Yesterday I got a real run-around from a 'Top Charoen Optician' outlet in Khon Kaen.

My eyes have altered and at the Srinakarind (Teaching) Hospital, in Khon Kaen, they gave me a new prescription.

So I want my main bifocals re-lensed, and my spare pair re-lensed, and also I want both frame and lenses for a pair that will focus at 1m for when I am on the computer. (My bifocals require me to tip my head back to focus on the computer screen, which gets uncomfortable.)

In Khon Kaen, my wife negotiated a price and they said the glasses would be ready in a couple of hours and they would phone our mobile. After three hours they hadn't phoned, so we went back. They said "Sorry, we'll have to get these lenses from Bangkok, and it'll be another 1500 baht". When we said "Forget it", the extra cost came down to 200 baht. But we still said "Forget it", as we will not submit to 'Gouge the Farang' practitioners.

For another reason, we have just decided to come to Bangkok next Sunday for three days.

So I am wondering if anyone can recommend an optician (preferably close to a Skytrain station) from whom they have had a 'fair crack of the whip'.

If it is one with a farang on the staff, or a Thai who can explain things in competent technical English, so much the better. Thanks.

Chitlom skytrain station. SOGO shopping center. First floor.

Washington Optical. Chinese-Thai man with perfect English, very professional. My family, Thai and farangs friends use this business.

Thanks, frequentatore!

Sorry I cannot help with an answer, but I can agree with you that

'Top Charoen Optician' are a bunch of rip off merchants.

Fortunately they are not very good at it and twice, like you, I have walked out of the shop having told them where to place their glasses.

Correction: the shopping center is actually the Amarin Plaza (look for McDonalds and Starbucks). Washington Optical is open from 10AM to 7PM. Monday off.

Washington Optical in Amarin Plaza were professional. Also they didn't make out that I needed new frames for my spare pair, but did a simple repair on the ones I had. Thanks again, frequentatore!.

I truly think we should put much more importance on our vision and not a price on it. I would suggest you go to Rutnin Eye Hospital, which is open everday, 02 258-0442, 02 259-0808.

If you do want to save money, this is what I do, as for frames I buy the cheap 199 baht off the streets or shopping centers that look good and are sturdy as well. My current frames are actually 4 years old now, the only thing I change yearly is my lens.

Agreed, shopgurl. That is why I always go to the eye section of a Teaching Hospital, before going to the optician.

The thing that I liked about Washington Optical (as compared to the opticians in Khon Kaen) was the sheer maturity of the staff. I doubt if any had less than twenty years of experience at their jobs.

Callow youths, or pretty eye-candy, I can do without where any aspect of my health (or my in-air safety) is concerned.