven surface many businesses seem to consider the whole width of the pavement to be their property.

Parking is a real pain in the ar5e in Pattaya, always has been and always will be.

True. But the parking problem has become far worse in the past several years. Now it's hard to find even a motorcycle parking space in the side sois. I no longer try to drive to Walking Street but just park my bike on Soi Yamato and take a baht bus, much as I hate baht buses.

If the owners would buy or rent the space in front of their shops (which they've commandeered anyway) and the revenue used to build parking garages, that would be progress. But it won't happen. Let's not get started on the topic of public transportation again, but we all know that much remains to be done on that front as well.

[PattayaParent]

There's a multi storey car park beng built at Wat Chai Mongkol on South Pattaya Road.

[dotcom]

These a-holes commandeer public road & protect it like it was their private property. Like is was an extension of their premises.

[CHdiver]

I don't know about the roads but you just try walking along the pavements (sidewalks) in the likes of soi 13/1, 13/2, Pattayaland 1 & 2 or even Beach road (landside). Apart from the uneven surface many businesses seem to consider the whole width of the pavement to be their property.

Parking is a real pain in the ar5e in Pattaya, always has been and always will be.

True. But the parking problem has become far worse in the past several years. Now it's hard to find even a motorcycle parking space in the side sois. I no longer try to drive to Walking Street but just park my bike on Soi Yamato and take a baht bus, much as I hate baht buses.

If the owners would buy or rent the space in front of their shops (which they've commandeered anyway) and the revenue used to build parking garages, that would be progress. But it won't happen. Let's not get started on the topic of public transportation again, but we all know that much remains to be done on that front as well.

You could always use the motorbike parking behind Secrets Hotel or the one at Marine Place, undercover in Front of Marine Disco 2 (?) and the big open air sea food restaurant in front of the small covered walkway where you go down to Blues Factory. Cost you 20 Baht.

[RoueLeJour]

I don't know about the roads but you just try walking along the pavements (sidewalks) in the likes of soi 13/1, 13/2, Pattayaland 1 & 2 or even Beach road (landside). Apart from the uneven surface many businesses seem to consider the whole width of the pavement to be their property.

I used to rent a building in a side soi, and I don't believe they have pavements. That flat area out front really does belong to the building, that's why they are all tiled differently. The public pavements in Pattaya are mostly brick block. Happy to be corrected if anybody knows better...

[Heng]

It's just common practice, no different than not parking in the public space (if you are not the owner of the adjacent property) that is in fact a public street in front of the majority of driveways in other countries.

[Meg_2003]

That flat area out front really does belong to the building, that's why they are all tiled differently.

A few years ago, I was informed all the buildings down soi Chaiyapoon were told that they were no longer allowed to use the flat area outside on their buildings for tables, clothes drying, chairs ect, as it did not belong to the building and was supposed to be for public.. I know the owners of one of the restaurants down there, who told me about this (They have tables outside the restaurant, and had to take them away - not for long though but there was a warning). So it seems that the area doesn't actually belong to the building, even if it is tiled. Even so, the actual Road still does not belong to them.

[NanLaew]

It's just common practice, no different than not parking in the public space (if you are not the owner of the adjacent property) that is in fact a public street in front of the majority of driveways in other countries.

Not the same at all. For instance, the kerb side outside my house in the US is on a public thoroughfare and my land title stops at the kerb. If someone chooses to park kerbside right outside my house, I cannot tell them to move. Only if they block my drive, I can tell them to move. In a commercial area, there is nothing to stop me parking opposite (for example) Ace Hardware and crossing the street to shop at Whole Foods.

Another for instance, outside my house off Soi Potisan, if someone parks kerbside outside my wall, I cannot rightfully ask them to park elsewhere unless they block my gate. There is a driver who is a regular visitor at a house across the street who insists in parking on the kerb side opposite my gate, leaving his gate clear but compelling me to make 3-point-turns to enter and exit my driveway since the soi is narrow. I have remonstrated on two occasions but most times, they still chose to park opposite my gate. The driver is both ignorant and rude but I am the farang in the equation so I just don't waste my breath anymore.

As someone pointed out earlier, for most commercial shophouse properties in Thailand, the title extends across the 'sidewalk', in some instances to the central median of the road. Technically, these property owners can block off half the street, for example there's one go-go bar at the east end of Soi Post Office that 'fences off' the whole kerb and street by parking employees motorcycles in the middle of the street. Several years ago, another bar actually built a bamboo bar structure out over the kerb with seating as far as 2 meters into the street. It was several years before the local authorities asked them to remove it. This was before the soi was made 1-way.

The fact that some property owners or those leasing the properties aggressively enforce no parking outside their premises is an unfortunate and ugly aspect of Pattaya. The motorcycle taxi guys are also a law unto themsleves regarding their 'patch'. Someone pointed out getting their car scratched or tires slashed. My experience ended with me in hospital with a serious head wound and then on to jail as as the local constabulary listened to the locals and took the path of least resistance and blamed the farang.

My advice is to avoid any confrontation, park where you know there's no conflict and ride a baht bus. The people you may otherwise be facing off with are both ignorant and rude but it is their country so better to avoid trying to make them lose that all-important but vastly over-rated 'face'.

[Heng]

It's just common practice, no different than not parking in the public space (if you are not the owner of the adjacent property) that is in fact a public street in front of the majority of driveways in other countries.

Not the same at all. For instance, the kerb side outside my house in the US is on a public thoroughfare and my land title stops at the kerb. If someone chooses to park kerbside right outside my house, I cannot tell them to move. Only if they block my drive, I can tell them to move.

The land title stops at the curb and often before that, here as well. I said it's the same in the sense that most people will not park in front of your home's driveway or business despite you not owning the street.

Here, your title only extends as far as your own personal/family importance extends. Plenty of folks only own their buildings, but as mentioned, there are many as well who own the streets.