Can they stop me from smoking on my balcony ?

[ttthailand]

I got a letter today from my condo management on Suk 81 area in Bkk saying I could not smoke on my balcony because it bothered the lady directly above me. I live on the 15th floor and there are about 200 units in the building and no rules about smoking. Fanny part is I don't really smoke except once in awhile when I have visitors. Another crazy thing is that the condo under mine and directly beside mine have heavy smokers who are out there all day long smoking. I tried to explain at the office that it is not correct to say I can not smoke on my condo balcony if everyone else can and they can not request this just because one lady complains.

I complained about this lady washing her balcony all the time and getting dirty water on my cloths I just hung out so perhaps she has been trying to figure out something to complain about.... Can they enforce this no smoking ? What would you do if this happened to you ?

[ukrules]

I'd tell them to go <deleted> themselves and wait and see what happens. Don't allow yourself to be bullied.

Edited September 10, 2015 by ukrules

[rgs2001uk]

Throw the letter in the bin and ignore, nothing anyone can do.

[h90]

Don't smoke outside for 1 week and than do again as always

[Bulldozer Dawn]

The smartest long term strategy here is for you to give up smoking.

The hag above is trying to save your life for Christ's sake.

[ttthailand]

The smartest long term strategy here is for you to give up smoking.

The hag above is trying to save your life for Christ's sake.

now that was a different response. To be honest I don't really smoke ... Just a few times a year and only when drinking. When I entertain however sometimes people like to smoke and a quick trip out on the balcony for 10 minutes is all it takes. If not this it is traveling down to the first floor and exiting the building and then returning. A major deal just for a smoke. Besides everyone else can so why should my balcony be different. The lady can close her window for 10 minutes if she don't like. And in addition how does she know the smoke is coming from my balcony and not another condo ?

It's just not right ! It would be the same as someone telling you you can not talk on your balcony because it bothers them.

[mogandave]

Just say okay, sorry, okay, sorry, okay, sorry....

[vogie]

The smartest long term strategy here is for you to give up smoking.

The hag above is trying to save your life for Christ's sake.

now that was a different response. To be honest I don't really smoke ... Just a few times a year and only when drinking. When I entertain however sometimes people like to smoke and a quick trip out on the balcony for 10 minutes is all it takes. If not this it is traveling down to the first floor and exiting the building and then returning. A major deal just for a smoke. Besides everyone else can so why should my balcony be different. The lady can close her window for 10 minutes if she don't like. And in addition how does she know the smoke is coming from my balcony and not another condo ?

It's just not right ! It would be the same as someone telling you you can not talk on your balcony because it bothers them.

Just because everybody else does it, it does not mean you have to. Be the better man and stop, I'm sure you will feel better for it.

[SoiBiker]

I don't blame her. Second hand smoke stinks. If you only smoke a few times a year anyway, do the decent thing and do it elsewhere.

[Eddy B]

Take a can of air freshener out with you. After every other drag on the ciggy aim the air freshener up and give her a blast of it. If she leans over and complains you could also turn it into a flame thrower............

[rgs2001uk]

Go and employ 4 Burmese labourers, tell them you will pay them 400 baht per day to sit on your balcony and smoke cigarettes you provide, works about about 2,000 baht per day, well worth it.

Suk 81, LOL, its hardly a HiSo place.

[rgs2001uk]

I don't blame her. Second hand smoke stinks. If you only smoke a few times a year anyway, do the decent thing and do it elsewhere.

He is doing it in the privacy on his own balcony, where do you suggest he goes?

[ttthailand]

The smartest long term strategy here is for you to give up smoking.

The hag above is trying to save your life for Christ's sake.

now that was a different response. To be honest I don't really smoke ... Just a few times a year and only when drinking. When I entertain however sometimes people like to smoke and a quick trip out on the balcony for 10 minutes is all it takes. If not this it is traveling down to the first floor and exiting the building and then returning. A major deal just for a smoke. Besides everyone else can so why should my balcony be different. The lady can close her window for 10 minutes if she don't like. And in addition how does she know the smoke is coming from my balcony and not another condo ?

It's just not right ! It would be the same as someone telling you you can not talk on your balcony because it bothers them.

Just because everybody else does it, it does not mean you have to. Be the better man and stop, I'm sure you will feel better for it.

I understand what you say and it may be a good way to approach the matter. I rent the condo so I don't care about resale but if I did own then you would eliminate 25 percent of your buyers. Plus I think this lady is just trying to get even from me asking her not to splash water everywhere when washing her balcony. In addition, if you let people take advantage they will.

[ttthailand]

I don't blame her. Second hand smoke stinks. If you only smoke a few times a year anyway, do the decent thing and do it elsewhere.

that's one way to look at it or perhaps she can close her door every blue moon when she smells some smoke and not bully her neighbors. Condo living is a give and take situation. You can't always control everything around you.

You have all the traffic pollution and she worries about a Little smoke... I think she is just a pain in the butt.

[tx22cb]

You complained first, then she complains.

I assume that when you complained to the condo management about her washing her balcony, the condo mgmt sent her a warning letter, and she was forced to comply with the request.

So why should she have to change her habit when you complain, but you don't have to change when she complains?

If you (or your friends) want to smoke, you have the option of doing so inside your room or in the bathroom.

If the lady wants to wash her balcony, what alternative does she have?! She's got to do it in situ.

Double standards?

I suspect if the condo mgmt are unable to get you to stop smoking on your balcony, the lady upstairs will resume washing her balcony with gay abandon.

[vogie]

I don't blame her. Second hand smoke stinks. If you only smoke a few times a year anyway, do the decent thing and do it elsewhere.

that's one way to look at it or perhaps she can close her door every blue moon when she smells some smoke and not bully her neighbors. Condo living is a give and take situation. You can't always control everything around you.

You have all the traffic pollution and she worries about a Little smoke... I think she is just a pain in the butt.

Eat more greens and instead of smoking, simply fart, give her something to really complain about, if they send you a letter just say its the drains, sorted.

[ttthailand]

You complained first, then she complains.

I assume that when you complained to the condo management about her washing her balcony, the condo mgmt sent her a warning letter, and she was forced to comply with the request.

So why should she have to change her habit when you complain, but you don't have to change when she complains?

If you (or your friends) want to smoke, you have the option of doing so inside your room or in the bathroom.

If the lady wants to wash her balcony, what alternative does she have?! She's got to do it in situ.

Double standards?

I suspect if the condo mgmt are unable to get you to stop smoking on your balcony, the lady upstairs will resume washing her balcony with gay abandon.

the truth is that you can wash your balcony without splashing all the water down on the people below you very easy. Keep in mind that there is another condo 5 meters to the right of me that has people smoking. The wind blows like crazy at this height so she would get 100 times more smoke from this other unit than from my unit as I think only 4 time my balcony has been smoked on and the other is every day all day.... I had a small quiet party and there were three people smoking at the same time for about 20 minutes.... Maybe one hour of total smoke time this year.... do the math.

But your comments are welcome, cheers !

[The Dancer]

Easy solution. Let's say X is the amount of trouble water splashing from her balcony causes you and Y is the amount not being able to smoke out on your balcony causes. Three cases:

X > Y: Stop smoking outside.

Y> X: Tell her to take a flying fork at the moon.

X = Y: Toss a coin, see above.

[KittenKongRedux]

Thai law prohibits people from smoking in common areas in condo buildings, just as it does in shops and cinemas and what-have-you. Some condo buildings consider the balconies of units to be common areas also. So whether you can smoke on "your" balcony or not rather depends on the individual interpretation that the building has of the status of that balcony.

Also most if not all buildings will have rules and regulations that prevent co-owners from annoying other co-owners, and there can be little doubt that smelly smoke (or smelly cooking) can be an annoyance.

Before the coup there was talk of a project of law that would prohibit all smoking anywhere in condo buildings including inside individual units, but I have no idea of how far it progressed towards being enacted.

[smokie36]

Mad look....smile....crazy farang.....no problem.

Tell them nothing.

[jaiyenyen]

I don't see the problem. If you are such an infrequent smoker and other families around you are heavy smokers, the lady is going to have cause to complain again very soon. That would put you in the clear. Also, how do you know other residents haven't received a warning notice?

[noikrit]

Can they stop you ??? ......... Only if you fall ....

[ttthailand]

I don't see the problem. If you are such an infrequent smoker and other families around you are heavy smokers, the lady is going to have cause to complain again very soon. That would put you in the clear. Also, how do you know other residents haven't received a warning notice?

as I stated prior, I believe it has something to do with my complaint to the office a month earlier about her cleaning her balcony and splashing nasty dirty water all over my washed cloths. She had done this a few times and I just let wanted to let her know. Office said that she only complained about smoke from my unit...

[Thian]

So she weeps dirty water onto your laundry?

Mate have you tried smoking meat on the barbie? It's awesome and only takes 8-12 hours. Use good woodchips from Homepro and sure your friends will come back soon for more.

All farang do it, my neighbours all love it. They even want to borrow my bbq, serious.

[Loptr]

Just do as any Thai would , ignore the letter and do as you please...

[realenglish1]

You can smoke on your balcony but do not throw your butts over it

Then they have reason

[uptheos]

What does it say on your lease?

[flyingdoc]

Try Zyban and the problem will never arise again !

[Emster23]

Suggest to management they have her keep a record for a week of every time smoking bothers her. Keep a record of when you smoke. See how well they match up. Records might show it is other smokers that are bothering her, like the ones below you, or off to side. If worse came to worst you could take a small fan out there to blow it away.....

[ttthailand]

What does it say on your lease?

no mention of smoking one way or the other. The office used a different approach saying I was creating a problem with others. Same they would do if you were making too much noise.