Sometimes you just cant make it up

[mikemac]

I just let my "Thai Fiancee'" handle it. She gives nothing. She refuses to tip or give anything more than yin nam. She pays at the end of each day, after a thorough inspection. Dang. She's tough -- has had many experiences --- and puts up with nothing. I just open the door and say: "Go Get 'Em, Honey."

My wife and I are just about to start building our house at Saraphee, outside Chiang Mai. I am going to have little to do with the building process, don't think I could handle the stress.

We found a good house plan which suited our block, a good draftsman to draw it up, and hopefully a good builder to put it together. The rest is in God's hands.

My wife will be overseeing the buiding, I will probably be out of the country working (to pay for it) for most of the building period.

Pity help them if things don't go to plan. She is ruthless.

[eldragon]

if i had to guess the foreigner spoke no Thai. a target for the workers and more times than not the Thai girlfriend. Only asking for trouble.

incredible how so many situations like this seem to happen same guys over and over!! lol

If you've been in Thailand for a while and don't know any Thais whom you can fully trust to act in your best interests, then you should seriously consider leaving.

I think I read this exact same comment in a different thread last week...

Anyway, I think it absolutely bodes well for anyone living here for the long haul to learn a bit of the language. But enough to communicate in detail about a job? I highly doubt most expats are at that level and probably shouldn't be negotiating over such matters. What's more likely the target- Thai gf or not- is the perception that all foreigners are rich.

As for the trust issue, I disagree. While there are a few Thais I trust are looking out for me, I find we still have different ideas and outlooks about things to the point that I can't trust we're always seeing or thinking about things the same way. In other words, there are people I feel will always try to help me, but sometimes the help they give me is not what I need or want. At any rate, someone who has no Thai friends they trust should still be able to live here. They can always live in a condo and hire an attorney for important matters.

Oh, and regarding the OP, I've had a few experiences working with Thais as such and the job's always been done correctly (acceptably) in a short amount of time. I guess I've been lucky though.

Edited November 10, 2014 by eldragon

[namdocmai]

Only people who pay big deposits and regular payments suffer. Hold back the money,agree terms from the beginning.And stick to it.

If they insist on more tell them to leave knowing you retained enough money to finish the job.Fair play is fine but you are not a charity.

If someone turned up at my house with a brick for a hammer and a nail for a chisel they wouldn't last 30 seconds with me.Unless I previously knew they would and I was paying them extremely little.

You don't get it.

We bought a new house from a huge developer, they are still building thousands of houses here. A new house comes with 1 year warranty. We got cracks in the walls (all houses have them) and we let them fix that for warranty 3 times in a row and the cracks still come back because those guys don't know how to plaster. You don't do that in full sun and also not in layers of 4-5 cm thick.

Everywhere you can see them filling the cracks with filler and then they paint the house.

Those developers use local thai contractors to build and in case of warranty they will send their workers to fix the cracks.

We could have sent them home but then nothing would be fixed.

This is spot on. One year warranty for the walls and pilings, five for the roof. This is exactly what is happening in the development where I live. Luckily, I have been able to get free service well outside the one year warranty period as there are still one or two houses which have not yet been sold so the developer still has a presence. The developer used outside contractors, but has some workers who do the repairs. Once every house is sold and they establish a company to take care of the development, there will be no calling on the developer to make further repairs.

Yup and to check if the work is done properly the thai contractor will come to inspect if HIS OWN labours did the job right. I have never seen him check anything.

It was funny, after we lived here some weeks the developer sent some officeguy to us for some paperwork or so. He just walked into our garden without using the doorbell. I was outside then and told him to go back and ring the doorbell which allready was broken since a week. (it was 4 weeks old). He didn't care for me but lucky for him my wife told me to back off because he was from the developer (how should i know that?). Then i told him he had to fix the doorbell but of course the doorbell was not within the warranty....... So that was my first job i had to fix. So i installed a new doorbell but after 3 weeks the switch from the doorbell was broken....I can go on like this but TIT.....

I allready fixed so many things in this house, i won't bother you guys with it all. I do everything myself now, i even think of buying the pressure washer to clean aircons and that thing to spray chemicals against termites. Then we won't need any thai labour anymore which would be awesome!

Edited November 10, 2014 by namdocmai

[CharlieH]

Post removed

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

[MJP]

Am having a concrete road laid round my land, have used the builder before, his staff came 2 days ago and I asked them if they wanted a few fish from my lake. I went out and got 5-6 for them. The next day they decided this meant they could go at will and take fish again, this time borrowing my boat and bringing their own net.

My Wife told the boss this was "not on"

His response..............its my fault for giving them some fish.

Even my Wife was amazed at this reply.

Oh well he just lost the big job coming later, not that he'll care at all.

How much a square metre did it cost for the concrete road?

Thanks.

[loong]

I just let my "Thai Fiancee'" handle it. She gives nothing. She refuses to tip or give anything more than yin nam. She pays at the end of each day, after a thorough inspection. Dang. She's tough -- has had many experiences --- and puts up with nothing. I just open the door and say: "Go Get 'Em, Honey."

There is a Golden Rule for farangs in Thailand... let Thais front for you whenever and wherever possible.

That applies especially to dealing with people in the building trades before you develop a good working relationship with them. After that, you can handle things yourself.

As for theft on the job, it's everywhere, and some countries are worse than Thailand.

Unfortunately, one glove does not fit all. I would say foreigners who are not sufficiently fluent in the Thai language should let the Thais (wives/gfs/etc) front for them. For those who are lucky enough to speak the language and know the subject matter, you would probably get a better deal than if you had Thais fronting for you so go for it.

"For those who are lucky enough to speak the language and know the subject matter"

That is just insulting the people who have worked hard to learn the language

LUCKY??!!

[Gandtee]

I had labourers working in my house with crappy tools, an old nail and a brick to hammer broken plaster off the walls, it would be fixed for free, warranty.

I gave them a real hammer, chissel and pizza, cold pepsi, cigarettes..

When they were gone the tools were missing as well. Later they had to work at another house in the street, i went there and of course they used my tools (which even had our house# in it marked).

Another company, for steel bars had done our whole house for 60k baht. 6 months later my wife called them to build a carport and some small roofs from stainless steel. (total job for 100k baht). The guy made an appointment but didn't show up. We made a new appointment with him but after 2 hours waiting we just went out without seeing him.

Had some workers at my house over the weekend and loaned them a few tools, a decent spirit level, a sharp saw, cement trowel, etc. Each day before they left, they made a point of separating my tools from theirs and pointing them out to me. They even returned a pencil. I was quite suprised as like you I have loaned tools to workers before only for the tools to disappear.

Ive used this builder before and there has never been any problem, yesterdays crew were folk Id never seen before, Ive often lent the old crew stuff and had it back but this lot are just taking the piss.

Its kinda sad that you give them some drinks some fruit and some fish and they do this.

Unfortunately it makes me treat all of them now without a thought.

I think the builders are also pretty busy and really round here dont care at all if they walk off a job as another one is waiting.

Yes they have plenty of work, same here. Also i see them not finishing jobs so they can start a new job and that owner can't take another company anymore.

2 sisters in our street had their new kitchen + house-extension never finished. They had to rent another builder to finish it, i don't know why though.

Also other houses around here still have the scaffolding standing for a year, wheelbarrows and materials in the frontyard and the builders won't come back. Now i see that house for sale since a year, just the way they left it. Also there i don't know the story behind it.

At the lake here there a big warningsigns that fishing is prohibited because constructionworkers liked to fish there and drink beer after work.

In the moobaan where a friend of us lives there was a constructionworker from Myanmar who raped a thai actress in her new house. He got arrested for that. Be carefull with those guys.

Burmese rapist! What next!

[GarryP]

There is a Golden Rule for farangs in Thailand... let Thais front for you whenever and wherever possible.

That applies especially to dealing with people in the building trades before you develop a good working relationship with them. After that, you can handle things yourself.

As for theft on the job, it's everywhere, and some countries are worse than Thailand.

Unfortunately, one glove does not fit all. I would say foreigners who are not sufficiently fluent in the Thai language should let the Thais (wives/gfs/etc) front for them. For those who are lucky enough to speak the language and know the subject matter, you would probably get a better deal than if you had Thais fronting for you so go for it.

"For those who are lucky enough to speak the language and know the subject matter"

That is just insulting the people who have worked hard to learn the language

LUCKY??!!

Sorry but I do not see how that is insulting. That would mean I am insulting myself. I used the word lucky as I did not want to appear to be blowing my own trumpet. Just for you, I have revised it "For those who speak the language and know the subject matter, you would probably get a better deal than if you had Thais fronting for you so go for it."

[ClutchClark]

Only people who pay big deposits and regular payments suffer. Hold back the money,agree terms from the beginning.And stick to it.

If they insist on more tell them to leave knowing you retained enough money to finish the job.Fair play is fine but you are not a charity.

If someone turned up at my house with a brick for a hammer and a nail for a chisel they wouldn't last 30 seconds with me.Unless I previously knew they would and I was paying them extremely little.

You don't get it.

We bought a new house from a huge developer, they are still building hundreds of houses here. A new house comes with 1 year warranty. We got cracks in the walls (all houses have them) and we let them fix that for warranty 3 times in a row and the cracks still come back because those guys don't know how to plaster. You don't do that in full sun and also not in layers of 4-5 cm thick.

Everywhere you can see them filling the cracks with filler and then they paint the house.

Those developers use local thai contractors to build and in case of warranty they will send their workers to fix the cracks.

We could have sent them home but then nothing would be fixed.

Also our moobaan has many lakes. Some lakes were filled up with clay and then the week after that they start building new houses on that. Those ones still don't have cracks by the way, i 'm waiting for that but it didn't happen yet and they must be 2 years old now so no more warranty.

They're probably not cracking yet because the entire structure is still actively sinking equally !

Its when sections of a house settle at different rates that the cracks occur--for instance, one part on solid ground and another section in clay.

;-)

[mikemac]

I just let my "Thai Fiancee'" handle it. She gives nothing. She refuses to tip or give anything more than yin nam. She pays at the end of each day, after a thorough inspection. Dang. She's tough -- has had many experiences --- and puts up with nothing. I just open the door and say: "Go Get 'Em, Honey."

There is a Golden Rule for farangs in Thailand... let Thais front for you whenever and wherever possible.

That applies especially to dealing with people in the building trades before you develop a good working relationship with them. After that, you can handle things yourself.

As for theft on the job, it's everywhere, and some countries are worse than Thailand.

Unfortunately, one glove does not fit all. I would say foreigners who are not sufficiently fluent in the Thai language should let the Thais (wives/gfs/etc) front for them. For those who are lucky enough to speak the language and know the subject matter, you would probably get a better deal than if you had Thais fronting for you so go for it.

"For those who are lucky enough to speak the language and know the subject matter"

That is just insulting the people who have worked hard to learn the language

LUCKY??!!

I went to school in Chiang Rai for six months and did one-on-one mainly learning to read and write and basic sentence structure, and grammar. Spent most of the last 9 years listening to Thai people speaking and trying to sound like them. Still have trouble communicating certain things at times, but can hold a basic conversation.

Have met guys who have lived here continually for the past 25 years who would be flat out ordering a bowl of somtum. They must be the "unlucky" ones.

[Doc46]

It's always YOUR fault in Thailand.

Yep ,when you wrong your wrong,,,,when you right you wrong

[dotpoom]

It seems you never had any labourers working for ya mate. Are they too expensive for you maybe?

Here a new story, especially for you.

My neighbours at the back of our house (good friends) ordered an extension of their house, new kitchen. They ordered those windows who consist of strips of glass who all open up the same time.

After construction was finished for some days they were sleeping upstairs (6 people), the new kitchendoor into the house was locked and we live in a high proteccted moo baan.

Then in the morning they found out that somebody had get those strips of glass out of their frame and burglared their kitchen. luckily the kitchendoor into the house was locked.

Now who would even know that they had a window like that, where the guards were at that moment, and how to get those glass strips out of the frame without makeing any noise in the dark????

This window is at the back of their house, can't see it from the roadside.

It's actually a piece of cake taking out those stripes of glass, I did in my own condo to put in a new window. The aluminium that holds them in place is as soft as butter.

[ClutchClark]

There is a Golden Rule for farangs in Thailand... let Thais front for you whenever and wherever possible.

That applies especially to dealing with people in the building trades before you develop a good working relationship with them. After that, you can handle things yourself.

As for theft on the job, it's everywhere, and some countries are worse than Thailand.

Unfortunately, one glove does not fit all. I would say foreigners who are not sufficiently fluent in the Thai language should let the Thais (wives/gfs/etc) front for them. For those who are lucky enough to speak the language and know the subject matter, you would probably get a better deal than if you had Thais fronting for you so go for it.

"For those who are lucky enough to speak the language and know the subject matter"

That is just insulting the people who have worked hard to learn the language

LUCKY??!!

I went to school in Chiang Rai for six months and did one-on-one mainly learning to read and write and basic sentence structure, and grammar. Spent most of the last 9 years listening to Thai people speaking and trying to sound like them. Still have trouble communicating certain things at times, but can hold a basic conversation.

Have met guys who have lived here continually for the past 25 years who would be flat out ordering a bowl of somtum. They must be the "unlucky" ones.

I have tremendous admiration for any Westerner that has learned Thai.

As for relevance, I have always been a firm believer in the adage we make our own luck ;-)

Cheers

Edited November 10, 2014 by ClutchClark

[kannot]

Am having a concrete road laid round my land, have used the builder before, his staff came 2 days ago and I asked them if they wanted a few fish from my lake. I went out and got 5-6 for them. The next day they decided this meant they could go at will and take fish again, this time borrowing my boat and bringing their own net.

My Wife told the boss this was "not on"

His response..............its my fault for giving them some fish.

Even my Wife was amazed at this reply.

Oh well he just lost the big job coming later, not that he'll care at all.

How much a square metre did it cost for the concrete road?

Thanks.

OK Ill give all the members the full story ( except for the ignore ****)

Ive used this builder a few times over the last 3 years, he does not charge crazy prices, hes always been reasonable in his work, not incredible just "ok"

The workers who came this time are obviously a "new bunch" have a feeling hes very busy and got them in.

The price is 60 baht a m2 and I buy all the materials, in case you think Im some mug I aint, the concrete is 210 ksc its 1680 baht a cube as I need about 150 cubes

The road is for light use its 10cm thick with 4mm mesh @20cm centres buried in the middle of the road.

The formwork is 10cm by 6 metre long "C section" steel its on compacted stone about 5 inch thick.

I bought the steel 12 rolls of 20x20cm grid 4 mm thick 50 metres long for 37200 baht (3100baht each) the concrete will cost around 250k baht his labour about 85k baht the whole lot around 380k baht

Total area is 1420m2 and 2.5-3 metres wide ( varies)

His old workers I knew quite well, they worked well and I wa s happy to get them a couple of drinks a day ie M150 or Coffee, this lot though obviously think im a soft touch, theyve slit their own throat now as Im supplying nothing.

No problem communicating with the builder .

So the total finished price is about 267 baht a m2..............which is pretty good as far as i know

Edited November 10, 2014 by kannot

[ClutchClark]

Off-topic

Edited November 10, 2014 by ClutchClark

[MJP]

Am having a concrete road laid round my land, have used the builder before, his staff came 2 days ago and I asked them if they wanted a few fish from my lake. I went out and got 5-6 for them. The next day they decided this meant they could go at will and take fish again, this time borrowing my boat and bringing their own net.

My Wife told the boss this was "not on"

His response..............its my fault for giving them some fish.

Even my Wife was amazed at this reply.

Oh well he just lost the big job coming later, not that he'll care at all.

How much a square metre did it cost for the concrete road?

Thanks.

OK Ill give all the members the full story ( except for the ignore ****)

Ive used this builder a few times over the last 3 years, he does not charge crazy prices, hes always been reasonable in his work, not incredible just "ok"

The workers who came this time are obviously a "new bunch" have a feeling hes very busy and got them in.

The price is 60 baht a m2 and I buy all the materials, in case you think Im some mug I aint, the concrete is 210 ksc its 1680 baht a cube as I need about 150 cubes

The road is for light use its 10cm thick with 4mm mesh @20cm centres buried in the middle of the road.

The formwork is 10cm by 6 metre long "C section" steel its on compacted stone about 5 inch thick.

I bought the steel 12 rolls of 20x20cm grid 4 mm thick 50 metres long for 37200 baht (3100baht each) the concrete will cost around 250k baht his labour about 85k baht the whole ot around 380k baht

Total area is 1420m2 and 2.5-3 metres wide ( varies)

His old workers I knew quite well, they worked well and I wa s happy to get them a couple of drinks a day ie M150 or Coffee, this lot though obviously think im a soft touch, theyve slit their own throat now as Im supplying nothing.

No problem communicating with the builder .

So the total finished price is about 267 baht a m2..............which is pretty good as far as i know

Many thanks. I need to do the same out the back. The honey cart struggles to traverse the dirt road during the wet season.

[maderaroja]

I just let my "Thai Fiancee'" handle it. She gives nothing. She refuses to tip or give anything more than yin nam. She pays at the end of each day, after a thorough inspection. Dang. She's tough -- has had many experiences --- and puts up with nothing. I just open the door and say: "Go Get 'Em, Honey."

Can you rent your lady out? I need a house built.

[kannot]

Am having a concrete road laid round my land, have used the builder before, his staff came 2 days ago and I asked them if they wanted a few fish from my lake. I went out and got 5-6 for them. The next day they decided this meant they could go at will and take fish again, this time borrowing my boat and bringing their own net.

My Wife told the boss this was "not on"

His response..............its my fault for giving them some fish.

Even my Wife was amazed at this reply.

Oh well he just lost the big job coming later, not that he'll care at all.

How much a square metre did it cost for the concrete road?

Thanks.

OK Ill give all the members the full story ( except for the ignore ****)

Ive used this builder a few times over the last 3 years, he does not charge crazy prices, hes always been reasonable in his work, not incredible just "ok"

The workers who came this time are obviously a "new bunch" have a feeling hes very busy and got them in.

The price is 60 baht a m2 and I buy all the materials, in case you think Im some mug I aint, the concrete is 210 ksc its 1680 baht a cube as I need about 150 cubes

The road is for light use its 10cm thick with 4mm mesh @20cm centres buried in the middle of the road.

The formwork is 10cm by 6 metre long "C section" steel its on compacted stone about 5 inch thick.

I bought the steel 12 rolls of 20x20cm grid 4 mm thick for 37200 baht (3100baht each) the concrete will cost around 250k baht his labour about 85k baht the whole ot around 380k baht

Total area is 1420m2 and 2.5-3 metres wide ( varies)

His old workers I knew quite well, they worked well and I wa s happy to get them a couple of drinks a day ie M150 or Coffee, this lot though obviously think im a soft touch, theyve slit their own throat now as Im supplying nothing.

No problem communicating with the builder .

So the total finished price is about 262 baht a m2..............which is pretty good as far as i know

You don't sound like no "mug", but thanks for the chuckle.

That expression went of use in the States when Jimmy Cagney quit making movies!

"who" Use it in the UK still as far as I know.

[kannot]

I just let my "Thai Fiancee'" handle it. She gives nothing. She refuses to tip or give anything more than yin nam. She pays at the end of each day, after a thorough inspection. Dang. She's tough -- has had many experiences --- and puts up with nothing. I just open the door and say: "Go Get 'Em, Honey."

Can you rent your lady out? I need a house built.

Seriously if you can do it yourself you will feel so much better. and have way less stress..........I had no plans to build my two houses but in the end did it anyway.

Today just dug 4 metre deep holes for precast columns for a "cooking house", was going to ask the builder but changed my mind.

Edited November 10, 2014 by kannot

[CharlieH]

Moving to D-I-Y housing forum

[kannot]

Forgot to add hes never paid a satang until hes done OR if hes done a "stage" of the work, Wife controls the money with him.

Edited November 10, 2014 by kannot

[Benmart]

incredible how so many situations like this seem to happen same guys over and over!! lol

Not really my business to ridicule others.

Suggesting alternatives, sharing similar experiences or providing support might be an option for those that are capable of such things.

[Albertnobgammer]

I had labourers working in my house with crappy tools, an old nail and a brick to hammer broken plaster off the walls, it would be fixed for free, warranty.

I gave them a real hammer, chissel and pizza, cold pepsi, cigarettes..

When they were gone the tools were missing as well. Later they had to work at another house in the street, i went there and of course they used my tools (which even had our house# in it marked).

Another company, for steel bars had done our whole house for 60k baht. 6 months later my wife called them to build a carport and some small roofs from stainless steel. (total job for 100k baht). The guy made an appointment but didn't show up. We made a new appointment with him but after 2 hours waiting we just went out without seeing him.

I had a gang that thought a chisel was a 4 inch length of garden hose with a concrete nail stuck through it.

But the absolute worst destructive person in my place is my wife.

I have had a blender/spice grinder for years, never fails, all it says is do not run it continuously for more than 5 minutes. The wife used it to grind up some dried chilli, left it going for 15 minutes, now total kak - smoke pouring out from the damn thing.

Loy Kratong, they burn these Bees wax candles in the house, each one is for some family member or some drivel, we have (HAD) polished varnished wood floors. She gets a ceramic tile, lays it on the floor, plants about 5 of these candles on it and lights them and disappears.

Comes back, the wax has run everywhere, all the tiles are stuck to the wood floor. (I didn't mention that during Loy Kratong they apologize for their disgusting behavior of chucking all of their crap in the river, then two days later revert to dumpimg tons of black bin bags full of shit and plastic back in the river)

Logic to me would say get a hair drier or some sort of heat to melt the wax. (The tile is firmly glued to the wood floor) So, what does the Thai do? Hair drier? not on your Nelly, she gets a chopping axe and hacks the tile off the floor along with all the varnish and gouges all the wood.

I asked my 13 year old son (who is half Thai what he would have done, the chopping axe was not even mentioned) But then you take the Thai family that has a son that goes to the same school as my son. The parents bought the kid a 250CC Kawasaki, he has no idea even how to ride a bike - He has been riding it for almost a month yet does not know what the clutch is for!!!!!!! He never uses it. He saw me and my son driving back in the car from school today and thought it would be a good idea to pop alongside the car to beep the horn.....at 120KMH! The family never even considered buying him a bloody helmet!

Maybe if we had an electric saw we could have simply cut out the tile and the wood floor - it would have made a nice serving hatch from downstairs.

They are a one off for their logic, they truly are a unique breed and need to be preserved for scientific research, never ever in Asia have I come across a mentality like the Thai.

They sit smugly and ridicule the Chinese tourists as being impolite and ignorant.....! The Chinese will eat these idiots for breakfast. Will be interesting to see how the China/Thai/Laos Road / Rail Link goes......that should be fun. Probably have to get off the Chinese High Speed Trains at the Thai border and get on a Hornby OO gauge for the journey to Bangkok. (Their road link is already a complete disaster, they started a DUAL carriageway up where I live that was going to link North Thailand to Bangkok, it ended up taking nearly 7 years to tarmac a 3 mile stretch of road which is still being patched up as I type, They opened a new section today, links Chiang Mai to the Chom Thong road, just opened and it is having to have pot holes repaired, it is a joke, a joke country run by a joke leader, the JOKER!

They must be the laughing stock of Asia, China will make them their Bitch!

Edited November 10, 2014 by Albertnobgammer

[Aussieroaming]

This story sounds fishy to me

[bankruatsteve]

Yah. If you need to bitch about your life - do it in another forum please.

[buggerlugs]

I have to be the lucky guy. The missus lived outside Thailand for years before we met and doesn't suffer bad workmen easily. She can lay cable, repair ACs etc. When she had some guys out to fix the kitchen roof she was up there with them telling them how she wanted the job done. Finally they complained. ' Lady you talk too much' Her answer well I'm paying your wages so do my my way or F*** off. They did as they were told.Then she laid the new wiring for the security lights herself as she wasn't happy with their work. Problems come when she tries to tell me how things should be done when it is is my job

and she has had to eat crow when I have been shown right. Still love her to bits though.

[Walter27]

If it was only happening in Thailand then it would be strange.

I have had workers and builders fail to show in many countries.

Sometimes they have never returned and even left equipment .

No, they were not paid in advance. Most did some work and

then disappeared.

I never hired any of them again so there were no second times

like so other posters have mentioned.

There is always someone who will do the job properly, for a

reasonable price. Ask for recommendations locally.

In Thailand I have asked responsible businessmen for

recommendations and the few times the recommended

workers did not come back when expected the Thai businessmen

personally got them to return and personally checked the jobs

to make certain that the job was done correctly.

If you have contacts that like you and value your business'or

relationship ask them for help.

[sdanielmcev]

I'm a carpenter. Your house/home will probably be the biggest investment most people will make in their lifetime. Learning the language is extremely important. And, I don't mean Thai.

[Elsuisso]

I had labourers working in my house with crappy tools, an old nail and a brick to hammer broken plaster off the walls, it would be fixed for free, warranty.

I gave them a real hammer, chissel and pizza, cold pepsi, cigarettes..

When they were gone the tools were missing as well. Later they had to work at another house in the street, i went there and of course they used my tools (which even had our house# in it marked).

Another company, for steel bars had done our whole house for 60k baht. 6 months later my wife called them to build a carport and some small roofs from stainless steel. (total job for 100k baht). The guy made an appointment but didn't show up. We made a new appointment with him but after 2 hours waiting we just went out without seeing him.

I had a gang that thought a chisel was a 4 inch length of garden hose with a concrete nail stuck through it.

But the absolute worst destructive person in my place is my wife.

I have had a blender/spice grinder for years, never fails, all it says is do not run it continuously for more than 5 minutes. The wife used it to grind up some dried chilli, left it going for 15 minutes, now total kak - smoke pouring out from the damn thing.

Loy Kratong, they burn these Bees wax candles in the house, each one is for some family member or some drivel, we have (HAD) polished varnished wood floors. She gets a ceramic tile, lays it on the floor, plants about 5 of these candles on it and lights them and disappears.

Comes back, the wax has run everywhere, all the tiles are stuck to the wood floor. (I didn't mention that during Loy Kratong they apologize for their disgusting behavior of chucking all of their crap in the river, then two days later revert to dumpimg tons of black bin bags full of shit and plastic back in the river)

Logic to me would say get a hair drier or some sort of heat to melt the wax. (The tile is firmly glued to the wood floor) So, what does the Thai do? Hair drier? not on your Nelly, she gets a chopping axe and hacks the tile off the floor along with all the varnish and gouges all the wood.

I asked my 13 year old son (who is half Thai what he would have done, the chopping axe was not even mentioned) But then you take the Thai family that has a son that goes to the same school as my son. The parents bought the kid a 250CC Kawasaki, he has no idea even how to ride a bike - He has been riding it for almost a month yet does not know what the clutch is for!!!!!!! He never uses it. He saw me and my son driving back in the car from school today and thought it would be a good idea to pop alongside the car to beep the horn.....at 120KMH! The family never even considered buying him a bloody helmet!

Maybe if we had an electric saw we could have simply cut out the tile and the wood floor - it would have made a nice serving hatch from downstairs.

They are a one off for their logic, they truly are a unique breed and need to be preserved for scientific research, never ever in Asia have I come across a mentality like the Thai.

They sit smugly and ridicule the Chinese tourists as being impolite and ignorant.....! The Chinese will eat these idiots for breakfast. Will be interesting to see how the China/Thai/Laos Road / Rail Link goes......that should be fun. Probably have to get off the Chinese High Speed Trains at the Thai border and get on a Hornby OO gauge for the journey to Bangkok. (Their road link is already a complete disaster, they started a DUAL carriageway up where I live that was going to link North Thailand to Bangkok, it ended up taking nearly 7 years to tarmac a 3 mile stretch of road which is still being patched up as I type, They opened a new section today, links Chiang Mai to the Chom Thong road, just opened and it is having to have pot holes repaired, it is a joke, a joke country run by a joke leader, the JOKER!

They must be the laughing stock of Asia, China will make them their Bitch!

Almost pissing myself laughing! Honestly your style of writing and your experiences are funny, I have also seen some decisions made by Thais similar to yours and it just leaves you with your chin on the floor and scratching your head like Stan Laural - I too have never experienced anything as illogical as the Thai cognitive process.

Great post!

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[jacko45k]

Yep, just put the troll on 'ignore' like many have.

Regards workers taking stuff, they will take the piss if you let them. Best to not go out of your way being kind and generous -- lending stuff, giving food/drink etc -- as it's just an invitation to do so. Tough to find a conscientious team here, do as much as you can yourself.

If you have any trees in fruit, better you consider harvesting because they will be gone too!