An open letter to Thai landlords

[Craig krup]

1) The acid test of any apartment is not how big the bed is. A bed needs to be big enough. Less is often more, and more than enough is by definition less. A bed in a standard studio will generally not have two full sized farangs in it, and even when it does it needn't be six and a half feet long and six feet. Such monstrosities dwarf the apartment, and you can't move for the ******g thing.

 

2) Folk absolutely need a comfortable armchair to sit in and read or watch TV. You wouldn't sit in your own house on crap dining room chairs, garden furniture or the like, so why on Earth would you think your renters want that? Put yourself in their position if that's a feat of the imagination open to you. You'd want an Ikea bentwood chair and a footstool, wouldn't you. Top Tip - so do other folk.

 

3) Good wi-fi is like oxygen. It's an absolute necessity. If your building is a load of poured concrete and you thought you'd save a few baht by having one router and True's Ebeneezer Scrooge package then this was the biggest false economy since Rocky Marciano's sparring partner decided he didn't want to pay for a groin protector. All your tenants hate you and they're going to move out.

Edited August 5, 2016 by Craig krup
Missing word

[geronimo]

Did we have a bad day today?

[Rob13]

5 minutes ago, Craig krup said:

more than enough is by definition less.

 

 

hmmmm

[Craig krup]

On 02/08/2016 at 8:11 AM, johnnygimbo said:

 

 

2 hours ago, Craig krup said:

 

 

I'm broken with the whole +@#!&*g thing. I couldn't get rid of these stupid quotes above either.

 

It's like dealing with a national spectrum disorder. The English bloke next door went off his head when his wife and the other village women because they thought that an appropriate toy for two year olds was a rubber cobra. They'd already had a real one in the garden. It hadn't occurred to them that the kids might be more likely to touch a real one after having the toy.

 

What would induce a thousand condo owners to look only at what others are doing without ever thinking, "What would I need to be comfortable?"

[geronimo]

2 minutes ago, Craig krup said:

 

 

I'm broken with the whole +@#!&*g thing. I couldn't get rid of these stupid quotes above either.

 

It's like dealing with a national spectrum disorder. The English bloke next door went off his head when his wife and the other village women because they thought that an appropriate toy for two year olds was a rubber cobra. They'd already had a real one in the garden. It hadn't occurred to them that the kids might be more likely to touch a real one after having the toy.

 

What would induce a thousand condo owners to look only at what others are doing without ever thinking, "What would I need to be comfortable?"

Why would one want to know what would induce a thousand condo owners to look only at what others are doing without ever thinking, "What would I need to be comfortable?"?

[Gulfsailor]

A big bed is a must! The first thing I did when moving into my new rental house was to purchase a custom size 7ft x 6.5ft mattress. Had to hoist it into the upstairs bedroom as the door and stairwell were to small, but best purchase I made in the past 10 years!

[Rob13]

4 minutes ago, Craig krup said:

, "What would I need to be comfortable?"

 

 

Change of venue might help

[saakura]

Did we have a bad day today?

Bad day everyday if you happen to be a big frame oversized farang renting a matchbox studio designed for slim petite asians.

[swissie]

Must agree with OP as far as # 3 is concerned. Even in "not so cheap Hotels", I have found Internet Access for guests a disgrace.

 

This must be the concept: "We don't want our guests to fiddle with their laptops in their room, we want those guests to fiddle with our hostesses in the hotel-bar." For obvious reasons.

 

Cheers.

[kannot]

Hi Im a Thai landlord and we  sit  on the floor, eat out of foam containers and use our fingers and can sleep on the floor with a rolled up mat , what we  really need is a massive ferk off tv and as  such thats what we'll give you.

Internet is free with  the latest phone which all us  Thais  will have even if we  cant afford  it so "no need".

[lkn]

Seems your issues can easily be addressed if you are willing to spend (more) money or maybe talk with your landlord.

 

If you won’t pay, then I’m afraid the old adage applies: Beggars can’t be choosers!

 

[SoiBiker]

Open letter to farang tenants - 

 

Stop renting crappy cheap new-build shoebox studios. There are plenty of decent places out there.

[MyFrenU]

"Why Falang need hot water for shower,Thailand not cold?"

[smutcakes]

I have a lovely big bed, extremely good wifi and multiple lounge chairs to relax.

 

I and many of the people in my block are extremely happy with our landlord and his responsiveness.

 

I pay about 60k a month and would happily pay more should the rent go up.

 

I would suggest if people rent shitty little shoe boxes for 5-10k a month you are at risk of getting shitty landlords and unlikely to benefit from 5 star hotel facilities and services. There is a legitimate reason why some rents are high and others low.

[SoiBiker]

I have a huge bed, a huge sofa, and several other rooms to go into if I want more space, for 20k a month.

 

Why people insist on paying so much for so little confuses me.

[smutcakes]

15 minutes ago, SoiBiker said:

I have a huge bed, a huge sofa, and several other rooms to go into if I want more space, for 20k a month.

 

Why people insist on paying so much for so little confuses me.

 

Like anywhere in the world,  i presume its all related to location, demand and supply and each individuals perception of worth. 

 

I could rent somewhere very big and nice for the same money in Rangsit, but i don't fancy sitting in traffic for 4 hours a day going to and from work. I could probably rent something the same size or bigger for less money on the same soi, but it would be a lot older and  not have the facilities that i currently have. People pay more because they have different requirements and desires. The same why some people want to eat in restaurants rather than at home. You can always do things cheaper if you want, why would you pay 20K, when you can get the same for 10K? 

[Bung]

The opportunity sounds like he is complaining that he is too cheap or can't afford a decent place to live? You signed the contract and decided to live there. 

[SoiBiker]

9 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

 

Like anywhere in the world,  i presume its all related to location, demand and supply and each individuals perception of worth. 

 

I could rent somewhere very big and nice for the same money in Rangsit, but i don't fancy sitting in traffic for 4 hours a day going to and from work. I could probably rent something the same size or bigger for less money on the same soi, but it would be a lot older and  not have the facilities that i currently have. People pay more because they have different requirements and desires. The same why some people want to eat in restaurants rather than at home. You can always do things cheaper if you want, why would you pay 20K, when you can get the same for 10K? 

 

I don't live somewhere miles out in the middle of nowhere like Rangsit. God forbid!

[trogers]

I want all these at Bt3000 a month...

 

PS add a jacuzzi for two as well...

[Aussieroaming]

Don't you look before you agree to a tenancy?

[mcfish]

The joys of renting. Everything is just crappy, what a way to live a life...

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[Craig krup]

On 8/6/2016 at 7:13 AM, smutcakes said:

I have a lovely big bed, extremely good wifi and multiple lounge chairs to relax.

 

I and many of the people in my block are extremely happy with our landlord and his responsiveness.

 

I pay about 60k a month and would happily pay more should the rent go up.

 

If you're paying 60k a month for the benefit of having furniture which cost 5k in total then I'm sure your landlord absolutely loves you. 

 

[Craig krup]

On 8/6/2016 at 8:07 AM, Bung said:

[He] sounds like he is complaining that he is too cheap or can't afford a decent place to live? You signed the contract and decided to live there. 

 

Not quite. I'm saying that across the board landlords behave irrationally. A massive bed costs money, and all it does is get in the way in a small condo. In a thirty square meter condo, for a single person with a girlfriend who stays occasionally (i.e. nearly all condo renters), you'd want 1) at least one comfortable armchair with a footstool so that you can read, 2) a desk with enough depth to allow a laptop and enough width to allow a book or notes next to it, and a comfortable chair to allow you to work, 3) a bed about 1.5 times the size of a normal single bed, 4) powerpoints on the back balcony so that you can plug in a rice cooker and an induction plate and 5) a fridge where the icebox doesn't freeze up and block the hinges in five days. 

 

What do you get in most condos (which means that choice doesn't enter into it)? 1) No armchair. A basic Ikea armchair is 2,000 baht. Put a throw over it so that you can wash it easily and you're incredibly comfortable. Without that a room is a torture chamber - a dungeon of ill ease. 2) A tiny desk with a 200 baht garden furniture chair. 3) A ludicrous bed which dominates the entire room. 4) A balcony with a sink but no power. 5) A Thai fridge that is so badly designed the ice box door is creaking and threatening to break in a couple of days. 

 

We're not talking about spending any extra money, and choice doesn't come into it because I've probably seen forty or fifty condos and they're all furnished by people who've only ever thought about copying everyone else. There's no thought. 

 

The whole country is so under-capitalised that renting a dirt cheap unfurnished place and then spending a little bit of money on furniture is probably the way forward.

 

Lots of the landlords just have absolutely no business sense at all. An air con unit is only 15,000 baht and you still have fan rooms that air 1,000 baht cheaper than the comparable A/C room. So a 12,000 baht return on a 15,000 haht investment - an 80% return on investment. What's the motto of Thai condo owners - "Let's spoil the ship for a penny's worth of tar". 

[JJGreen]

Im the studio room category...Thai people use the bed for sleeping...for relaxing..for eating....as a chair.

The same Thai people use their phone plans for Internet. 

Why waste space with a comfy chair.

Studios... u get what u pay for 

[slipperylobster]

Have the big bed and a large lazy boy chair.   Plenty comfortable...and fairly cheap. Had our stuff for 5 years, and would never think of using somebody else's mattress (except in a hotel on the road).

 

Renting is a good thing...and plenty large places available for less than 12000 baht. No way would I buy a home, as we like trying new places, every few years.  You don't buy a home if you are not staying!   Moving furniture by truck is not expensive either....even from all the way up North...to an island down south.

 

Buy your own chair and bed...and take it with you when you leave...or sell later. Tell the landlord you don't want his bed in there.

 

 

Simple.

 

Edited August 11, 2016 by slipperylobster

[SoiBiker]

As far as I can tell, a lot of Thai people seem to use a mat on the floor for those things rather than a bed. 

 

And pretty much everyone uses their phones for internet. Its 2016. 

[AlexRRR]

Your judging Thai standards by your own, Thai's in general live simply unless of course if there loaded, the average Thai doesn't hang around there condo all day and night either.

 

Most down own a laptop, eat out mostly, if they want to relax and watch tv they lay in bed....

 

You may want to consider upping your budget to get a few more creature comforts i just looked recently around 8000 for a studio and 10,000 for a 1 bedroom with couch, tv and kitchen table, bring ur own hot plate and cooking utensils, microwave and decent fridge supplied in good building in a good area.

[thaihome]

On 8/11/2016 at 7:25 PM, Craig krup said:

 

Not quite. I'm saying that across the board landlords behave irrationally. A massive bed costs money, and all it does is get in the way in a small condo. In a thirty square meter condo, for a single person with a girlfriend who stays occasionally (i.e. nearly all condo renters), you'd want 1) at least one comfortable armchair with a footstool so that you can read, 2) a desk with enough depth to allow a laptop and enough width to allow a book or notes next to it, and a comfortable chair to allow you to work, 3) a bed about 1.5 times the size of a normal single bed, 4) powerpoints on the back balcony so that you can plug in a rice cooker and an induction plate and 5) a fridge where the icebox doesn't freeze up and block the hinges in five days. 

 

What do you get in most condos (which means that choice doesn't enter into it)? 1) No armchair. A basic Ikea armchair is 2,000 baht. Put a throw over it so that you can wash it easily and you're incredibly comfortable. Without that a room is a torture chamber - a dungeon of ill ease. 2) A tiny desk with a 200 baht garden furniture chair. 3) A ludicrous bed which dominates the entire room. 4) A balcony with a sink but no power. 5) A Thai fridge that is so badly designed the ice box door is creaking and threatening to break in a couple of days. 

 

We're not talking about spending any extra money, and choice doesn't come into it because I've probably seen forty or fifty condos and they're all furnished by people who've only ever thought about copying everyone else. There's no thought. 

 

The whole country is so under-capitalised that renting a dirt cheap unfurnished place and then spending a little bit of money on furniture is probably the way forward.

 

Lots of the landlords just have absolutely no business sense at all. An air con unit is only 15,000 baht and you still have fan rooms that air 1,000 baht cheaper than the comparable A/C room. So a 12,000 baht return on a 15,000 haht investment - an 80% return on investment. What's the motto of Thai condo owners - "Let's spoil the ship for a penny's worth of tar". 

Your entire premise is based on such generalities it is rendered completely invalid.  As pointed out by many, the root cause is your choice of an inappropriate apt for you. There are literally thousands of condos for rent in the CBD area of Bangkok, many (not all) that would likely fit you better. The fact that the one you chose is not the fault of "thai landlords", it's your fault. Accept that and you will be amazed at how your attitude about life will improve. ?

TH 

[Craig krup]

@Thaihome (I can't cope with the new website) - Yes, but to say that there are some that aren't a disaster is irrelevant if the issue is that the majority are needlessly a disaster. Nobody's saying you can't avoid the problem, I'm making a very different point - there's no need for the problem to exist at all. 

[thaihome]

4 minutes ago, Craig krup said:

@Thaihome (I can't cope with the new website) - Yes, but to say that there are some that aren't a disaster is irrelevant if the issue is that the majority are needlessly a disaster. Nobody's saying you can't avoid the problem, I'm making a very different point - there's no need for the problem to exist at all. 

 

Mate, you missed my point completely.  How do you know the "majority are a needless disaster "? Have you looked at the 5 or 6 thousand condos you need to to be able make such a generalization?  This is a problem because you are making it one.  I have lived in places in many countries,  there are goods and bad ones.

 

My choice was to live in good ones, often that required some extra effort. But whatever I ended up with, it was always my choice and it never occurred to me blame the landlord, much less every landlord in the whole <deleted> country.

TH