Pile Driving 7 Days A Week

[Xircal]

When I arrived where I'm staying in Patong, they were pile driving next door even on a Sunday. They finished about 2 weeks ago and I thought I would be able to get some peace and quiet in the morning. But, oh no, last Sunday, it began all over again on the building opposite. It's now Saturday and no end in sight.

And today, it's overcast and pretty cool and an ideal day to save on airco use. But with the balcony doors open, the noise is intolerable.

Don't these guys ever take a day off? It's peak season now as well for Christ's sake.

[onnut]

Nobody gives a shit about the people around them in Thailand. The noise is the least of your problems, wait until you see huge cracks in your house walls!

[ignis]

Don't forget if the workers are local then they will work Christmas day

[IMA_FARANG]

No, they probably won't stop soon, at least until the buildings are finidhed...one way or the other.

Those buildings mean money...they are going to be rented or sold to rich tourists...and money is what drives those developers.

The fact is that those rich tourists are only thought of as a money producing resource...their comfort is a secndary concern to the money they bring in.

And don't blame the WORKERS...many of then are hired as day workers only, at minimum wage at best, and are paid by the day. They are poor, and given a chance to earn a small wage for a day's hard work...they have to take it, Otherwise they don't eat.

Thats the reality of the "tourist paradise" in Thailand that the Thai government and the wealthy capitalists who run the government would rather not have you see.

[stander]

Out with the tourist industry there is no Festive Season here in Thailand, so yes I would imagine they will continue working 7 days until competed.

Ear defenders!!!

[dave111223]

The building has to get built, so would you prefer they work 7 days a week for 7 weeks, or 6 days a week for 8 weeks?

I don't really see the difference.

I assume you are staying in a building which at some point had to get built? When it was built i'm assuming some noise was made, at which point someone else was annoyed...we all get a turn on both sides.

[Tywais]

wait until you see huge cracks in your house walls!

A good point. We had a new building being built between our other two. After a while of pile driving major cracks were being discovered in our 2nd fairly new building. They were ordered to stop, photographs taken of all cracks and supplied to the contractors. Seems that the original agreement with them was to use the conventional hole bore method due to the proximity to the other buildings but appears the contractor preferred expediency.

[rixalex]

If it's not pile driving in this country, it's angle grinding. And when the dogs start barking, it really feels like you are being subjected to torture technique used for breaking captives.

[rixalex]

The building has to get built, so would you prefer they work 7 days a week for 7 weeks, or 6 days a week for 8 weeks?

How about 5 days a week, for 10 weeks, with Saturday and Sunday as paid days off for the workers, and peace for the surrounding community to enjoy time with the family? One can dream....

[Kwasaki]

You don't say whether the place you are staying in is yours but if even it were I would rent somewhere away from the noise.

That's my two bahts worth anyhow Papa nevermind.

[Xircal]

You don't say whether the place you are staying in is yours but if even it were I would rent somewhere away from the noise.

I've rented the place for 3 months @ 6,500 Baht a month + electricity (water and wi-fi free). Oh, and you have to buy your own bed linen, but that's a minor problem. Cheap by Patong standards especially considering it's peak season now.

At 6 Baht a KW for electricity though, one has to be a bit frugal with airco use. There's a double door system to the balcony though and the inner doors are equipped with anti-mosquito netting instead of glass. So you can leave those closed and the outer doors open without fear of being eaten alive by the mozzies at night.

Edited December 18, 2010 by Xircal

[PattayaParent]

Now is the best time to do pile driving. Right after rainy season the ground is wet, soggy and softer so the piles go in easier.

They'll likely be working 7 days a week on the whole of the resy of the building too.

[Xircal]

Now is the best time to do pile driving. Right after rainy season the ground is wet, soggy and softer so the piles go in easier.

They'll likely be working 7 days a week on the whole of the resy of the building too.

Fortunately, they're not using prefabricated piles, but rather round metal tubes which they drive into the ground, then screw one onto the other until the shaft reaches the desired depth. Then they use a container with a retractable base to collect the contents inside the shaft, bring it to the surface and then dump it somewhere close by. Next, they use single strands of pre-stressed steel bound together with ties to form a circle and drop that into the shaft. Then along comes the cement truck to pour cement into the hole. After that, they extract the metal tubes, unscrewing them as they're brought to the surface.

Once all the shafts have been filled, they have to wait 3 months for the concrete to cure before the actual building work begins in earnest.

I think this the cheapest way of doing it because to demolish the building which stood on the site before, they employed a guy with a sledgehammer to knock down the walls. Really high tech stuff.

[Lite Beer]

An inflammatory post has been deleted.

[glomp]

Workers are so cheap in thailand that they lose more money waiting for the building to generate money than not working 7day weeks.

[craigt3365]

Workers are so cheap in thailand that they lose more money waiting for the building to generate money than not working 7day weeks.

I know the workers also like working 7 days a week. We did a major house renovation and they specifically asked if they could work on Sundays. Personally, I wanted the day off! But they wanted to work, so we let them. More money in their pockets, I guess....

[rixalex]

Workers are so cheap in thailand that they lose more money waiting for the building to generate money than not working 7day weeks.

I know the workers also like working 7 days a week. We did a major house renovation and they specifically asked if they could work on Sundays. Personally, I wanted the day off! But they wanted to work, so we let them. More money in their pockets, I guess....

I'm not sure it's so much a case of liking to work 7 days a week.... more like having to, to make ends meet.

[craigt3365]

Workers are so cheap in thailand that they lose more money waiting for the building to generate money than not working 7day weeks.

I know the workers also like working 7 days a week. We did a major house renovation and they specifically asked if they could work on Sundays. Personally, I wanted the day off! But they wanted to work, so we let them. More money in their pockets, I guess....

I'm not sure it's so much a case of liking to work 7 days a week.... more like having to, to make ends meet.

I think that is true for most...but even the owner of the company who did our interior build out...who was far from poor...works pretty much every day. I think the payments on his new van might have something to do with this???

[whybother]

Now is the best time to do pile driving. Right after rainy season the ground is wet, soggy and softer so the piles go in easier.

They'll likely be working 7 days a week on the whole of the resy of the building too.

Fortunately, they're not using prefabricated piles, but rather round metal tubes which they drive into the ground, then screw one onto the other until the shaft reaches the desired depth. Then they use a container with a retractable base to collect the contents inside the shaft, bring it to the surface and then dump it somewhere close by. Next, they use single strands of pre-stressed steel bound together with ties to form a circle and drop that into the shaft. Then along comes the cement truck to pour cement into the hole. After that, they extract the metal tubes, unscrewing them as they're brought to the surface.

Once all the shafts have been filled, they have to wait 3 months for the concrete to cure before the actual building work begins in earnest.

I think this the cheapest way of doing it because to demolish the building which stood on the site before, they employed a guy with a sledgehammer to knock down the walls. Really high tech stuff.

"Once all the shafts have been filled, they have to wait 3 months for the concrete to cure before the actual building work begins in earnest."

Not true. They start building almost immediately the pilings have been completed. I've watch 3 apartment building being built from my window in the last 6-12 months. There has been no obvious delay between finishing the pilings and starting the above ground work.

[geriatrickid]

In Patong, when there is pile driving, the noise carries, particularly when it starts at 08:00hrs.

Last year at this time there was pile driving right off of Bangla. All fo the hotels in the area were receiving guest complaints . Unfortunately for the guests, once they paid for the package deals or have checked in and had to prepay they can't just leave. One can't blame the hotels, but those hotels all had an obligation to warn guests of the noise which none of them did.Maybe that's why they don't get repeat business.

I sympathize with the OP. Between the pile driving and the late closing of the bars, one can only sleep between 02:00hrs and 08:00hrs. Patong is horrible on Christmas day when all of the hotels have their "galas" where sound systems blare long past midnight. I so do not want to hear a Thinglish version of jingle bells or White Christmas.

[Scott]

My thought are with the OP. I have a very low tolerance for such noise and find I end up suffering physically--and those around me end up suffering emotionally. I am not a happy camper after a few hours of that stuff.

[Kwasaki]

You don't say whether the place you are staying in is yours but if even it were I would rent somewhere away from the noise.

I've rented the place for 3 months @ 6,500 Baht a month + electricity (water and wi-fi free). Oh, and you have to buy your own bed linen, but that's a minor problem. Cheap by Patong standards especially considering it's peak season now.

At 6 Baht a KW for electricity though, one has to be a bit frugal with airco use. There's a double door system to the balcony though and the inner doors are equipped with anti-mosquito netting instead of glass. So you can leave those closed and the outer doors open without fear of being eaten alive by the mozzies at night.

I suppose if you've paid up front you probably would'nt get any money back if you wanted to move and as you say it is cheap, maybe take some law-khow around to the workers and then they would party.

I like Patong and Paradise beach and we stay in holiday bugalows at 700 a night but only for about 5 days at a time, that's noisey to with other holiday makers coming in and out all night.

Anyhow hope they all get drunk and be quiet but you would probably get loud music then, you just can't win sometimes.

If you get down to Paradise beach at all let me know please if he has built any accomodation, it would be good if he has.:jap:

[DougLee]

for 6500 baht a month, you get what you pay for. Next time pay 25k per month or more, don't pay for sex and BOOM no noise.

[whybother]

In Patong, when there is pile driving, the noise carries, particularly when it starts at 08:00hrs.

<snip>

It was starting at 7:30 near me.

[Soutpeel]

Not true. They start building almost immediately the pilings have been completed. I've watch 3 apartment building being built from my window in the last 6-12 months. There has been no obvious delay between finishing the pilings and starting the above ground work.

Not the smartest move on their part, concrete reaches its design strength 28 days after the pour, and piles need time to "harden" up, ie reach their maximum bearing capacity, dependent on soil conditions it can be anywhere from a month to 3 months.

The question would be what "above ground" work are they doing.?..if building a storey or two ok.....slap 10-12 storeys on top !!!....would expect to see subsidence....