The Hazards of Building in Thailand

Post by **parrot** » May 27, 2011, 1:05 pm

A recycling 'shop' has existed on the Nongwahsaw-Udon Hwy for several years. About 3 years ago, someone built a nice home two lots up from the shop. An empty lot separated the home from the recycling trash.
In the past month or two, the trash has made its way right up to the homeowner's wall. I'd guess that the recycling shop either owns the empty lot, or they're encroaching on it with the owner not in the area. The piles get higher by the day.
This is a good example (to me, anyway) of the hazards of building in Thailand. The zoning laws that most of us are familiar with back in our home countries either don't exist here or aren't normally enforced.
When we built our home in the countryside 14 years ago, our biggest fear was having a pig farm pop up on the 23 rai next to ours. That hasn't happened. For 2 years people grew onions and spread chicken manure twice a year over the land.......that was pretty bad, but it was a bother for only 2 or 3 days. Now there's sugar cane.........that's been no problem. As long as the pig farm doesn't show up, I'm happy......but a day doesn't go by that I don't recognize the hazards of building in Thailand.

Post by **nkstan** » May 27, 2011, 1:22 pm

Definitely TIT.Good bit of info to give people a reason to take their time and get to know the local environment and its possibilities in the future.Actually,the same principle applies when renting,getting to know the neighborhood environment before plunking down the deposit and rent!Except that you can move in the near future,if needed!

Post by **RLTrader** » May 27, 2011, 1:38 pm

So you have three ways to go.
1. buy/build in a development and hope your neighbors are nice and don't have six barking dogs.

2. Build in the middle of no where and hope you don't get a pig farm as a neighbor.

3. Rent and if the above happens, move.

I am sure there are maybe a couple more options.

Post by **ajsp9** » May 27, 2011, 1:41 pm

Parrot, good suggestion.

In your own situation and in order to reduce your levels of concern would it not have been an option to purchase the 14 rai or at least some of the land directly adjacent to yours when you built your home?

I think another suggestion to prospective house builders is, if you can, to buy a bit extra land than you need to provide a 'buffer' between a bad neighbour or use.

Post by **fatbob** » May 27, 2011, 2:17 pm

Yes Parrot, thats what happened to me, my house is 30km out from Udon, wanted a bit of land and space around me so settled for 16 rai, finished the first stage of the house then three months later f--- me, the family out the back did a pig farm, probaly 100metres away, but my nice verandah for a cold afternoon beer was all over, the stench was horrendous, did'nt know what to do, the missus quote 'family big police cannot do anything', tried in the early stages before construction of farm was complete to get them to move to the back of there land, but I had to pay for that. You maybe would have thought they would have approached all neighbors before they commenced, they didnt. Thankfully six months into there venture all the pigs died and nothing has happened since, however if I had the chance to get land and build again I would buy at least 100rai!!!

Post by **jackspratt** » May 27, 2011, 2:21 pm

coxo wrote:Thankfully six months into there venture all the pigs died ..................

What do you recommend?

Post by **pienmash** » May 27, 2011, 2:25 pm

Seen this happen quite a few times in LOS , the worst case was a chap in Patts who built a lovely home in a residential area only to have a motorbike / car repair shop set up next door with the obvious mess n polution that goes with it.

Ref this case in the OP , i think if nothing can be done via the corect channels then a mysterious over night fire may be the answer , still a sad situation.

mash

Post by **trubrit** » May 27, 2011, 2:55 pm

pienmash wrote:Seen this happen quite a few times in LOS , the worst case was a chap in Patts who built a lovely home in a residential area only to have a motorbike / car repair shop set up next door with the obvious mess n polution that goes with it.

Ref this case in the OP , i think if nothing can be done via the corect channels then a mysterious over night fire may be the answer , still a sad situation.

mash

Getting back to the original mess . It definitely is a fire hazard .But can anyone explain to me the economics of these places . Every time I go by there are numerous pick ups and samlors unloading rubbish, but I have never seen a lorry taking any away. in the meantime the pile just gets bigger and bigger . The local scrap collector assures me " They pay very good price" I don't doubt that but where does their income come from? Is it a case of ' There's gold in them there hills?

Post by **pienmash** » May 27, 2011, 3:03 pm

TB ,,, all the waste cans , plastic /glass bottles and cardboard boxes from CC are taken weekly to the recycle place by the woman who helps out in the shop she gets approx 200-300 bt per week out of it and is well happy when added to the cash i give her ,,, so maybe these folks who scavenge do make some dosh ........ i aint posh but not enuff for me to stick my head in a stinky dstbin all day long and go home reeking of all sorts of nastyness.

mash.

Post by **trubrit** » May 27, 2011, 5:05 pm

pienmash wrote:TB ,,, all the waste cans , plastic /glass bottles and cardboard boxes from CC are taken weekly to the recycle place by the woman who helps out in the shop she gets approx 200-300 bt per week out of it and is well happy when added to the cash i give her ,,, so maybe these folks who scavenge do make some dosh ........ i aint posh but not enuff for me to stick my head in a stinky dstbin all day long and go home reeking of all sorts of nastyness.

mash.

Thats a load of rubbish Mr Mash

Actually my question was . What does the plant do with it as I never see it being taken away and obviously by the ever growing mountain it doesn't seem to be . Are they hoarders or what .?

Post by **pienmash** » May 27, 2011, 5:38 pm

Im sure once every blue moon Mr CARDBOARD , Mr PLASTIC , Mr TIN AND Mrs GLASS turn up in their 10 wheeler trucks and take the stuff away , must be late at night TB like 9pm when respectable gentlemen like you and i are tucked up in bed ........

Mash

Post by **Jing Jing** » May 27, 2011, 6:34 pm

But Thais on the other hand seem happy to build very expensive homes in the worst locations. If you go around Udon you will find many new homes in the middle of a commercial area or on a busy road. Land prices also seem to have no connection to reality.

Post by **nkstan** » May 28, 2011, 7:31 am

Jing Jing wrote:But Thais on the other hand seem happy to build very expensive homes in the worst locations. If you go around Udon you will find many new homes in the middle of a commercial area or on a busy road. Land prices also seem to have no connection to reality.

I have often wondered or thought that it is because of a different mindset.Possibly,the Thais see it as a way to standout/show off,less inclined to think about ''property values'' versus the places I have lived in America preferring a more pristine looking neighborhood and having property value consciousness!

Thais don't seem to be much of resale homes,preferring new,while in America many homes were bought with the idea of both residence and investment!

Post by **BillaRickaDickay** » May 28, 2011, 8:22 am

I can think of a few of reasons why Thais would let their hoards of scrap pile up. Speculation, buy cheap sell when the price goes up. A good advert, if you got plenty of gear piled up looks like you are busy. They dont want them dammed Falangs moving into the neighbourhood trying to push their fancy ideas on how to live.

Post by **lee** » May 28, 2011, 1:14 pm

Looking on the positive side some good things do happen though. An area close to us on a vacant plot of land people have been using it for Fly-tipping. Gradually over the months the rubbish has piled up and created a real eyesore. I thought it would probably stay like that indefinitely, then yesterday I noticed the rubbish had been cleared and a notice put up warning people that if they're caught fly-tipping they will be fined 2,000bt.

Post by **KHONDAHM** » May 29, 2011, 12:38 am

Another suggestion is to buy enough land to create a buffer AND make your own private road. Then, build so the back of your house faces the main road and the front faces your private road and land. That way, even if the worse happens, across the road or next door, it mitigates the eyesore a bit. Lots of American neighborhoods are developed that way (cul de sacs, half-moon driveways, and whatnot, for example).

Post by **fatbas***d** » May 29, 2011, 8:19 am

Wifey had a few rai in the country, thought was to build a weekend retreat there so filled the land and put in elect and water, Before we started proper, a large area right opposite was developed as Pig slaughter house, The sounds of screaming pigs bringing dispatched wasn't conducive to a lie in in the morning.
Abandoned the now useless land, thanking my luck at not going ahead with the building.

Post by **hairyharry** » May 30, 2011, 9:02 am

Interesting read. There are worst case scenario legal options available for noise nuisance but aromatic nuisances? Hmmmmm. I wonder, would Thais consider a pig farm next door preferable to a smelly farang...............?

Post by **trubrit** » May 30, 2011, 9:27 am

hairyharry wrote:Interesting read. There are worst case scenario legal options available for noise nuisance but aromatic nuisances? Hmmmmm. I wonder, would Thais consider a pig farm next door preferable to a smelly farang...............?

Wouldn't know . Why not tell us Hairy ?

Post by **Krista** » June 2, 2011, 11:34 am

Hi,
In your own situation and in order to reduce your levels of concern, would it not have been an option to purchase the 13 rai or at least some, of the land directly adjacent to yours when you built your home?