Repair not recycle - Bangkok beats the West!

[cliveshep]

Thailand offers a load of things we expats find unusual or sometimes just plain awful. Their constant coups, idiotic incompetent Government and level of corruption plus roads like ploughed fields destroying your car's suspension and the Thai style of driving which swings between homicidal and suicidal and takes unforeseen dangers to an entirely new level.

 

But in one this they take the prize without a doubt - their ability to take what in the UK for example would be a scrap item and restore it for pennies! I am right up there with them - Brexit crushed the exchange rate and my pension once so generous is now shrunken by 20% while costs continue to rise. As a family we are 4 adults now, one having fled the nest, everyone has dogs so we got 3 big doberman-sized Thai dogs, one English cocker, and 3 small Thai poodle type mutts. We got a motor-bike, a truck, and 2 cars in 2 houses, one of which (ours) is a biggish 5 bedroom detached with 4 bathrooms. In spite of Covid and Brexit we are somehow doing alright, we don't do pubs, clubs, alcohol or ciggies and seldom go out except for market every 2 - 3 days and try and do our own maintenance on everything. So the latest breakdowns revealed a hitherto unknown side of Thailand and one that was very welcome.

 

Firstly quartz wall clocks - we bought a lovely one about 6 months ago, blue metallic face, white letters and all in a bamboo case. Looks really nice in the lounge until it stopped a couple of days ago. Change battery - nope, it's knackered. Hated to throw it away but beloved suggested we found a clock shop. The motor is burnt out so better I look around and voila! Lazada for an unbelievable 42 baht, 22 baht delivery, a new motor complete with with hands in correct colour and size! Beats a thousand or more for a new clock!

 

 Next - fans! We bought 3 Hatari 18" pedestal fans back in 2015 which have unbelievably been in near constant use ever since, one left on 24/7 for the dogs, the others on all day. 

 

The face plate that carries the fan blade guard which is also used to carry the fan has broken on 2 of them, while on has got slower and slower and now won't start on it's own. Cue smart wife and YouTube - all in Thai but same fan same problem and a video self explanatory. on what to do. So followed video, stripped down fan, found dry phosphor bronze bearing seized up, little felt washer normally impregnated with oil broken up into hard bits. Cleaned everything on a cut down milk bottle with petrol and amazingly seized bearings run freely again. Needed felt washers, again smart wife found these in Amorn in Rangsit, 1 baht each! Bought a bag of 10 that also had a bottle of oil, bought some face plates at 48 baht, repaired fan for 2 baht and replaced cracked face plate. Fan now has real power again and runs perfectly.

 

Tomorrow I want to service the other 2, going by the state of today's one they'll need it! Amazing Thailand when even little absorbent felt washers can be bought at 1 baht each.

 

Lastly drum bearings and seals on a UK Logik front loader - noisy bearings due to water leaking in. Followed similar on YouTube, took it to pieces on a nothing to lose basis, we went around Bangkok looking for replacement bearings and seals. Unbelievably the bearings were in stock in a car spares place who then directed us around the corner to an oil seal stockist. Curry's eat your hearts out. Tube of silicone completed the repair list, fitted the bearing and seal into the tub, having cleaned it all up, reassembled using silicone as per YouTube on the 2 halves of the tub - machine runs like new now. Cost around £10 UK. 

 

I love Thailand's attitude to repair not rubbish.

[Golden Triangle]

Not quite sure how to respond to this. 

 

Embarrassed comes to mind.

[tgw]

try to have a laptop repaired in the West...

[Gottfrid]

Yeah they should take their responsibility. Just look how many plastic bags they give you every time you go to the market.

 

You might come home with 2,5 kg plastic and 300 gram food.

Edited September 26, 2021 by Gottfrid

[bluejets]

I wouldn't start on plastic bags as in my experience the ones blowholing most about how many are used, will offer up as many as you like if you pay for them.

[Thaijack2014]

About two years ago my lawnmower's casing was completely rusted, the engine nearly felt out. Though that was still fine, I was going to buy a new one. Now I know a Thai man nearby who does all sorts of repairs and he had a lawnmower there from another brand of which the engine didn't run anymore. And yes, you can guess it, he used that to repair my lawnmower and ever since I have been using the machine. The fixing was a fraction of another new machine.

[Damrongsak]

I brought my bro-in-law to the US.  He was a motorcycle mechanic in Thailand (had his own little shop) but is now a cook at a Thai restaurant in the US..  He is always fixing cars and lawn equipment in his little spare time.  He loves it and so do his friends and neighbors. He makes a good buck on the side and saves people hundreds if not thousands on repairs.  People give him cars and equipment for free. He now has a house with a two car garage - no more sidewalk repairs. 

 

Funny thing is that he credits me with his interest in motorcycles and mechanics.  I've known him since he was about 12 years old.  I had a Suzuki TS125 dual-sport bike, and he saw me taking care of it.  Some years later, he was the local mechanic of choice for a farang with a big bike (Honda Goldwing?)

 

 

He used to race motocross ...  (second place, with his daughter who is now married ...)  "Goo Racing".

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Damrongsak

[brianthainess]

46 minutes ago, Damrongsak said:

no more sidewalk repairs. 

Yet there he is on the 'sidewalk' in the photo but good on him.

[Gandtee]

10 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

Not quite sure how to respond to this. 

 

Embarrassed comes to mind.

Why embarrassed? Unless you can't repair things maybe. He should be congratulated. I was born in and age when things were repairable and we learnt how to repair them. Which I do to this day. I refuse to join the 'throw away' society which throws money at problems and is using up the Earths resources. Well done , sir. I salute him. Strength to his elbow and thank goodness for YouTube.

Edited September 27, 2021 by Gandtee
Additional words.

[brianthainess]

I repair most things myself, but when fans won't run correctly after a clean then buy new, just not worth repairing, I repair both my vehicles myself, unless it needs a hoist then i reluctantly have to take it to a garage, I say reluctantly bcoz basically i can't trust them to do the job properly and/or they break something else and have to keep watch while they do the job., even basic stuff like fitting new tyres.   I recently got 4 new tyres fitted, and i was told the price included ALL service, I sat and watched as the tyres were fitted and wheels put back on, i sat quietly watching until all wheels were back on, then called over the lady and said they have not balanced the wheels ! "Oh we only balance the front" ''well even they weren't balanced and all wheels should be balanced ! " I took great pleasure in watching the guy having to remove all the wheels balance them then re-fit them. then made them adjust the pressure to what was on the door sticker, by the look of his face it appeared he had no idea that all cars had such a  sticker. This was at a major Tire plus retail store ! But yes some are good at repairing stuff, i know a guy who re-winds motors on the footpath and is fantastic.

[Moonlover]

I guess this is one advantage of living in a third world economy country. I'm not surprised at this though. If my experience in Singapore back in the '60s and early '70s is anything to go by, SEA has been way ahead of the western world when it comes to recycling.

 

'Waste not, want not' is a sound philosophy to live by, but it does have one disadvantage. It does make Thais the most awful hoarders!

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Moonlover

[Gandtee]

20 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

I guess this is one advantage of living in a third world economy country. I'm not surprised at this though. If my experience in Singapore back in the '60s and early '70s is anything to go by, SEA has been way ahead of the western world when it comes to recycling.

 

'Waste not, want not' is a sound philosophy to live by, but it does have one disadvantage. It does make Thais the most awful hoarders!

 

I'm guilty of the last paragraph. "I might need that one day,"????

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

I guess this is one advantage of living in a third world economy country. I'm not surprised at this though. If my experience in Singapore back in the '60s and early '70s is anything to go by, SEA has been way ahead of the western world when it comes to recycling.

 

'Waste not, want not' is a sound philosophy to live by, but it does have one disadvantage. It does make Thais the most awful hoarders!

 

I experienced the same in Mexico. Poorer countries, fortunately, cannot afford to be as "throw away" societies.

[worgeordie]

I am not embarrassed at all to fix anything and have it work

for several years more, I have wall fans that are still working

perfectly after 25 + years, maintenance and spare parts from

Amorn  keeps them going, some people will buy a new one 

when really all it needs is cleaning and a drop of oil.

 

Super Glue, Silicone sealer , are your friend, and it's amazing

what you can get repaired for very little money here, in the

West it's mostly a throw a way society as its too expensive

to get stuff fixed if you cannot do it yourself. my daughter

in the UK reported the other day she got rear brake shoes

replaced in VW UP , 448 Quid , 140 Quid to adjust handbrake !

 

Fix it and don't throw it 

regards Worgeordie

[DefaultName]

It's a generational thing as much as a Thai thing.  I was taught that most things are fixable and how to use tools.  The next generation was taught to just get a new one.

[Gottfrid]

5 hours ago, bluejets said:

I wouldn't start on plastic bags as in my experience the ones blowholing most about how many are used, will offer up as many as you like if you pay for them.

Yes, and that is exactly the right approach! If people have to pay for them, most will only buy when and if they need. That way they can lower the usage with no need to ban plastic bags. As you say, that only delivers the wrong message and creates the wrong response. Actually same with the joint problem. people don´t stop smoking, just because they say it´s against the law!

[DekDaeng]

4 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Why embarrassed? Unless you can't repair things maybe. He should be congratulated. I was born in and age when things were repairable and we learnt how to repair them. Which I do to this day. I refuse to join the 'throw away' society which throws money at problems and is using up the Earths resources. Well done , sir. I salute him. Strength to his elbow and thank goodness for YouTube.

Absolutely. Planet is just going to end up a huge pile of junk if we vote 'throwaway' 

 

Nevvermine, Elon might come to our rescue & offer us a place on his new Mars estate 'Halfway to heaven' - but surely, closer to hell.

 

[In Full Agreement]

4 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Why embarrassed? Unless you can't repair things maybe. He should be congratulated. I was born in and age when things were repairable and we learnt how to repair them. Which I do to this day. I refuse to join the 'throw away' society which throws money at problems and is using up the Earths resources. Well done , sir. I salute him. Strength to his elbow and thank goodness for YouTube.

 

Have you ever tried to repair the print head on a printer?     Some things are not built to be repaired.

 

[Scott Tracy]

I guess it depends on attitude, or perhaps, needs over wants.

 

Felt washers, YouTube, bottles of oil, bearings all available in uk at reasonable prices. Just that we can't be assed to look inside the machines, see what needs fixing, look up YouTube, bimble around town for spare parts that may or may not fit, look up on eBay or Amazon...etc etc....

in Thailand, not many people can afford to buy new every few years, this is what makes repairs worthwhile. Needs...money, time, effort...

UK, being a supposedly richer nation has become lazy over the years. Or perhaps, as most people work full time for a living, don't care to be face down, <deleted> up in repairing domestic goods and are prepared to fork out for new goods. Especially when sometimes they can be a lot cheaper than in Thailand.

[Scott Tracy]

6 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Waste not, want not' is a sound philosophy to live by, but it does have one disadvantage. It does make Thais the most awful hoarders!

You should have seen my garage when I sold the house in UK...full of <deleted> I had collected over the years. I was told, by an old Irishman, when I was an apprentice...Keep it for 7 years. If you don't use it, keep it for another 7,  just in case....

[Gandtee]

2 hours ago, Scott Tracy said:

You should have seen my garage when I sold the house in UK...full of <deleted> I had collected over the years. I was told, by an old Irishman, when I was an apprentice...Keep it for 7 years. If you don't use it, keep it for another 7,  just in case....

Good advice.????

Edited September 27, 2021 by Gandtee
spelling

[pomchop]

Repair of common items is a lost art in the west.  Just throw it away and buy a new one...then repeat over and over.

 

I always had good experiences dealing with the Thai second hand repair brigade.  It provides someone with a way to earn a modest living while saving a few of the planets resources.  Who could possibly object to that?

 

A simple example are the sewing ladies who can put a proper button on, repair a tear etc and add years to the life of a favorite pair of shorts etc.  In lumpini park in bangkok the govt has classes on how to sew and i am sure that that skill has helped thousands of poor Thai ladies to make some $$.  They also run free classes on how to cut hair also aimed at giving very poor people a skill.

 

Unfortunately far too many people have developed the if its broke don't even consider fixing, throw it away and buy a new one.  A lot of poor Thais don't have that option so many have become very good at squeezing a few more years out of a variety of products.  

[AlexRRR]

yes well my experience is they dont knock anything back and will have a go even if they dont have a clue...cheap enough when you realise they didnt have a clue and end up throwing your item in the bin.....but of course if your TGF takes it somewhere you might get a better result...

[zzaa09]

On 9/26/2021 at 7:24 AM, Golden Triangle said:

Not quite sure how to respond to this. 

 

Embarrassed comes to mind.

As in: embarrassed for your own kind?