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 !!!

Google "restaurant blocking sidewalk dispute" and "argument over parking space" and you will find hundreds, if not thousands of examples from all over Europe and the US where incidents similar to those I described occurred an in many cases led to violence.

I have seen it in several dozen places in Asia, Europe, the US, and Canada.

you can't beat them or join them

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.

BS

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.

No, I'm from Baltimore and I've never seen that. Locals do block parking spots when there is a ballgame because visitors take their spots. But not shops.

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.

So the fuel tank was unlocked ?

I agree with Blackman.

Why the hell would I move. They can do whatever they want with my vehicle. It's gonna come at a price.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I agree with Blackman. Why the hell would I move. They can do whatever they want with my vehicle. It's gonna come at a price. Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

OK Rambo.

It' counterproductive to do this land grab thing. Basically they are telling potential customers to go away. All it succeeds in doing is driving down turnover for the business.

The shop owners know very well they have to share the road with one of the other tribes-----the Thugee aka motorbike taxi above the law thugs

Sent from my GT-S5310B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It' counterproductive to do this land grab thing. Basically they are telling potential customers to go away. All it succeeds in doing is driving down turnover for the business.

They aren't smart enough to work that out. Same as when a bar is struggling, they jack up the beer prices to try and compensate, just doesn't work.

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 !!!

Not rubbish at all!

I will not speak for the whole planet,

but restaurants putting chairs along the street to reserve car parks for their customers

is a VERY common practice at least in Italy, France & Spain.

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". alt=clap2.gif pagespeed_url_hash=892957568 width=31 height=25>

You must have "big balls".

Agreed !!!

I come from a European country and for sure some restaurants put tables on the footpath (when the weather allows)....but they pay big big money to the local council for the privilege of doing so. Some councils demand money for just putting posters on your window front.

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 am not so sure that it is an unwritten law. I was told by a Thai that they have the right to the foot path outside of the shop as well as the road. Because they pay for it. They certainly put enough obsticles outside the shop on the footpath as well as the road. Thais seem to e accept this as the norm

jb1

They also own the pavement in-front too!

But at least they could put a couple of plastic chairs out there to mark their spot.

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.

Sorry.....I don't know where you got your information, but it's certainly incorrect. I'm not Thai Bashing but if you tried keep the taxpayers from parking on streets that their tax dollars paid for in any of the cities I am familiar with in the U.S. the police would be paying you a "not so nice visit" and quite possibly fining you.

I have learned in life that you never threaten anyone's livelihood! That goes for anywhere in the world. Even if you do so by fair competition you can end up in trouble. Stay out of all cross-hairs here and you will be fine. Rightiousness and principal are out the window.

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.

Sorry.....I don't know where you got your information, but it's certainly incorrect. I'm not Thai Bashing but if you tried keep the taxpayers from parking on streets that their tax dollars paid for in any of the cities I am familiar with in the U.S. the police would be paying you a "not so nice visit" and quite possibly fining you.

As I said above, google "parking space argument" and you will get thousands of hits. A good number are between two people fighting over a spot, but you will also find many examples of shopkeepers and restaurants trying to block off parking in front of their place. If someone does complain, the shopkeeper will likely get cited as there are quite a few cities that have ordinances prohibiting such activity. I found it much more prevalent in various European cities, but it does happen in the US.

Pattaya need a lot more off street parking.

in the short term the simple answer is, charge for street parking, 11am to 11pm, ticket machines, meter maids, marked parking bays, loading bays, taxi ranks, bus stops, separate parking for bikes.

and if there is still a problem the the parking charges are too low.

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.

My neighbour in a quiet residential street reckons it's 'his' space, and actively discourages anyone trying to park there.

That happens in Australia ... but he is a KIWI ...

so what? jog on please

''and in New York it is almost considered constitutionally guaranteed''

In the land of the free???

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.

Where is the USA?

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.

Sorry.....I don't know where you got your information, but it's certainly incorrect. I'm not Thai Bashing but if you tried keep the taxpayers from parking on streets that their tax dollars paid for in any of the cities I am familiar with in the U.S. the police would be paying you a "not so nice visit" and quite possibly fining you.

.

I'd say you are correct about that Lee!

LK metro is good for this as well

The difference with LK Metro is it is a private road owned by the LK family it is not the Kings highway.

The food carts pay rent, the Bars/Hotels either own or rent the "parking" area in front of there business.

This is the reason why you double park where ever your heart desires. Just leave the blinkers on and hey, stay as long as you want. Don't forget to block the entire lane, that would be considered bad style.

I parked on 2nd road Pattaya. Told the gesticulating stall owner I was going to eat. Drove off 30 minutes later with a nail in my tyre. Now that's Thainess: nasty, underhand, cowardly & self-centred.

I parked on 2nd road Pattaya. Told the gesticulating stall owner I was going to eat. Drove off 30 minutes later with a nail in my tyre...

You have been warned, but your ignorance and selfishness have been punished, so what?

Som nam na...lesson learned?

My wife is also pissed, when these idiots (mostly farangs), block the parking space in front of her office/shop for several hours with their cars....

Thais tend to ask, if they're allowed to park for a few minutes.....

This is Thailand, stop whining and adapt yourself.

My gripe as well, too many times now I have been told to move my motor bike on a public road, last time was today from outside of a pharmacy down a bar soi ,opposite Soi 8. Only the pharmacy wern't concerned when asked, it was the large pushy lady owner of the laundrymat who took exception.

I asked do you own the road as well as was told by her "she pays rent for it". I moved because I knew the alternative would be to stay and take care of my bike.

Part of the price you pay to stay in paradise I guess.

We live in Pattaya and never block a shop. It a matter of respect for the local small business owner. Its tough

enough for them even if someone doesn't block their shop. Why do people have to go against the grain and then

complain when locals don't like it? Its really a no brainer. Just do the right thing!