Roadside assistance in Thailand - experience report

[manarak]

My car broke down today on road 331 at about 60 Km from Pattaya.

 

I have an old car and only compulsory insurance from Southeastern Insurance (http://www.segroup.co.th)

My old phone had emergency numbers in the contacts, but I changed phones recently and forgot to re-add these numbers.

 

I tried to call southeastern, but when I asked for an English speaking person, the call was hung up (congrats Southeastern!! outstanding service)

 

I then tried working google to find emergency numbers.

SOMEHOW google search on my phone didn't yield roadside assistance services but instead turned up thaivisa threads.

Searching now on my computer, I get completely different search results, including many useful ones.

 

Found a first number to call in an old thread - 1139 - but the call never connected despite trying more than once.

 

Another number that turned up was 1557 - I tried calling and this was the worst thing to do.

The first call connected, I told them my emergency, answer: help is on the way.

45 minutes later, I call again, answer: help is on the way.

30 minutes later, help was still on the way.

at the 2 hour mark, I call again, and was directed to call 022391557 instead. This time I spoke to a woman asking me questions about insurance. I told them southeastern. I told them send any help, I will pay even if uninsured. She asked me about ten times if I was insured by insurance company <unintelligible> or <unintelligible>. I said I don't understand. She then repeated the same sentence with unintelligible names about 5 or 6 times, thinking I would maybe undersatand betteuh. My questions about where the assistance vehicle was were never answered. When I asked for a person with better English skills, she hung up on me.

 

...

 

I lost two hours because of the lies from this 1557 number.

I then decided to walk and found a large nearby mech shop two clicks away on google maps. It was a crapshoot because you never know how current these google maps entries are, but I gave it a shot, walked a bit and reached their office and explained my problem in my broken Thai. Four office girls, all single it seems, were eager to help, called in "lung" and "chang" and I finally got my vehicle towed, an offer for repair for 5000 baht (where my mech wanted 23.000) and got driven back home for 500 baht extra.

 

What was strange about this whole story was google.

Why on earth did my phone spew out Thaivisa threads instead of useful assistance numbers?

 

My advice to all:

write 3 reliable 24h assistance numbers on your insurance certificate or another paper in your car.

Edited March 20, 2019 by manarak

[Kwasaki]

Nah just wave 500 baht note about job done. ????

[topt]

As a foreigner here I don't think I would want to drive with only the Compulsory insurance - just in case.......

 

No idea how good paid for "Assistance" is but helps when included in the Insurance package.

 

I take it this was the reason to have to get to Bo Win?

Glad it has all been resolved for you.

[baansgr]

Axa...breakdown included with number on tax disc holder

[beautifulthailand99]

I think it's spews out Thai Visa because you did your search in ingrish did you not ?

[manarak]

18 minutes ago, topt said:

As a foreigner here I don't think I would want to drive with only the Compulsory insurance - just in case.......

agreed, do you know a webpage with a good explanation and overview of available insurance packages and theirs costs and coverages?

I don't need coverage for damages to my own vehicle.

[topt]

17 minutes ago, manarak said:

agreed, do you know a webpage with a good explanation and overview of available insurance packages and theirs costs and coverages?

I don't need coverage for damages to my own vehicle.

I tend to use a broker however you could have a look at these -

https://misterprakan.com/en/car/car-insurance-thailand

https://www.roojai.com/en/car-insurance/

 

The latter if you click on Insurance and Voluntary Car Insurance I think explains the different types (Class 1, 2 and 3 ) and the different options. You can then use the online quote function. 

 

[manarak]

31 minutes ago, topt said:

I tend to use a broker however you could have a look at these -

https://misterprakan.com/en/car/car-insurance-thailand

https://www.roojai.com/en/car-insurance/

 

The latter if you click on Insurance and Voluntary Car Insurance I think explains the different types (Class 1, 2 and 3 ) and the different options. You can then use the online quote function. 

 

thanks, very useful information.

 

do you have experience with the preferred garage plan? especially around pattaya?

[canthai55]

1 hour ago, manarak said:

agreed, do you know a webpage with a good explanation and overview of available insurance packages and theirs costs and coverages?

I don't need coverage for damages to my own vehicle.

Google car insurance Thailand. Most will give U online quote

Ask for Class 2+ if you do not want collision. 

[manarak]

3 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Google car insurance Thailand. Most will give U online quote

Ask for Class 2+ if you do not want collision. 

actually, type 3 looks exactly like what I need

 

this overview page is excellent:

https://www.roojai.com/en/car-insurance/compare/

 

Edited March 24, 2019 by manarak

[topt]

31 minutes ago, manarak said:

thanks, very useful information.

 

do you have experience with the preferred garage plan? especially around pattaya?

The older the car the less the requirement I would have thought for a manufacturer garage so going with their cheaper preferred option should make sense - as long as there are suitable local repair shops to you in their list.

[manarak]

Just now, topt said:

The older the car the less the requirement I would have thought for a manufacturer garage so going with their cheaper preferred option should make sense - as long as there are suitable local repair shops to you in their list.

actually, I'm not even able to choose an insurance type that includes roadside assistance, lol. I guess my car is too old for that.

 

I tried to subscribe right now online to their type 3 insurance but the problem I have is that their website will not accept my chassis number. tried everything.

[Vacuum]

2 hours ago, topt said:

As a foreigner here I don't think I would want to drive with only the Compulsory insurance

If you've got an older car, like Op, and myself, you have no options.

[topt]

28 minutes ago, manarak said:

I tried to subscribe right now online to their type 3 insurance but the problem I have is that their website will not accept my chassis number. tried everything.

 

21 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

If you've got an older car, like Op, and myself, you have no options.

That maybe the reason the OP cannot complete the process?

OP I would give their customer service a call and ask - possibly more likely to get a response tomorrow.

[manarak]

39 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

If you've got an older car, like Op, and myself, you have no options.

I think the chassis number problem is just a technical glitch (I found my car type on their site).

you should try to subscribe online?

my calculated insurance premium was only 2000 baht.

Edited March 24, 2019 by manarak

[canthai55]

Includes Bail Bond with Class 3 ?

[manarak]

2 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Includes Bail Bond with Class 3 ?

yes. 300k

[tomtaylor1]

Hi All, had AXA insurance 3rd party, had problems, they sent out assistance straight away, took me to a garage problem solved.

Also Songkran, up country, every where closed, ended up with a smashed windscreen, called AXA, they gave the location of a shop open who could fit me a screen. very happy with the Axa service.

Regards Tom 

[wilcopops]

On 3/24/2019 at 12:55 PM, baansgr said:

Axa...breakdown included with number on tax disc holder

I've  had  to use AXA once for roadside recovery - vey good, very quick and their English language service is good.

[wgdanson]

On 3/24/2019 at 3:35 PM, manarak said:

I think the chassis number problem is just a technical glitch (I found my car type on their site).

you should try to subscribe online?

my calculated insurance premium was only 2000 baht.

And, as always, you will get what you do, or do not, pay for.