long klong Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Most workmen here - plumbers, carpenters, electricians - don't keep time and are usually an hour or two late or don't show up at all. Is this due to generally accepted practice, custom, culture, work habit or simply that their concept of time is different from, say workers in Singapore or Hong Kong? Would it affect your decision to engage the workman to do the job or would you just accept it as the general norm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costas2008 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Can't afford to buy a watch? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post krisb Posted April 25, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) Don't get me started on Thai 'tradesman'. Stay well clear of village guys that tell you they can do the work. They are useless and then some how it's your fault. Edited April 25, 2014 by krisb 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Don't get me started on Thai 'tradesman'. Stay well clear of village guys that tell you they can do the work. They are useless and then some how it's your fault. Come on, they are specialists for just about everything 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisb Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Don't get me started on Thai 'tradesman'. Stay well clear of village guys that tell you they can do the work. They are useless and then some how it's your fault. Come on, they are specialists for just about everything They specialise in making my blood boil that is it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post seajae Posted April 25, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) being an ex tradie I tend to be a bit sarcastic towards the thai workers as the real tradesmen are far and few between. There is a difference between doing a job and doing it properly, there is also a difference between a tradesman that served an apprenticeship and a scrubber that just decided they could do it all with no learning which covers the huge majority of thai workers, a tradesman will always show up on time, do the work in the correct sequence and clean up after themselves, another bit that goes missing here. Edited April 25, 2014 by seajae 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sheryl Posted April 25, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted April 25, 2014 I have to say, contractors in the US are the same. Disappearances of weeks at a time are not uncommon. Usually times after they have disassembled whatever it was, or moved things out of wherever they were supposed to renovate, so that things have gone to far for you to call it off and you have maximum inconvenience until they deign to show up again. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Don't get me started on Thai 'tradesman'. Stay well clear of village guys that tell you they can do the work. They are useless and then some how it's your fault. Come on, they are specialists for just about everything They specialise in making my blood boil that is it. Not only yours I think most of us would gladly pay more for good quality.. its just hard to find. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kannot Posted April 25, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted April 25, 2014 Its VERY simple, 1 they are bone idle and want the most money for the least possible work whilst doing the shittiest possible job. 2 they couldnt careless about YOU or anyone else as they are the only important thing in the world. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonjake Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 what we have to except, is this is thailand not the west, i was a tradie too, but they just dont have the training we got, im not making excuses for them, i could of torn my hair out building oue home (if i had any) more so in the villages, you have to really search for helf good lads, in bkk was a little different, i was operations manager there and some of our sheet metel workers and welders were first class and i would of took them anywere, jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post rgs2001uk Posted April 25, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted April 25, 2014 You dont say where you are, if upcountry, you have my sympathy. In Bkk the only people the mrs or I get involved with are, Chinese, Muslims or Southerners, always by recommendation or personal introduction. Never been asked to pay for anything upfront, if you are, its a big red flag. Quality tradesmen are available, but you wont be paying 500 baht per day, and you wont get the guy tomorrow. These guys are in constant demand and you may have to wait, some jobs they wont touch, they are too busy working on Jap owned condos in Bkk to take on a 10k job elsewhere. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetlejuice Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 being an ex tradie I tend to be a bit sarcastic towards the thai workers as the real tradesmen are far and few between. There is a difference between doing a job and doing it properly, there is also a difference between a tradesman that served an apprenticeship and a scrubber that just decided they could do it all with no learning which covers the huge majority of thai workers, a tradesman will always show up on time, do the work in the correct sequence and clean up after themselves, another bit that goes missing here. Exactly right. You only get what you pay for and for those who hire some local wallers so as to get the job done on the cheap, than what do you expect? In cases of hiring local workmen, I also allow plenty of time and never hold them to any times or schedules, because it just doesn`t work. Also if you are using cheap labour, then don`t expect an absolute perfect job completed to high standards. You pay your money and get what you get without any guarantees. For those who expect high standards of workmanship and work schedules to be completed on time, then hire a proper well established company to do the job and also be prepared to pay a lot more for a superior service. Although there are never any guarantees about the end result, the odds are much better if willing to pay more and hire professionals. And this pertains anywhere worldwide, not only in Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KonaRain Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Our guys were there six days a week..the contractor or one other would come first..start, set up..600,000 bant job..25% went to materials, 75% to the crew, I'm told..our roomate was a govt. architect..hooked us up. I have a video of the roof guy, walking the beams in socks, welding and cutting metal beams..I gave him some earplugs..ouch.. Sent from my GT-P3113 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KonaRain Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I did tell the boss that we like to sweep the jobsite once in a while..American contractors in Hawaii..high end stuff, where i was taught..they were disgraceful on leaving a dangerous jobsite in Chaing Mai..I gave 'em gloves, earplugs, and I was allowed to pound in some nails protruding from scaffolding..Safety first... Sent from my GT-P3113 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Don't get me started on Thai 'tradesman'. Stay well clear of village guys that tell you they can do the work. They are useless and then some how it's your fault. Come on, they are specialists for just about everything They specialise in making my blood boil that is it. Not only yours I think most of us would gladly pay more for good quality.. its just hard to find. Well we tried the first part: paying more. But we ended with the same quality....Best experience so far is taking the motorbike taxis. Because you can tell them exactly what to do and the try it that way. While the self declared specialist are resisting any different ideas (like using insulation material, or earth wire). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisinth Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 My Thai plumber turned up an hour and a half early the other day and got all the jobs done on time. Not very professional work though. To be fair, most of the light dimmer switches work, and as for the welding on the gate, bit of spatter but that won't be falling apart anytime soon.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enuff said Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Its VERY simple, 1 they are bone idle and want the most money for the least possible work whilst doing the shittiest possible job. 2 they couldnt careless about YOU or anyone else as they are the only important thing in the world. Hmmmm. Sounds like a lot of farang I know. Especially number 2 'nuff said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezzra Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Some of the reason are that they get drunk after finishing work the night before and can't get up in the morning, other possibility is traffic and the fact that they also have to wait to the helpers to arrive to the meeting place... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estrada Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I have to say, contractors in the US are the same. Disappearances of weeks at a time are not uncommon. Usually times after they have disassembled whatever it was, or moved things out of wherever they were supposed to renovate, so that things have gone to far for you to call it off and you have maximum inconvenience until they deign to show up again. In the UK builders disappear in all directions when they sight the Inland Revenue Officers in the distance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
long klong Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 Thanks for all the replies. Most of them, however, don't answer the question directly. But by talking about the poor quality of workmanship, they seem to imply that not showing up at time is part of the overall shoddy approach to work. One reply (Costas2008 : can't afford to buy a watch) goes straight to my question, though in a refreshingly lighthearted manner! I am in Phuket ( In answer to RGS 2001uk ) and one would have thought that the workmen (tradesmen) here would be used to showing up on time. They are dealing with a lot of foreigners and can probably command much higher prices here than most other places in Thailand and therefore can well afford a 100 baht watch!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
long klong Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 Sorry I didn't see Ezzra's reply when I sent my post just now. Yes, it makes perfect sense, especially that they have to wait for co-workers. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DonaldBattles Posted April 25, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted April 25, 2014 What makes you guy think they can't tell time. They have a built in watch for the following: When to eat. When to take a crap. When it is Lao Khao time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheryl Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Exactly right. You only get what you pay for and for those who hire some local wallers so as to get the job done on the cheap, than what do you expect?.... For those who expect high standards of workmanship and work schedules to be completed on time, then hire a proper well established company to do the job and also be prepared to pay a lot more for a superior service. Although there are never any guarantees about the end result, the odds are much better if willing to pay more and hire professionals. And this pertains anywhere worldwide, not only in Thailand. Yes but HOW to hire a proper well established company if you don't live in a major city? I'm 2 hours outside Bangkok and have never been able to find a single one willing to travbel out here even with the offer of paying for the extra time and travel. We aren't all making due with local workers because we want it done on the cheap. Some of us can't find anything else .... If anyone out there knows of a company (general construction, plumbing, electric, you name it) that would be willing to work a few hours out of town please advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Its VERY simple, 1 they are bone idle and want the most money for the least possible work whilst doing the shittiest possible job. 2 they couldnt careless about YOU or anyone else as they are the only important thing in the world. Hmmmm. Sounds like a lot of farang I know. Especially number 2 'nuff said I ended up building two houses myself and I mean MYSELF, laid every block, did the roof, plumbing, tiling, painting, gave up on Thai workmen ages ago. Doesnt matter what you pay them, makes no difference I found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Thanks for all the replies. Most of them, however, don't answer the question directly. But by talking about the poor quality of workmanship, they seem to imply that not showing up at time is part of the overall shoddy approach to work. One reply (Costas2008 : can't afford to buy a watch) goes straight to my question, though in a refreshingly lighthearted manner! I am in Phuket ( In answer to RGS 2001uk ) and one would have thought that the workmen (tradesmen) here would be used to showing up on time. They are dealing with a lot of foreigners and can probably command much higher prices here than most other places in Thailand and therefore can well afford a 100 baht watch!! They all have phones...........phones have clocks...........they just dont care, its do it when they want, which wont change until there's no work or a slump in building and they have none.........probably wont change then either really, the penny never drops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Exactly right. You only get what you pay for and for those who hire some local wallers so as to get the job done on the cheap, than what do you expect?.... For those who expect high standards of workmanship and work schedules to be completed on time, then hire a proper well established company to do the job and also be prepared to pay a lot more for a superior service. Although there are never any guarantees about the end result, the odds are much better if willing to pay more and hire professionals. And this pertains anywhere worldwide, not only in Thailand. Yes but HOW to hire a proper well established company if you don't live in a major city? I'm 2 hours outside Bangkok and have never been able to find a single one willing to travbel out here even with the offer of paying for the extra time and travel. We aren't all making due with local workers because we want it done on the cheap. Some of us can't find anything else .... If anyone out there knows of a company (general construction, plumbing, electric, you name it) that would be willing to work a few hours out of town please advise. Proper well established companies use those same Issan farmers to build from what I see. Theres a good thread on Teak door forum with a "proper company" who totally buggered up a house, PD house ( theyll probably remove this though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masuk Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I've recently had some lights and power outlets fitted. Not one junction box was used. Wires were just twisted together and wrapped in tape. The walls look so decorative. I haven't figured out why the power outlets, which have provision for three plugs, only have two operating in any of the three just fitted. At least I can see the cables running into the outlets and know they're not earthed. The quality of the work is about 3 months into an apprenticeship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geronimo Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Well that depends on how long you've been here. If you've just arrived, i can understand how this would bother you. However, if you've been here for any length of time, you would surely know that it doesn't matter at all!!! The Thai, when in a traffic jam, thinks, well if I'm not here, then I'd be somewhere else, so what does it matter? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbamboo Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Why are Thai workmen unable to keep time? That's an easy one. They got no rhythm, man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
empireboy Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 When I lived in Australia I didn't find them much better for the most part... I have found that the older European tradesman do a good job.... you get what you pay for generally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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