Problem with guy parking in front of my restaurant

[Beetlejuice]

Even though the bus is parked illegally, in the eyes of the Thais the problem is solely the OP's since he is a farang.

Not quite.

In the eyes of the Thais, including the police and authorities, these farangs are perceived as illegal business owners who have no authority or controls under the situation they have placed themselves in.

I would never allow myself to be in such a vulnerable position, whereas the success of my business relied on the respect, trust and goodwill of others.

Even farang business owners can have rights under the laws here, providing they conduct their business activities in a legal and profession manner.

There are ways and means for foreigners to open businesses as prescribed under the laws here in Thailand, not as difficult as some may believe.

If not able to afford or can’t be bothered to create a business going via the correct channels, then don`t consider opening a business at all.

I have no sympathies whatsoever for those when such problems of abuse and intimidation arise against them, which I know is now becoming regular occurrences in Chiang Mai.

[Phronesis]

Don't waste your time and money on cars to park in the space. Find a thai relative or friend who is looking for something to do. Buy a motorbike and with an attached food vendor sidecar. Set them up in the parking space currently under contention. Take 30 percent of their turnover.

Solve your problem by turning it into a passive income stream.

[ramrod711]

He has a perfect right to park there. You have no control of the road in front of your business. If he is blocking a driveway he is parking ilegally otherwise tough. THe police may try to help you but in the end it is up to him. The only time he may have to move is if there is parking restrictions between certain times.

He has a right to park there between 10:00 am and 3:30 pm and weekends and that's all.

[Dante99]

He has a perfect right to park there. You have no control of the road in front of your business. If he is blocking a driveway he is parking ilegally otherwise tough. THe police may try to help you but in the end it is up to him. The only time he may have to move is if there is parking restrictions between certain times.

He has a right to park there between 10:00 am and 3:30 pm and weekends and that's all.

That is unusual, normally the no parking starting at 3:30pm only lasts for about 3 hours. Are you sure overnight parking is prohibited?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Is it really a insurmountable problem at all..... As someone posted earlier, how many restaurants are here in this city with no parking at all to speak of..... If you have a good business, i.e. good service, good food, and are a comfortable host to be around, people will come....... the bus there or the bus not there. If they want to come to your place of business, they will park somewhere and they will come... Simple as that ...... Anyone jumps in the game, they play the cards they are dealt. How you play the game determines if you win or loose........ Live with the bus and treat the customers you have in a good way and they will come back and bring others with them...... Bitch and moan about perceived problems , small and large, and you will not have time to develop your customers. Forget the bus and try and gain a customer base. The bus there will not stop you doing this.

The glass can be half full or half emptyl.

Daytime

I wouldn't eat at a restaurant where the view of the road was blocked by a bus.

I like to watch what passes by, like most other people.

Loads of places with good food and good street views, the bus would definitely stop me eating at the OPs place.

Night-time different, I want a live band.

Edited August 12, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Dante99]

Kenny,

Sure hope your Work Permit is in perfect order and includes provisions authorizing you to do what you are doing? Good luck with renewing it.

Oops?

[Gonzo the Face]

To each , their own.....

I understand, People in Hell want icewater

[jackr]

Kennny N...... I believe that you are new to this, both business and Thailand. We ex pats, are not Thai, but we are in Thailand. One of the hardest things for expats , all of us, is to understand that they have a different set of rights and wrongs over here, than would be common sense in our minds. Following suit to this is the difficulty in our thinking that we need to inform them of what is right and wrong. This right or wrong is in our way of thinking, "right" or "wrong". The Thai you are talking too has lived a lifetime, to that point, doing things their way and the way all other Thais do and think. We , as expats, show a great deal of arrogance in [in their eyes and way of thinking] trying to point out right and wrong to them.

We come here , into this ball park, and choose to do business, the first thing that should come into our minds is that we are not smarter than them and must show them how to run a business. We do not set the rules of the game in this ballpark, but if we want to play their game of business, in their ballpark, we, [the outsiders are the dummies] if we think we can do it better and by our rules.

I do sincerely hope that you had a chance to live here in CM for a year or two before deciding to start a business venture. It is a diffeent world vs back home, in wherever land. I hope you do find the necessary adjustment and find your answer. If not I guess it will not matter if the bus is there or not.... Learn how to play then move on to coaching......Good Luck.

Bet you a hot cross bun to a pound of ripe bananas if a Thai person owned this restaurant they would also be unhappy.

[harrry]

Kennny N...... I believe that you are new to this, both business and Thailand. We ex pats, are not Thai, but we are in Thailand. One of the hardest things for expats , all of us, is to understand that they have a different set of rights and wrongs over here, than would be common sense in our minds. Following suit to this is the difficulty in our thinking that we need to inform them of what is right and wrong. This right or wrong is in our way of thinking, "right" or "wrong". The Thai you are talking too has lived a lifetime, to that point, doing things their way and the way all other Thais do and think. We , as expats, show a great deal of arrogance in [in their eyes and way of thinking] trying to point out right and wrong to them.

We come here , into this ball park, and choose to do business, the first thing that should come into our minds is that we are not smarter than them and must show them how to run a business. We do not set the rules of the game in this ballpark, but if we want to play their game of business, in their ballpark, we, [the outsiders are the dummies] if we think we can do it better and by our rules.

I do sincerely hope that you had a chance to live here in CM for a year or two before deciding to start a business venture. It is a diffeent world vs back home, in wherever land. I hope you do find the necessary adjustment and find your answer. If not I guess it will not matter if the bus is there or not.... Learn how to play then move on to coaching......Good Luck.

Bet you a hot cross bun to a pound of ripe bananas if a Thai person owned this restaurant they would also be unhappy.

Probably were so they rented to a foreigner.

[Thighlander]

get a secondary food vendor to set up in the space. Fruit shakes, soup, trinkets....One of the best taco places ever, was actually a fifth wheel trailer parked in front of a liquor store. Should be a warning to people to do some serious diligence before they open a business.

[Gonzo the Face]

Kennny N...... I believe that you are new to this, both business and Thailand. We ex pats, are not Thai, but we are in Thailand. One of the hardest things for expats , all of us, is to understand that they have a different set of rights and wrongs over here, than would be common sense in our minds. Following suit to this is the difficulty in our thinking that we need to inform them of what is right and wrong. This right or wrong is in our way of thinking, "right" or "wrong". The Thai you are talking too has lived a lifetime, to that point, doing things their way and the way all other Thais do and think. We , as expats, show a great deal of arrogance in [in their eyes and way of thinking] trying to point out right and wrong to them.

We come here , into this ball park, and choose to do business, the first thing that should come into our minds is that we are not smarter than them and must show them how to run a business. We do not set the rules of the game in this ballpark, but if we want to play their game of business, in their ballpark, we, [the outsiders are the dummies] if we think we can do it better and by our rules.

I do sincerely hope that you had a chance to live here in CM for a year or two before deciding to start a business venture. It is a diffeent world vs back home, in wherever land. I hope you do find the necessary adjustment and find your answer. If not I guess it will not matter if the bus is there or not.... Learn how to play then move on to coaching......Good Luck.

Bet you a hot cross bun to a pound of ripe bananas if a Thai person owned this restaurant they would also be unhappy.

OOOHHHHHn Not Fair......

How many people [restaurant owners ] of any nationality do you know in CM that are happy these days ???

Edited August 12, 2013 by Gonzo the Face

[aechzen]

or tell him ,if he orgarnies some costumer he can get food or money too

[harrry]

Kennny N...... I believe that you are new to this, both business and Thailand. We ex pats, are not Thai, but we are in Thailand. One of the hardest things for expats , all of us, is to understand that they have a different set of rights and wrongs over here, than would be common sense in our minds. Following suit to this is the difficulty in our thinking that we need to inform them of what is right and wrong. This right or wrong is in our way of thinking, "right" or "wrong". The Thai you are talking too has lived a lifetime, to that point, doing things their way and the way all other Thais do and think. We , as expats, show a great deal of arrogance in [in their eyes and way of thinking] trying to point out right and wrong to them.

We come here , into this ball park, and choose to do business, the first thing that should come into our minds is that we are not smarter than them and must show them how to run a business. We do not set the rules of the game in this ballpark, but if we want to play their game of business, in their ballpark, we, [the outsiders are the dummies] if we think we can do it better and by our rules.

I do sincerely hope that you had a chance to live here in CM for a year or two before deciding to start a business venture. It is a diffeent world vs back home, in wherever land. I hope you do find the necessary adjustment and find your answer. If not I guess it will not matter if the bus is there or not.... Learn how to play then move on to coaching......Good Luck.

Bet you a hot cross bun to a pound of ripe bananas if a Thai person owned this restaurant they would also be unhappy.

OOOHHHHHn Not Fair......

How many people [restaurant owners ] of any nationality do you know in CM that are happy these days ???

well lets start counting ......first there is your wife............

[Minnehaha]

I think it would be great if 300 or 400 Thai Visa members go into his tour bus company, and tell him they would Never Ever use his company, since he parks his vehicles in front of your restaurant.

Brilliant. Where is the shop?

[jayceenik]

I presume you don't own a car otherwise you could put it in front of your restaurant. Suggest you rent one for one month.

buy one vehicle cheaply from bone yard and leave it there permanently

you won't feel pain if he damage it

Yes !!

Buy an old cheap car and leave it in front of your restaurant.

You could even use its sides for advertisement.

[scorecard]

He has a perfect right to park there. You have no control of the road in front of your business.

You missed this part? "Legally he is allowed to park there from 10am-330pm during week days and all weekend is ok". They are parking outside of the legal hours.

I like the idea of putting a few old cars in front with some clever advertising on them, all Ok during the hours when parking is allowed, but perhaps the OP could get fined for having them there during the 'no parking' hours.

But if that did happen (fined by the police for parking there during the 'no parking' hours) then the OP has more solid grounds to complain again to the police when the bus owner parks there during the 'no parking' hours.

[unanimosity]

Park your own small vehicle(s) there, cars, scooters, or a samlor.

Absolutely, this is not rocket science.

For the price of labor, you could even hire a valet to move your vehicles when one of your customers wants to park, maybe even an off-duty cop.

[unanimosity]

He has a perfect right to park there. You have no control of the road in front of your business.

You missed this part? "Legally he is allowed to park there from 10am-330pm during week days and all weekend is ok". They are parking outside of the legal hours.

I like the idea of putting a few old cars in front with some clever advertising on them, all Ok during the hours when parking is allowed, but perhaps the OP could get fined for having them there during the 'no parking' hours.

But if that did happen (fined by the police for parking there during the 'no parking' hours) then the OP has more solid grounds to complain again to the police when the bus owner parks there during the 'no parking' hours.

Have you found some solid ground here? Really?

[unanimosity]

I presume you don't own a car otherwise you could put it in front of your restaurant. Suggest you rent one for one month.

buy one vehicle cheaply from bone yard and leave it there permanently

you won't feel pain if he damage it

Yes !!

Buy an old cheap car and leave it in front of your restaurant.

You could even use its sides for advertisement.

Correct. And advertise the tour jerk's competitor!

Alternatively, you could advertise the tour jerk's company on your bus out front and have a back entrance from the bus into your restaurant to capture his customers.

Edited August 12, 2013 by unanimosity

[Hippidy He Ho]

I find it odd that the Thai parks the bus there.

Usually Thais don't park at all.

They just stop driving.

[unanimosity]

I find it odd that the Thai parks the bus there.

Usually Thais don't park at all.

They just stop driving.

[HerbalEd]

He has a perfect right to park there. You have no control of the road in front of your business. If he is blocking a driveway he is parking ilegally otherwise tough. THe police may try to help you but in the end it is up to him. The only time he may have to move is if there is parking restrictions between certain times.

You mean the same parking restrictions the OP mentions in his original post?

[RaysFan]

Some people still arnt quite getting it... Bringing race into it and things... I'm sure race is a very small factor... But this guy is a problem for everyone around. I am right next door to a big hotel owned by a Thai, he had to take this guy to court. A few years ago he was parking in front of my Thai neighbors restaurant... And its not just his bus, its any vehicle he can... When his bus isnt here, its car, when thats not here its his pickup... Anyways, over the last 2 days Ive been able to beat him to the punch, yesterday morning I put cones out there and left them all day and over night, today I got a sign put out there that I attached to wheels so I can move it. This will all be illegal tomorrow after the holiday, but I will see what happens. I see he has the vehicles parked down the road today, which is where he should park everyday because they arnt blocking anything, its just a long wooden fence.

[hhiser]

You did not pay the Police enough money. Pay them more and they will have a man on duty at your restaurant.

[hellodolly]

The thing I was wondering about is if it has been going on for so long why had the hotel not tried parking employes vehicles there. It seems that they would also have tried other means than just courts those can be a long wait. We tied a dead fish to a co workers manifold once lots of those around just place them in several spots on the bus.

Maybe I am not a nice guy some times.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....this !@#$%^&* has been getting his way for too long....lines too many pockets.....you will never win over him....or win him over...afraid to say...

[Briggsy]

Thais use large plant pots and vigilant staff and family members to bag the parking spot in front of their business.

[mrdome]

Place some concrete barriers there with gaps to let a car in but not a bus.

[Andre0720]

Some of you are missing the point here... during the legal hours of parking on the road... sure, the spot is free game, I dont own the road. But on week days after 330 pm its illegal to park on the road. And my business happens to open at 5... so really as long as hes gone by 5 im happy. Ive explained this to him many times. He somehow sees this as my problem, not his. I like the idea of parking my own vehicle there but at this time I only have 1 car... maybe I will purchase a cheap scooter and just leave it there permanently. ... not sure if he would just park in front of it though. .. people like this man... its just amazing. No regard for anyone at all. And yes they are Buddhist. ..

Sent from my GT-I9500

With just a scooter, he will most likely just move it away.

That is what is done by TukTuk and taxi drivers when they want a parking. Will have to be an old car brought by a tow truck.

[NoshowJones]

I think it would be great if 300 or 400 Thai Visa members go into his tour bus company, and tell him they would Never Ever use his company, since he parks his vehicles in front of your restaurant.

Count me in.