Thread: Hard to get good workers to do what you ask

I am building a small village of 38 houses. I have asked the workers many times "please dont do it this way" or this work is not good can you learn to do better.E.G One tile was broken in the corner of the patio out side the back door, instead of getting a new tile , the just filled it with concrete. Water pipe was too long so instead of cutting the plastic pipe to fit on the side wall they just bent it . Does anyone else know what I am talking about.Too many problems to write down Luckily only 7 more houses to finish. Then the big retirement ...Oh , when I put this thread on a well known thai forum I got shot down in flames as they said my wife would run away with all the money .Well she is still with me and if it wasnt for her it would have gone down after the first 2 months. Thanks all.

Easy to get good workers to do what you ask.
Hard to get good workers....

You're building a whole village? For who?

your wifes going to run away with all the money...TV by any chance?

any how i have never built here. But even just giving advice to a Thai as a falang is difficult they seem to always want to check with another thai!

i would suggest employing or finding amongst the current staff a decent foreman. Pay them a bonus on each house if completed correctly.. if not deduct money.. might work but i doubt it !

Your building 38 houses and not have a contractor.

say bye bye to your money.

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Your building 38 houses and not have a contractor.

say bye bye to your money.

What a stupid reply, why would he say bye to his money?
He has finished 31 so there is a good chance that he can also finish the remaining 7.

Thais put great emphases on how they are told to do things. Much different from western culture, have them look bad in front of the crew in time it will always come back to bite you.

I’m wondering with 34 post how you got all those reds. Might be a sign.

Put it this way if he can't get the workers to do what he wants them to do,the workmanship must be complete and utter shite, or he is full of shit

maybe I have been lucky, but I have a fairly good relationship with two workers
I use frequently
we often have fairly constructive exchanges of views on how to approach and sort
out various tasks

I'm not into house building though, but I have a boat and a couple of engines
and gearboxes and drive shafts

one of the chaps is a motor mechanic but he does anything mechanical
the other a boat wright

Originally Posted by melvin

but I have a fairly good relationship with two workers

I know quite a few very good Thai workers who not only follow what you ask but also can think outside the box and put forward their own ideas.

I must also agree that the finishing (last 5% of the project) is often crap and that is when you really must get involved.

I must be very lucky.

here's a reason he could be full of shit

https://teakdoor.com/construction-in-...-paneling.html (Wood paneling)


he's building houses and not know were to find wood panelling.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Originally Posted by melvin

but I have a fairly good relationship with two workers

I know quite a few very good Thai workers who not only follow what you ask but also can think outside the box and put forward their own ideas.

I must also agree that the finishing (last 5% of the project) is often crap and that is when you really must get involved.

I must be very lucky.

"think outside the box and put forward their own ideas"

exactly my experience, and I quite enjoy it
sometimes we can spend a couple of hours discussing approaches and solutions

Originally Posted by Necron99

Easy to get good workers to do what you ask.
Hard to get good workers....

You're building a whole village? For who?

My wife is company director and we are building them for our retirement. She was a manager of AAT for 15 years and then she wanted to leave and start a village .So 12 months ago we started one. It had been hard but we are near the end now.

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Your building 38 houses and not have a contractor.

say bye bye to your money.

we have over 20 people working for us , and the money is safe in my bank,
there is always one ..

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Put it this way if he can't get the workers to do what he wants them to do,the workmanship must be complete and utter shite, or he is full of shit

another keyboard warrior...

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Originally Posted by melvin

but I have a fairly good relationship with two workers

I know quite a few very good Thai workers who not only follow what you ask but also can think outside the box and put forward their own ideas.

I must also agree that the finishing (last 5% of the project) is often crap and that is when you really must get involved.

I must be very lucky.

I have a great relationship with our workers and each month we take them to the local restaurant.It is just hard to explain simple things to them . thanks ..

A village or a mooban, or resort?
If a village, who is going to live in it?

Any pics?

Originally Posted by melvin

maybe I have been lucky, but I have a fairly good relationship with two workers
I use frequently
we often have fairly constructive exchanges of views on how to approach and sort
out various tasks

I'm not into house building though, but I have a boat and a couple of engines
and gearboxes and drive shafts

one of the chaps is a motor mechanic but he does anything mechanical
the other a boat wright

good for you Melvin..It is good to talk to someone who talks about their experience. on this thread there is some real pricks , gee look out now tommy..

Originally Posted by Necron99

A village or a mooban, or resort?
If a village, who is going to live in it?

Any pics?

it is a mooban there is families living in it already as I said not many to finish now. If you want to see the village PM me and you can come and look .

What area Tommy?

Originally Posted by lom

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Your building 38 houses and not have a contractor.

say bye bye to your money.

What a stupid reply, why would he say bye to his money?
He has finished 31 so there is a good chance that he can also finish the remaining 7.

it is good to see someone with brains in repling. The remaining 7 , 2 of them have the footing done as well as the roof . So it wont be long till the finish. I just dont know why so many farangs put shit on others for doing good in this country ...

Originally Posted by tommy1978

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Put it this way if he can't get the workers to do what he wants them to do,the workmanship must be complete and utter shite, or he is full of shit

another keyboard warrior...

Hey Tommy, You must ignore Jack.

He lives in the middle of shitsville and don't get out much.

come on tommy show us your pics of the build location etc, so is the build in Chon buri or trang?

This should be fun.

Originally Posted by tommy1978

I just dont know why so many farangs put shit on others for doing good in this country ...

Their usually the ones that live in the middle of nowhere, have burnt their bridges back home, have a limited amount of money and are pissed off that other people really enjoy living here.

Ignore them Tommy, their wankers and a waste of space.

Carry on Mate.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Hi Tommy, are you American or Australian?

With regard to your village, nice idea, brave, why not, go for it (you already have...), good luck.

&, yes, Thai workers do like to cut corners. One of our posters, Koman, has recently built a very nice house, and he had an excellent building manager around - that seemed to work very well for him...

I am an Aussie, yes it was a brave move and at one stage thought I had done my money .My wife worked so hard on this project and everything is great . After we finish we are moving up north as we have just under 3 rai only 10 minutes from the main town. That is what we want.. thanks betty boo