Thread: Are they incapable of planning ahead?

I live in a large, high-end, housing village in a nice town south of Manila. When I built here, 13 years ago, there were about 80 houses. There are now about 380. I would guess that houses here average out at around $200,000 US. Some more, some less.

I have a generator large enough to power my entire house up to 12 hours at a shot. When the power goes out, which is almost every few days, we are one of a handful of lit up houses.

Now, for 24 hours, the main line to city water has been broken. Turns out that out of all 380 houses, about 20 only have small water tanks. The rest....nothing.

I have a huge, underground tank that will keep me going for at least a week, if I can get my daughter to cut short her showers.

So, WTF? Quarter million US to build a house (including land) and no generator or water tank? Do they just not plan? Or not care? It's not like loss of power or water are infrequent here? Mind-boggling.....

Dunno, but I've often thought about getting a generator and still haven't so I guess that puts me in the same boat

Do have a water tank though, that's a must

Once they have your money they couldn't give a shit.
Re the amount, in London you couldn't buy a place to park your car for that.

Originally Posted by Dapper

Once they have your money they couldn't give a shit.
Re the amount, in London you couldn't buy a place to park your car for that.

Not sure I understand. There is no "they". These are people who buy land and design and build their own houses.

Re London, who cares? I'm not in London. Here I have a 6-bedroom, 6.5 bath huge house on a big hunk of land.

Davis, I feel your pain. Of course they did not plan ahead and I am sure you have been in the PI long enough to understand that. You have prepared well, and it is just too bad that you actually have to use your backup plan so often. As far as caring, if the locals are anything like the locals here, they could care less. Money is the only thing they understand.

Your backup plans are similar to mine, but I did drill a well since the local water is shit. With a backup generator my water pump will continue the flow along with keeping all the ACs and fridges going.

Are you not allowed to drill a well in your complex? With you having a backup source of electricity, a well would make you self sufficient in any emergency situation.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Originally Posted by Dapper

Once they have your money they couldn't give a shit.
Re the amount, in London you couldn't buy a place to park your car for that.

Not sure I understand. There is no "they". These are people who buy land and design and build their own houses.

Re London, who cares? I'm not in London. Here I have a 6-bedroom, 6.5 bath huge house on a big hunk of land.

What I mean is that here in Thailand at least it's all about the sale. After care doesn't exist.

^^I've got plenty of land area for a well, but don't feel the need. City water interruptions are not that common, unlike power outages, which are.

Originally Posted by Dapper

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Originally Posted by Dapper

Once they have your money they couldn't give a shit.
Re the amount, in London you couldn't buy a place to park your car for that.

Not sure I understand. There is no "they". These are people who buy land and design and build their own houses.

Re London, who cares? I'm not in London. Here I have a 6-bedroom, 6.5 bath huge house on a big hunk of land.

What I mean is that here in Thailand at least it's all about the sale. After care doesn't exist.

Same here. But in this village, very few are buying houses from a developer. Maybe less than 10%. Most design and build their own.

Your call Davis. A well is very nice to have when your water is shut down. If you feel a week's worth of water will suffice, then no need.

I think I answered your question about not planning ahead and it seems western countries can't even do that properly.

Are they incapable of planning ahead?

Short answer: Yes.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

I have a huge, underground tank that will keep me going for at least a week

manual pump ?

I have a 2k litre tank with pump and also a bore pump

but with no power, as the tank is on a small stand I can fill buckets

^Electric pump. Shit all goes down, power up generator, water and power entire house.

Originally Posted by baldrick

but with no power, as the tank is on a small stand I can fill buckets

Davis is a prepper. Has a generator.
Oops he beat me to da draw.

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by baldrick

but with no power, as the tank is on a small stand I can fill buckets

Davis is a prepper. Has a generator.
Oops he beat me to da draw.

More accurately, wife knows how to build a house.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

I live in a large, high-end, housing village in a nice town south of Manila. When I built here, 13 years ago, there were about 80 houses. There are now about 380. I would guess that houses here average out at around $200,000 US. Some more, some less.

I have a generator large enough to power my entire house up to 12 hours at a shot. When the power goes out, which is almost every few days, we are one of a handful of lit up houses.

Now, for 24 hours, the main line to city water has been broken. Turns out that out of all 380 houses, about 20 only have small water tanks. The rest....nothing.

I have a huge, underground tank that will keep me going for at least a week, if I can get my daughter to cut short her showers.

So, WTF? Quarter million US to build a house (including land) and no generator or water tank? Do they just not plan? Or not care? It's not like loss of power or water are infrequent here? Mind-boggling.....

Indeed. But unless they are lining up in the street asking to use your shower, sit back, crack a beer and enjoy the show. There are benefits to being able to think more than 5 minutes ahead. Enjoy.

Most Pinnoying, if it's any consolation the loclas here didn't even glean a bit of Spanish or American guidance

Must be some really dirty women

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Are they incapable of planning ahead?

Can't speak to the average flip but for Thais part is not planning ahead and part is being conditioned to endure power and water loss due to less than efficient utilitiy management and maintenance.

I have essentially the same self sufficient back up. However, power outages are rare and seldom for more than a few minutes.

Originally Posted by Norton

I have essentially the same self sufficient back up. However, power outages are rare and seldom for more than a few minutes.

Here we go for 8 hour planned outages a couple of times a month, plus a dozen others every week ranging from minutes to hours.

If I were to live in the Philippines again, the first thing I would buy would be a kick ass generator and have ample water storage such as you have done Davis, Maybe the flips around you mistakenly thought that after spending some 200K plus, that the government would come to the party and provide continuous power and utilities, Sad to see that some things don't change much there, ah the P.I. Still kinda miss it though,

^When we started drawing up plans, I told my wife...power, water, security.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

8 hour planned outages

Why? Inadequate capacity? Reliability?

^All of the above. Plus, plus.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

13 years ago, there were about 80 houses. There are now about 380

That is a big load increase. Just a guess but doubt your supply has been upgraded enough to handle it.

Can see myself having to buy a generator here in Vientiane at some point, lived here 10 years but for the last 2 been having a brownout maybe 3 or 4 times a week , for an hour or 2 it always comes back on and the wife tells me they actually inform you ( in Lao) when it will happen, plenty of construction going on all over the city so it doesn't come as a surprise that demand is out stripping supply, kind of annoying though when you consider Lao has actually got surplus power to sell to neighboring countries from the hydro produced here, you would think they would put the good citizens first eh? Nah , no money in that.