Went to my favourite bar on Nern Plubwan the other night and parked about 50 metres down from the bar as there were a couple of cars outside. Was aggressively told by the shop owner (one of those that sell all kinds of hardware an kitchen stuff) that I couldn't park there as that space was for his customers. This is on a public road! I have come across this attitude many times, especially out of central Pattaya. Couldn't see a shop owner on Second Road claiming a space for his customers. Problems is, if you ignore the demand to move, you are liable to find your car vandalised.

Right or wrong, you're onto a looser on this one. Why ? Because this is how things work in Thailand.

You need to understand Thai "ways".

I do agree with your principle though, 100%.

au contraire

i was once treated to the same abuse on second road on the right side almost opposite soi 7

outside a massage shop, i parked nicely and was told to move by a person that came out the shop

i told her that it was the kings highway and i was allowed to park there

she said this is mafia shop

i said never mind

she said maybe you have problem with car

i took her picture and i said maybe you have problem with shop window at 4 in morning

i took some pictures of the car and left the on board cameras running and pointed to the shop front

when i returned an hour later all was well

she stayed in the shop scowling and flipped me the bird as i left

i laughed

(btw i understand Thai ways and know any Thai who says mafia is a moron)

Is this what they call Thainess? Haha

Is this what they call Thainess? Haha

affirmative

It's the same principal with Thai drivers.......They own the road

And the food stall owners.

And then.....I'm accused of bashing the Thais!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LK metro is good for this as well

au contraire

i was once treated to the same abuse on second road on the right side almost opposite soi 7

outside a massage shop, i parked nicely and was told to move by a person that came out the shop

i told her that it was the kings highway and i was allowed to park there

she said this is mafia shop

i said never mind

she said maybe you have problem with car

i took her picture and i said maybe you have problem with shop window at 4 in morning

i took some pictures of the car and left the on board cameras running and pointed to the shop front

when i returned an hour later all was well

she stayed in the shop scowling and flipped me the bird as i left

i laughed

(btw i understand Thai ways and know any Thai who says mafia is a moron)

I admire your "pluck".

You must have "big balls".

This is not a Thai thing - it happens in virtually every city on the planet.

It does get worse. Go to any city in the US or Europe, and you will find restaurant owners who place tables and chairs right on the footpath, and if that is not enough, then they remove the traffic cones they have placed in the street to block parkers and put more tables and chairs there.

This is not a Thai thing - it happens in virtually every city on the planet.

It does get worse. Go to any city in the US or Europe, and you will find restaurant owners who place tables and chairs right on the footpath, and if that is not enough, then they remove the traffic cones they have placed in the street to block parkers and put more tables and chairs there.

Every city on the planet? Are you serious? I don't know how shop owners in the West can claim the area out the front of their business when there are parking meters every 20 feet or so. In Australia you can't even put a billboard on the sidewalk unless you get council approval, let alone tables and chairs, and I've never had a shopowner anywhere else in the world get aggressive because I parked outside his shop.

Do a Drew. Insert yourself into a photo op with Ittiphol, copy the pix onto your phone, write Ittiphol and a fake number in your phone's contacts. Instant invincibility. You're a man of steel in Pattaya.

This is not a Thai thing - it happens in virtually every city on the planet.

It does get worse. Go to any city in the US or Europe, and you will find restaurant owners who place tables and chairs right on the footpath, and if that is not enough, then they remove the traffic cones they have placed in the street to block parkers and put more tables and chairs there.

Absolute rubbish !!!

This is not a Thai thing - it happens in virtually every city on the planet.

It does get worse. Go to any city in the US or Europe, and you will find restaurant owners who place tables and chairs right on the footpath, and if that is not enough, then they remove the traffic cones they have placed in the street to block parkers and put more tables and chairs there.

Every city on the planet? Are you serious? I don't know how shop owners in the West can claim the area out the front of their business when there are parking meters every 20 feet or so. In Australia you can't even put a billboard on the sidewalk unless you get council approval, let alone tables and chairs, and I've never had a shopowner anywhere else in the world get aggressive because I parked outside his shop.

I've seen it in many cities in Europe, and in New York it is almost considered constitutionally guaranteed. They will put orange parking cones in front of their establishment, and move them only when they are assured that you are going into their business. Ignore it at your and your car's peril. There have been multiple shootings in NYC related to these incidents.

No idea about Australia - been there many times, but never long enough to observe whether this goes on or not.

Do a Drew. Insert yourself into a photo op with Ittiphol, copy the pix onto your phone, write Ittiphol and a fake number in your phone's contacts. Instant invincibility. You're a man of steel in Pattaya.

Is this an attempt at humour?

This is not a Thai thing - it happens in virtually every city on the planet.

It does get worse. Go to any city in the US or Europe, and you will find restaurant owners who place tables and chairs right on the footpath, and if that is not enough, then they remove the traffic cones they have placed in the street to block parkers and put more tables and chairs there.

Every city on the planet? Are you serious? I don't know how shop owners in the West can claim the area out the front of their business when there are parking meters every 20 feet or so. In Australia you can't even put a billboard on the sidewalk unless you get council approval, let alone tables and chairs, and I've never had a shopowner anywhere else in the world get aggressive because I parked outside his shop.

I've seen it in many cities in Europe, and in New York it is almost considered constitutionally guaranteed. They will put orange parking cones in front of their establishment, and move them only when they are assured that you are going into their business. Ignore it at your and your car's peril. There have been multiple shootings in NYC related to these incidents.

No idea about Australia - been there many times, but never long enough to observe whether this goes on or not.

Well, I've lived in Australia virtually all my life and never seen it. Never saw it in the UK or Europe either.

I parked opposite a bar I use in Khao Talo and the shop owner came out, mad as hell, telling me I cannot park there as people driving past cannot see his shop. It was one of these shops that sells plastic buckets, bowls, rat traps etc. What was he expecting, passing trade from Bangkok?

Anyway, they knocked his shop down two weeks later

I parked opposite a bar I use in Khao Talo and the shop owner came out, mad as hell, telling me I cannot park there as people driving past cannot see his shop. It was one of these shops that sells plastic buckets, bowls, rat traps etc. What was he expecting, passing trade from Bangkok?

Anyway, they knocked his shop down two weeks later

It was exactly that kind of shop I had the problem with.

It's not worth arguing or parking in front of the shop if you have no business there.

You just risking coming back and find a flat tire or worse.

One of the reasons I mainly uses bike downtown unless going to a big shopping center with lots of parking space.

Flowing with the current is easier than swim against it.

It's not worth arguing or parking in front of the shop if you have no business there.

You just risking coming back and find a flat tire or worse.

One of the reasons I mainly uses bike downtown unless going to a big shopping center with lots of parking space.

Flowing with the current is easier than swim against it.

That's why I moved on.

This happened to me about 3 years ago in Naklua ,and the owner who had a motorbike scrratched my car with it ,later i went back and when no one was about put suger in his tank

revenge is a sweet best eaten cold.

au contraire

i was once treated to the same abuse on second road on the right side almost opposite soi 7

outside a massage shop, i parked nicely and was told to move by a person that came out the shop

i told her that it was the kings highway and i was allowed to park there

she said this is mafia shop

i said never mind

she said maybe you have problem with car

i took her picture and i said maybe you have problem with shop window at 4 in morning

i took some pictures of the car and left the on board cameras running and pointed to the shop front

when i returned an hour later all was well

she stayed in the shop scowling and flipped me the bird as i left

i laughed

(btw i understand Thai ways and know any Thai who says mafia is a moron)

You were lucky that time.

But it may not work out well for next foreigner who's told not to park at a spot that a local thinks he owns.

I would not take that chance, and I would advise to listen and not park there, if a Thai tells you not to.

Sent from my C6802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The City Council started a campaign to stamp out this practice a few years ago. Every now and again you see a photo op. as they clear plastic chairs from the road in front of a few shops, but they never put much effort into it. I see the latest thing is a campaign ti stop baht buses stopping wherever they like. Same thing, a few photos in the local papers and then that's the end of it.

au contraire

i was once treated to the same abuse on second road on the right side almost opposite soi 7

outside a massage shop, i parked nicely and was told to move by a person that came out the shop

i told her that it was the kings highway and i was allowed to park there

she said this is mafia shop

i said never mind

she said maybe you have problem with car

i took her picture and i said maybe you have problem with shop window at 4 in morning

i took some pictures of the car and left the on board cameras running and pointed to the shop front

when i returned an hour later all was well

she stayed in the shop scowling and flipped me the bird as i left

i laughed

(btw i understand Thai ways and know any Thai who says mafia is a moron)

You were lucky that time.

But it may not work out well for next foreigner who's told not to park at a spot that a local thinks he owns.

I would not take that chance, and I would advise to listen and not park there, if a Thai tells you not to.

Sent from my C6802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Right or wrong, you're onto a looser on this one. Why ? Because this is how things work in Thailand.

You need to understand Thai "ways".

I do agree with your principle though, 100%.

absolutely correct.

It's some kind of "unwritten law" here in Thailand.

Don't do it....problem solved.

Period.

I parked opposite a bar I use in Khao Talo and the shop owner came out, mad as hell, telling me I cannot park there as people driving past cannot see his shop. It was one of these shops that sells plastic buckets, bowls, rat traps etc. What was he expecting, passing trade from Bangkok?

Anyway, they knocked his shop down two weeks later

Ha, had the same in Soi Khao Noi. I went into his shop and purchased a 5b cooking utensil...... I was then a customer and he had no problem.

When ya live in a Thailand do as Thai's do.It doesn't make any difference to you whether it's right or wrong.Remember there's the right way,the wrong way and the Thai way.When in Thailand do it the Thai way,your blood pressure will stay lower..Roll with the punches my man.

When ya live in a Thailand do as Thai's do.It doesn't make any difference to you whether it's right or wrong.Remember there's the right way,the wrong way and the Thai way.When in Thailand do it the Thai way,your blood pressure will stay lower..Roll with the punches my man.

the western sense of fairness does not apply in thailand

In London it's the taxi drivers who seem to think they own the road.

In London it's the taxi drivers who seem to think they own the road.

<deleted> has London got to do with this thread.

Some of them place chairs, stools etc at the front to try and stop people parking. I have (to my wife's HORROR) got out and moved them, same with one guy who has a Jewelry Shop in Chiang Mai Land. This kind soul has A Broomstick cemented into each of two cans and places them in front of his shop.

I have moved these too, although despite my efforts my wife is intimidated and won't park there in case the car gets damaged while we are away from it.

Think I'll visit his shop one day without my wife and get him all excited about me purchasing some of his expensive stuff and then tell him I've changed my mind because he is such a RUDE "Bathplug,