Sorry, can't fix, we can sell new one for good discount! ......

[Jonmarleesco]

On 4/3/2018 at 2:16 PM, watcharacters said:

 

 

Time for you to write a letter to Panasonic.     That's just not right.

Better make it Panasonic HO, then. Otherwise, might get sued.

[StevieAus]

We live in Chiang Mai Province and my experience has been the opposite to most of what has been posted on this topic

We have certainly had plenty of items break down and without exception have found both the locals and in Chiang Mai the repair people have gone out of their way to help.

Many of the locals don’t want to charge for minor work although I always insist on some payment

No problem with dentists either maybe because the majority are women or we live in a thief free town.

[stevenl]

15 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I first heard the term the "throwaway generation" many many years ago. Supposed to have started in the States and spread from there....No more fixing stuff...dump it and buy a new one.

   Japan had the same name. Property was supposed to be so expensive that there was no point it trying to save to buy your own home, so people became the "consumer society".... buy a new TV and as soon as a newer model came on the market throw out the " old model" and buy the latest. Nothing else to do with one's money.

Old fashioned. You don't buy but lease/rent.

[superal]

It really is a mine field out there especially for falangs , however I have found that it normally pays to give the problem to a local Thai friend who will know some one , who knows someone etc to make a repair . Example , aircon problem in my truck , Isuzu 7500 baht , local guy 300 baht .    Head gasket 30,000 baht up , local guy 12000 baht .

My real concern is when you buy something new and if it breaks down within the warranty there is no replacement as the article is returned to the supplier normally in Bangkok and you can wait ages for an outcome . Difficult to swallow when accustomed for the seller to replace unfit for purpose goods within a 12 month period as per UK consumer laws . The nearest parallel I can think of is that of a new car purchase where the warranty is much the same in the western world .

[watcharacters]

18 hours ago, Jonmarleesco said:

Better make it Panasonic HO, then. Otherwise, might get sued.

 

 

 

Sorry, I didn't take the time to fully explain what I meant.     Yes indeed I would write to Panasonic  Headquarters and  send it to the following:  President of the company,   Vice President of the company,    Head of Customer relations and anyone else along the chain of command  that may care about customer satisfaction.   If necessary I'd call the company to get the correct addresses if I couldnt find them on the company profile.

 

I'd  also  make sure the letter is handwritten and mailed through the regular post.    I'd send carbon copies or photocopies of the original to those other than the  President.     On each  letter  I'd indicate to whom I'd sent a CC and on   each envelope I would write "Personal and Confidential".

 

.That should mitigate concerns about the  possibility of a slander suit under Thai law.

 

[Old Croc]

21 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

 

Sorry, I didn't take the time to fully explain what I meant.     Yes indeed I would write to Panasonic  Headquarters and  send it to the following:  President of the company,   Vice President of the company,    Head of Customer relations and anyone else along the chain of command  that may care about customer satisfaction.   If necessary I'd call the company to get the correct addresses if I couldnt find them on the company profile.

 

I'd  also  make sure the letter is handwritten and mailed through the regular post.    I'd send carbon copies or photocopies of the original to those other than the  President.     On each  letter  I'd indicate to whom I'd sent a CC and on   each envelope I would write "Personal and Confidential".

 

.That should mitigate concerns about the  possibility of a slander suit under Thai law.

 

Thanks, you got my juices flowing I'll get right on to that.

Anyone know where I can get a carbon copier, I threw mine out last century.

 

[Valentine]

On 4/5/2018 at 8:41 AM, superal said:

It really is a mine field out there especially for falangs , however I have found that it normally pays to give the problem to a local Thai friend who will know some one , who knows someone etc to make a repair . Example , aircon problem in my truck , Isuzu 7500 baht , local guy 300 baht .    Head gasket 30,000 baht up , local guy 12000 baht .

My real concern is when you buy something new and if it breaks down within the warranty there is no replacement as the article is returned to the supplier normally in Bangkok and you can wait ages for an outcome . Difficult to swallow when accustomed for the seller to replace unfit for purpose goods within a 12 month period as per UK consumer laws . The nearest parallel I can think of is that of a new car purchase where the warranty is much the same in the western world .

 

3 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Thanks, you got my juices flowing I'll get right on to that.

Anyone know where I can get a carbon copier, I threw mine out last century.

 

Can you please send me the name/contact of the local air con guy. The one in my Isuzu needs repair, leaking gas.

 

[sandyf]

On 4/3/2018 at 2:22 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Especially in the service trades here... The absence of any professionalism/honesty is horrible.

 

The only thing I can never figure out is -- how much of it (misdiagnosis) is due to simple ignorance/stupidity vs. how much of it is deliberate misinformation because they either don't want to bother or they're looking to sell you something for more.

 

You cannot tar everyone with the same brush. If you live in a rip off area then there is a fairly good chance of being ripped off. 

I have had several items repaired at the Amorn service centre in Sri Ratcha and the service has been excellent and the prices very reasonable. The only item they failed to repair was my monitor that I had brought over from the UK. He said motherboard had failed and a replacement was unavailable in Thailand. There was no charge for the diagnosis and he said if I could obtain a replacement he would replace it for 200 baht. I couldn't find a replacement and its still collecting dust in the spare room. Sometimes I have been offered the choice of a new replacement part or second hand, I usually take the second hand price and the items concerned are still working years later.

 

It is just the same with dentists, all depends on where you go, the one I use here in Chonburi is excellent and very cheap. I had an extraction a couple of weeks ago, cost me 500 baht and last year I was 1200 baht for 3 fillings. In the UK I used a NHS dentist and I couldn't get out the door without paying around £80.

[steelepulse]

With Valentine looking for a recommendation, I too am looking for a recommendation on a home A/C guy.  The guys we use say we need 3 new A/DCs, they have to put in new ducting etc. and gave an outrageous quote.  I think the solution is simpler and cheaper than what they are quoting.

[duanebigsby]

I don't understand why this thread is suggesting this is a Thailand problem.

 

In North America there isn't much of a repair industry at all. There is no shop to get stuff fixed, you exchange if under warranty, you junk it if not.

I have found repairs here to be relatively cheap and reliable. If they tell me it can't be fixed I generally think I'm getting the truth. They should have given the tv back free of charge though. Irreparable items have always been offered back to me free of charge.

[Old Croc]

7 hours ago, duanebigsby said:

I don't understand why this thread is suggesting this is a Thailand problem.

 

In North America there isn't much of a repair industry at all. There is no shop to get stuff fixed, you exchange if under warranty, you junk it if not.

I have found repairs here to be relatively cheap and reliable. If they tell me it can't be fixed I generally think I'm getting the truth. They should have given the tv back free of charge though. Irreparable items have always been offered back to me free of charge.

It's a Thailand problem for several reasons, the most obvious being that this is a Thailand forum.

I don't know about North America, but in Australia there are consumer protection laws designed to protect citizens from unscrupulous and criminal companies and individuals. Thieves and ripoff merchants can cop large fines, loss of license to trade or  more. There is even a consumer protection magazine, "Choice" that will out crooked companies.

If such laws exist in Thailand, I'm sure they are rarely used for the benefit of the small consumer unable to pay bribes.

Also, there is a reason I didn't name the companies in my OP, most readers here are aware how defamation laws work in this country.

It's not comparable to the real world at all. It's a much bigger and more common problem in Thailand because here they can generally get away with anything.

[Old Croc]

All this discussion of aircons reminded me of another ripoff company.

Our car has always been serviced by the dealer, but because our low mileage vehicle really only needs oil changes and basic service most of the time we decided to use a vehicle service chain to save some money.

The first time my wife took it there they convinced her the rear shocks needed replacing and it needed new tires filled with nitrogen. Copped a large bill for all that.

The second time I stressed to her to not let them touch anything else, but they told her it was urgent for the aircon to be re-gassed. Again costly.They preyed upon my wife's almost complete lack of knowledge of cars

We will be returning to Toyota for future servicing and avoid this colourful chain of thieves.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

The first time my wife took it there they convinced her the rear shocks needed replacing and it needed new tires filled with nitrogen. Copped a large bill for all that.

The second time I stressed to her to not let them touch anything else, but they told her it was urgent for the aircon to be re-gassed. Again costly.They preyed upon my wife's almost complete lack of knowledge of cars

 

That's really LOW taking advantage of your wife like that. It's bad enough when the Thais try to rip off farangs figuring, in their mind, that we can afford it or deserve it. But it's worse in a way when they go out of their way to rip off their own people. And that coming from a chain operation, not a lone crook.

 

[superal]

18 hours ago, Valentine said:

 

Can you please send me the name/contact of the local air con guy. The one in my Isuzu needs repair, leaking gas.

 

Hi Valentine ,

I think I have to give a little more detail . The repairs to the trucks aircon were the main control switch which had become detached . This involved the complete removal of the dashboard to gain access to the switch connection . The truck was taken to the repair shop by my Thai partners father and I was not seen so as not to invite a falang type bill . There was another repair to the aircon which needed a new compressor carried out by the same garage for 6000 baht . Under half the main dealer estimate which by the way always climb above their original estimates .

Which area of Thailand do you live in ? before I send you contact info  . 

[Valentine]

4 hours ago, superal said:

Hi Valentine ,

I think I have to give a little more detail . The repairs to the trucks aircon were the main control switch which had become detached . This involved the complete removal of the dashboard to gain access to the switch connection . The truck was taken to the repair shop by my Thai partners father and I was not seen so as not to invite a falang type bill . There was another repair to the aircon which needed a new compressor carried out by the same garage for 6000 baht . Under half the main dealer estimate which by the way always climb above their original estimates .

Which area of Thailand do you live in ? before I send you contact info  . 

Chalong. Mine has a leak so does not hold the gas for long. Quotes from Thai repair shop but not handy to get to was 3,000 & from B Quik 3,700 of which there is one just down the road.

[superal]

29 minutes ago, Valentine said:

Chalong. Mine has a leak so does not hold the gas for long. Quotes from Thai repair shop but not handy to get to was 3,000 & from B Quik 3,700 of which there is one just down the road.

Sorry Valentine but I am up in Issan  Surin . I think that you may be better off talking about this in the motoring section where there will be some good advice .  If you are talking about a repair at 3000 baht I think I would inquire about a new condenser  as a repair will only find the next weak spot . Finally , have you made the searches for repairs yourself or used a Thai friend etc ?  My experience is that a falang will always pay a lot more than a Thai .  Good luck 

[NamKangMan]

On 4/4/2018 at 5:15 AM, Jimi007 said:

LOL! So you're an electronic engineer now? A transformer in a  newer LCD Digital TV power supply? Maybe a decade ago or more! Digital switching power supplies are what is used now. Some are  internal. My Sony has an external power supply. You buy the power supply unit (PSU) and replace it. But something as severe as a lightening strike, unless protected, will suffer a catastrophic failure that would likely affect circuits way beyond the PSU. It's toast. 

 

No, I am not an electronic engineer, but then again, EITHER is the guy being paid to fix it.   Get it???? 

 

It's interesting the OP suspected a lightening strike.  Were any other appliances damaged?  Did the neighbors suffer any damage? 

 

We will never know what caused the OP's TV to fail.  It very well could have been a completely "fried" board and beyond repair, or, maybe something as simple as a blown fuse or a fried chip, which are able to be replaced.  

 

The OP doesn't say why the TV was unable to be repaired. 

 

Perhaps it was just laziness or incompetence from the staff, and it was easier to say it could not be fixed to save face.

 

Maybe they never even pulled the back off it to have a look.  Perhaps it was, as suggest by the OP,  criminality, and it was easily fixed, and ended up being used for spares to fix another TV which is sold for 100% profit, or perhaps the TV was beyond repair.

 

Either way, their practice of holding the TV for payment, perhaps when they never even inspected it, is extortion.   

 

 

 

 

[Mooner]

Had something similar. Sofa springs went  a l shape sofa so i was advised to replace them witg a hard sponge.

2 60x60cm cushions and one 60x120. Price 6000 baht but then told me i could he could make me a whole new sofa for 10,000 baht.

?