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JRinger, on 2011-07-31 13:27:42, said:
Looks like you've dug yourself a fairly deep pit.
All the legal advice and whatnot won't do you much good after stepping on your neighbor's toes, as it seems obvious.
His plan is to make your life is miserable for eternity. You are not Thai, you have no rights in this country unless you pay for them and even then, those 'rights' are temporary. Even more so if you're wife/girlfriend isn't from that area or village.
By all means, pay out the nose for a farang lawyer who won't guarantee anything but will expect money in advance.
If you're going to live in this country you need to get a grasp of the Thai language as well as accepting the local customs, even if you fake it.
I can almost visualize you, your wife and neighbor standing there arguing while you're telling your wife to tell him this and that and she probably only understands or remembers small bits of what your saying; then, you're nagging at her, "what did he say?" and no doubt your response is "Bullshit", fark him, of which he understands with the help of your facial expression.
Anyway, most neighbors everywhere are friends in the beginning and then become enemies for some reason or other.
I'd sell the place and move or wise up and have a little respect for people who do have legal and customary rights, unlike yourself. Doesn't matter how much money you have unless you're willing to pay off everyone for your remaining years in that house but still no guarantee that the problems will disappear.
All the legal advice and whatnot won't do you much good after stepping on your neighbor's toes, as it seems obvious.
His plan is to make your life is miserable for eternity. You are not Thai, you have no rights in this country unless you pay for them and even then, those 'rights' are temporary. Even more so if you're wife/girlfriend isn't from that area or village.
By all means, pay out the nose for a farang lawyer who won't guarantee anything but will expect money in advance.
If you're going to live in this country you need to get a grasp of the Thai language as well as accepting the local customs, even if you fake it.
I can almost visualize you, your wife and neighbor standing there arguing while you're telling your wife to tell him this and that and she probably only understands or remembers small bits of what your saying; then, you're nagging at her, "what did he say?" and no doubt your response is "Bullshit", fark him, of which he understands with the help of your facial expression.
Anyway, most neighbors everywhere are friends in the beginning and then become enemies for some reason or other.
I'd sell the place and move or wise up and have a little respect for people who do have legal and customary rights, unlike yourself. Doesn't matter how much money you have unless you're willing to pay off everyone for your remaining years in that house but still no guarantee that the problems will disappear.
Oh NOW I know where I am going wrong! I will go visit him immediately;I already have my speech prepared. “Mr Thai man I am sorry that you have wastedso much time persecuting me over the past 6 months. Please forgive me for I am only a stupidfarang who wasn’t aware that it was a Thai custom to harangue yourneighbours. How can I make amends? Perhaps you would like me to remove all thosenasty trees and bushes then build a wall one metre away from yours. I could then make you a gift of the metrestrip of land. Or maybe I could fill inthe pool and bulldoze everything into its original fabulous state before I hadthe effrontery to develop the land. Inaddition I could kiss your arse once a week for eternity”.
How dare you presume to teach me manners? Approaching my septuagenarian years I do notneed such advice. “You have no rights in this country” Bullshit! Not withstanding that, my wife is Thai, she is a successful and well respected businesswoman, and she owns the property. Doesn’tshe have rights, or did she forgo these when she was stupid enough to marry afarang? She has also lived in this area for most of her life.
“Get a grasp of the Thai language” I’ve lived in thiscountry for only 2.5 years; I speak enough Thai to get by in everydaysituations, but by no stretch of the imagination could I hold an in depthdiscussion about boundary rights. Isuspect this applies to the vast majority of farangs.
“Accept the local customs” We live on a middle class estatecomprising mostly professionals and business people. I am the only foreigner. I know most of them and many are goodfriends. I teach their children; theyoften bring round gifts and their kids are always welcome to use the pool. Frankly if I didn’t accept their customs andway of life they probably wouldn’t give me the time of day.
“Stand there arguing” Apart from the initial approach by mywife when she asked if she could tidy up the wall neither if us has spoken tothe neighbour – his complaints have always been through third parties. I do remember when I first levelled the site;they were looking over the wall at me. Igave the TRADITION greeting. They lookedstraight through me without response. Another Thai was with me at the time and he considered that to be totally unacceptable.
“Have a little respect” After what I’ve just written? I show respect when it is deserved.
My original posting was to invite informed opinions relatingto the dispute over the wall. Thereplies have confirmed my opinion on the matter and I don’t intend to lose anysleep over it. H
