Neighbors from hell.

[iamariva1957]

I live on a quiet residential street in Mae Sot. Up till now it has been all single families (Thai and Farang). Most of the houses are rentals, but a few are single owners. There are even new Condos going up near by. It is an area once called Mae Sot Village No.1.

However, given the demand for power line improvement here in the city of Mae Sot, the work crew (all 14 of them and two have their families with them) have moved into a rented house next door to me and have taken over the entire street in front of my house and others on this side of the quadrangle. They have parked their semi-trucks (x2) work pickups (x3) and their mobile crane on the narrow street and have filled the empty lot in the middle of the quad (that used to be grass and some flowers, but neat and trash free... okay sometimes with a couple of cows grazing) with their supplies of Re-bar and welding equipment, etc... oh and yes... their long line of laundry (men and women's) right in the front of my house so I can look out at said 'devastation'.

The mess that they have caused is terrible. But the worst is the additional accommodation 'rooms' that they have constructed! 2 are out in the field (complete with electrics) and then there is the addition of the 3 bedroom and 1 'common room' addition that they have built in the front yard section of the house itself. All are of the usual corrugated metal affair again with electrics. Now I do not have any real problem except the noise and the trash... let alone the smells of the cooking that they never do inside!

They drink all night and play cards until the wee hours. Get up and start banging away, welding, cutting Re-bar, and yelling orders at each other on a variety of issues at 7am almost every dam morning (even on Sunday mornings!). They seem to not give a fig about anything or anyone, and only willing to turn down the music when one REALLY complains and even then they do it with a laugh and a Farang remark (I speak enough Thai to understand). Of course when their boss is in residence (usually but not always on week days), they are quiet well behaved. But as I said he is not always here and never here in weekends. They all wash outside when it rains, hang out drinking in the street most nights, the kids (x2) wander around usually naked around the equipment that is stored under filth tarps, and the adults spend their time it seems yelling at the kids or each other at all hours. Then there is their dog (large mixed breed) that I guess is there to guard their equipment (?) that chases me and others when we walk of drive by on our scooters. The last time (yesterday) managing to take my shoe off as I was trying to fend it off while riding my scooter.

They just do not give a toss. But as I am the only one next door to them at the moment (the people on the other side of them left), my question is: what can I do about it? This is a residential area but I know that the local council and police could not care less as these people are doing work for the government and the city. But the fact remains that the only reason why they are all at that house is because their 'boss' is collecting the money he was allocated for their accommodation by having them all live there in that house (as I understand it, is renting for 4000bht per month) together, thereby managing to pocket the' profits' of the 'arrangement'.

Any advise would be great... Or I am going to have to start drinking and teaching them to play Black Jack and play as the house? The owner of the house in question is nowhere to be found (gee I wonder why... do they have a nice contract with the company and the City perhaps? LOL). The work they are doing is important... yes. But at what cost to me and the other residents. The whole area now looks like a work zone, construction yard, an out door factory, and not a very nice quiet place to live anymore. But I know that as a Farang there are times when we have to suck it up. But I am at my whits end but moving would be running away and I have lived here for 2 years now and they are the new comers.

Many thanks! My rant is over and advise would be wonderful!

[ukrules]

When they do sleep be sure to make enough noise to ensure they wake up every 15 to 20 minutes, especially after they've been drinking.

Maybe it's time to buy an angle grinder and some rebar of your own.

[HeijoshinCool]

How long are they there for?

[iamariva1957]

HeijoshinCool as I understand things... it seems that they are here on a 1-year contract for the work they are doing... but as we all know... that will be extended.

[WitawatWatawit]

As a construction magnet - 5 large houses built around me in 12 years at 2 locations - I deeply sympathise, but can offer no solutions. At the 1st location, the local council simply wasn't interested. So sorry.

[HeijoshinCool]

HeijoshinCool as I understand things... it seems that they are here on a 1-year contract for the work they are doing... but as we all know... that will be extended.

Oh, man, sorry to hear that.

And, how many times have we heard of these kind of situations here?

Lots.

Have you spoken with the village head?

[Constantinople]

Sounds like the pikeys have moved in, 'd'ya like dags'.

[FiftyTwo]

Move somewhere else.

[beachproperty]

I agree ...MOVE ...and the sooner the better for you!!!

[Mousehound]

Love of noise seems to be an Asian thing. In HK my neighbours "slept" with their TV on at full blast. They felt uncomfortable if things were quiet. It drove me mad for a year and then I started to do the same. But they were pretty good people other than that - I miss them a lot. Compared with what I put up with in Oz - neighbours are CUBs (Cashed up Bogans) they burn rubber donuts at two in the morning a couple of nights a week and scream up and down the road on their unlicensed trail bikes the other nights. Very in your face and threatening if you complain. White trash.

It may seem a bit odd but you might do better to take them a few beers now and them and wave every time you see them. It is a lot harder to refuse a request from someone you know. Complaining to authorities rarely does anything other than encourage revenge.

In my case I only have to wait until they kill themselves - not long I am sure. Hopefully they won't take anyone else with them.

[CharlieH]

You as an individual wont get anything sorted (usually), the wife needs to talk with "poo yai baan" if that doesnt work or atleast help, then start looking to move out, but make sure the landlord knows you are going to look elsewhere and why as it might also help if he thinks he's gonna lose money as a result and maybe have trouble replacing you for the same reason.

[Gsxrnz]

I'd say you're between rock and a hard place. If they're there for a year, you can guarantee that means longer and possibly the boss will move other contractors in afterwards as he'll have a nice little setup.

I'd quietly relocate. If you're renting then you'll ,lose your bond but that's probably a small price to pay for your sanity.

Trying to negotiate with them will be impossible, and wait until the rellies turn up complete with a couple more trucks, dogs, and kids.

Cut your losses and move on. Don't consider it surrender, look on it as a chance to find a better place than you had before they turned up.

[Hedghog]

Look on the bright side.

They are trying to improve Mae Sot.

[HeijoshinCool]

Love of noise seems to be an Asian thing. In HK my neighbours "slept" with their TV on at full blast. They felt uncomfortable if things were quiet. It drove me mad for a year and then I started to do the same.

Dead on. It's also a Mexican thing. They simply sleep through it all.

Yet one more unchangeable, major cultural difference between us. I have three fans in the room when I sleep, drowning out dogs, cats, unmufflered vehicles, fireworks when winning the lottery, and 50,000 watt karaoke.

[Beetlejuice]

Unfortunately, this is Thailand, a country that has very little regard for the rights of residents who are never given any considerations in these circumstances.

To be frank, there is not much, if anything, the OP can do to improve the situation or even try to make some compromises between the works people and the residents.

If the OP is renting, than his only options are to either tolerate all the inconveniences or move. If he owes the property, than he has a problem.

Sorry to be so negative, but unfortunately these are the facts.

[HughJass]

do u own your house or are u just renting?

if renting then just don't pay the rent for the last 2 months so u have no worries about not getting the deposit back

[krisb]

I'd send my wife over to speak with their boss.

[Brigante7]

Time to Get the 1000 watt sound system out and blast a bit of music at crazy o'clock.

[Samaaw]

I've noticed several similar articles such as this one - and alot of repiles which suggest moving - moving is not cheap - moving is not always practical, due to possible lease agreements or even owning one's place.... so it goes to show, as a foreigner we have absolutely NO SAY / NO RIGHTS.

Might be best to rent fully furnished places with one month termination clause then easier to just move. Also soon will come "annual property taxes" for all ownership, condos etc for Thai & Farang... so renting is far better than ownership...

[Cuban]

It's been covered many many times before in these pages: This is Thailand, if you seek a quiet enviroment to live in then you need to control the land around you.

[Card]

When they do sleep be sure to make enough noise to ensure they wake up every 15 to 20 minutes, especially after they've been drinking.

Maybe it's time to buy an angle grinder and some rebar of your own.

I doubt they would hear anything if very tired and drunk - they would just sleep through it. Remember they are used to their own noise. That's why I rent my home in Bangkok - you never know when it is time to move and I wouldn't want to have to wait years to selll in order to move out and renting out could also take years when there is a glut of accommodation.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Card

[yingyo]

Thailand lesson number 2:

Always rent. Never buy.

Move.

You will never win a battle. Keep on complaining and you will have the addition of razor blades in your tires.

Edited October 28, 2013 by yingyo

[cup-O-coffee]

Move. You had your time and your number came up. Scout around and find a place where you can move to which fits your needs. Anything else is a distraction to your well-being and leads to damnation. All the best! Sincerely.

[asdecas]

Time to Get the 1000 watt sound system out and blast a bit of music at crazy o'clock.

I'm sure this is not meant seriously, but on the off chance that you are thinking of escalating the situation, I would caution strongly against it - you will lose. Your new neighbours are not deliberately setting out to annoy you, you are incidental to their lifestyle. In my opinion you have a few options, all of which involve persuasion, either on your part or through an authority figure such as the poo yai baan. Other than that, as others have said, your only option is to cut your loses. I repeat, you do not want to make enemies with local people, and in that I include Thais from wherever.

[Mighty Mouse]

"I know that the local council and police could not care less as these people are doing work for the government and the city."

You're stuck.

Give them time to settle in to their new location and you might find that their noisy habits change.

You can only hope so.

[chrisrazz]

Neighbors from hell? More like neighbors from Thailand.

I think you might have to deal with the dog, it sounds dangerous to me. Is this situation annoying to your partner? If not, then she is unlikely to go into battle on your behalf. One tactic I've employed with some success in issues where Thai beligerence, ingnorance and selfishness have become my problem is a little financial phsycology. Your wife should start a rumour about a falang that got bitten or where a dog caused an accident involving the falang, and how it cost SO much more in compensation and medical expenses because the victim was falang and talk about how everything is more expensive for falang. Thais love to gossip, and this story will no doubt eventially find the target. Go next door with some decent food for the dog, he'll be your friend soon enough. If they are gambling, try a rumour to talk up the amount of money going changing hands, the police will hear about it and sooner or later turn up for piece of the action. Do not, allow any of these actions appear to come directly from you. As an earlier post suggested, be their friend for appearance purposes.

[sms747]

I can only live here with ear plugs almost always in place, wax ones are the best, dogs, music, kids, planes overhead, construction noise almost anywhere, I envy the deaf at times! Do things the Thai way, poison the dog for a start.

Edited October 28, 2013 by sms747

[BSW2519]

You're fracked! just move and save yourself the frustration of dealing with a mountain of ignorance!

[zaZa9]

Imagine if you owned your current house how you'd feel.

Even if this mob had rented 3 houses together that wouldnt change the noise issues.

Time to move unfortunately.

[Wimbledon]

Maybe you could speak with any neighbour thai families that arnt happy , but isusspect they will not care much .........You do NOT want to create enemies! Give the landlord notice ( he may be your best bet) IF NOT , LIVE WITH IT OR MOVE QUICKLY!!!!!