Why nothing works anymore in Thailand?

[SAFETY FIRST]

2 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I bank with Kasikorn. I pay my bills online, transfer money online, I can even transfer money off shore, but for some reason the PEA doesn't want to do it the easy way (for me).  So once a month I go to the office and pay in cash and it isn't hard to do. I choose the day that I pay and no company accesses my account. When I pay a bill I get an SMS with an OTP.

I pay PEA through Rabbit Line Pay. 

I have 4 electricity accounts, I bundle them up in the PEA App and pay all in 1 transaction. 

 

[CloseShave]

4 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I listen  to guys in  bars espousing negative  views about Thailand and often being derogatory.  Many have lived here years and know nothing of Thai  culture, speak no Thai and have painfully thick accents. One characteristic these people share is an inherent believe in their own superiority and that of their country and their way of doing  things. LOL

Yep, you got that right. The foreigners I've met in my neighborhood leave a lot to be desired, totally ignorant with a sense of superiority but they have a total lack of education that makes them look incredibly dumb. They can't even speak the language (in even the most basic form) after 20 plus years living here.

Truely pathetic.........

[Kwasaki]

4 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I bank with Kasikorn. I pay my bills online, transfer money online, I can even transfer money off shore, but for some reason the PEA doesn't want to do it the easy way (for me).  So once a month I go to the office and pay in cash and it isn't hard to do. I choose the day that I pay and no company accesses my account. When I pay a bill I get an SMS with an OTP.

I give my Mrs the money Bill and she pays all the bills on her phone including PEA electric bill.  

I order stuff on line and give her phone number so they can find where we live. 

 

 

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

You've been in Thailand all this time, and you STILL have not learned a Thai will usually tell you what he/she thinks you want to hear?

I have not learned Thai either. Thai is a tonal language and , if like me you are hard of hearing and partly tone deaf it is a struggle. I may use the correct word but the wrong tone which changes the whole context of the conversation.

[Ralf001]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

I do all of mine except the electricity bill with online banking.

me too, Except electric and water

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

51 minutes ago, CloseShave said:

Yep, you got that right. The foreigners I've met in my neighborhood leave a lot to be desired, totally ignorant with a sense of superiority but they have a total lack of education that makes them look incredibly dumb. They can't even speak the language (in even the most basic form) after 20 plus years living here.

Truely pathetic.........

And the same guys berate the the Thais for not speaking English!

[worgeordie]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

@Liverpool Lou .. why the sad reaction ? 

It's his favourite emoji , can use it several times per day, 

regards worgeordie

[The Hammer2021]

Blimey  if you think nothing works in Thailand you try to live or get things done in Broken Britain- can't get passports or driving  licenses issues or renewed, petrol is about 2 pounds a litre, crime is rampant and and arrest and prosecution  rate less than 1% for some crimes, energy  bills are so high people can't afford  to heat their houses, nurses  use food banks, the police are broadly  mistrusted, after 5 decades of planning we still haven't got our new runway at Heathrow  Airport. Last week, years late and millions over budget the new London  rail line opened opened...and had to shut for possible  bomb  threat. Banks don't  answer their  phones nor to the major utilities  companies.  The water companies  have been pouring  untreated human sewage in our rivers  and seas, legally apparently, legal Ukrainian refugees can't get in but illegals  fleeing France enter everyday, government workers refuse to attend work, their is a national strike threatening the railways and the Health system is in terminal decline

.Thailand  is a paradigm of excellence and efficiency  compared to broken Britain.

Things work great here in Thailand  compared  to many countries. As for the problems the OP is having- User error?

[PJ71]

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

eah without a Thai bank account my Thai employer

You have to work - lol lol

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, PJ71 said:

You have to work - lol lol

yeah most people at some point in their life have had to work.

 

you did not ?

[Kinnock]

5 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I come from Broken  Britain- here in Thailand  its a dream trying to get things  sorted out - everything  is so easy- banking - Internet  - electricity- seeing  a doctor - getting a taxi - .I dread having to return to UK.

Yep.  Wednesday my home internet developed multiple issue after a major thunderstorm and two brief powercuts.

 

Phoned AIS, answered within 3 rings, the nice lady switched to perfect English after my Thai became too much for her to bear. ????

 

A male AIS technician with a lady to help with translation, arrived next day at exactly the stated hour.  I tried to explain the multiple issues in Thai - lady filled in any blanks.  Technician tested the two routers, reset the LAN hub (even though this was not an AIS  fixture) and replaced the two AIS black boxes.  All fixed in 30 minutes.

 

Last week, managed to snap my Versys motorcycle key in the lock - fortunately while I was at the Kawasaki dealer.  They removed the broken half, sent a guy with the two bits plus a new key blank, and 20 minutes and 300 THB later I had a new key.

 

Have had similar good customer service from my bank and from Homepro.

 

Yes, Government services can be frustrating, but if you can avoid anyone in a uniform, Thailand can provide great customer service.

[PJ71]

8 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

yeah most people at some point in their life have had to work.

 

you did not ?

I did so.

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

6 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

Yep.  Wednesday my home internet developed multiple issue after a major thunderstorm and two brief powercuts.

 

Phoned AIS, answered within 3 rings, the nice lady switched to perfect English after my Thai became too much for her to bear. ????

 

A male AIS technician with a lady to help with translation, arrived next day at exactly the stated hour.  I tried to explain the multiple issues in Thai - lady filled in any blanks.  Technician tested the two routers, reset the LAN hub (even though this was not an AIS  fixture) and replaced the two AIS black boxes.  All fixed in 30 minutes.

 

Last week, managed to snap my Versys motorcycle key in the lock - fortunately while I was at the Kawasaki dealer.  They removed the broken half, sent a guy with the two bits plus a new key blank, and 20 minutes and 300 THB later I had a new key.

 

Have had similar good customer service from my bank and from Homepro.

 

Yes, Government services can be frustrating, but if you can avoid anyone in a uniform, Thailand can provide great customer service.

Yes I got  very well  spoken English  language  telephone support  when I had a bank  problem  recently.  I mentioned the experience  of thid excellent  service  here on this forum and  got called an apologist! LOL.

[Ralf001]

8 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

I did so.

 

 

how many years ago ?

[natway09]

Now that is done, deep breath, go take your meds & get a Thai to pay your bills from now on

[Guest truthman]

I lived in Japan for a long time and although the service was much better (service workers were more attentive and scrupulous about their jobs) getting things done wasn't any easier. For example, renting an apartment or condo is simple in Thailand. In Japan, foreigners got rejected out of hand and even if you did find a place, you needed a gurantor and had to pay six months rent up front and the place usually came with absolutely nothing, not even lights! 

 

Of course, since the advent of Prayut and the gang, things have become increasingly complicated. When I was making a deposit at the bank a few weeks ago, I needed to show my passport even though I've been a customer for 15 years. New money laundering rules, I was told. I remember when I first came here and I went down to Suan Plu to extend my tourist visa. They actually asked me how much time I wanted.

 

Ah, well, the good old days.

 

 

[Dan747]

It is just the way it is and "Nothing" will change it. My favorite saying from the merchant when buying is "It's Under Warranty!" 

[The Hammer2021]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

I have not learned Thai either. Thai is a tonal language and , if like me you are hard of hearing and partly tone deaf it is a struggle. I may use the correct word but the wrong tone which changes the whole context of the conversation.

Not really- situation  determines context not one single word.

[Gottfrid]

10 hours ago, heiri007 said:

Tend to disagree. Just spent a few months in other countries, doing similar things. Not run into any of these obstacles.

Suggestion. Go back to those then, and stop living in misery in Thailand

[david555]

9 hours ago, PJ71 said:

you need to go to 7/11 to pay bills?? lol

Yes ...i pay my electricity bil at 7/11 ....easy done in not yet a minute  ????....but my 3bb i pay online after they send me an SMS with a link who opens K+ to confirm payment ...????

[csmith]

This week extended my Thai Driving license by another 5 years …. In a Gov Department in Chiangmai … took all of 35 minutes …. Difficult to beat that … Kudos to Gov organization there.

[Sticky Rice Balls]

10 hours ago, heiri007 said:

But maybe it's just me who always gets the lemon

when life gives u lemons--make cha manao!

[Pawpcorn]

RE PEA Payments ONLINE:

 

PEA's website actually DOES SUPPORT THIS!

 

4 or so years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a nice English-speaking PEA agent set up a payment account for me, over the phone, and later help me navigate the PEA site afterwards... (he actually acknowledged how convoluted the PEA site and methodology is and was... his honesty rating a huge PLUS and HUMOR, in my book.)

 

Nowadays, with the account established (linked to the PEA METER# and my email address being my user name, & password) I just go to:    https://www.pea.co.th/home

 

...click on the "E-Service" icon, then on the new page that opens, click on the top left option, under  บริการหลัก  (Main Service) (hand holding a ATM card)

 

THEN the เข้าสู่ระบบ e-Service window opens, with Chrome remembering my email address and password... and click the next big button below, which probably translates to "Log In"...

 

At that point, a new page appears with my PEA Meter number, with the amount due... clicking the checkbox showing the intention to pay, chose the BANK (icon) to use (Bangkok Bank, in my case), and the BANK app opens in yet another new page...  log in to the bank, confirm which account to pull the pre-filled BAHT amount from, enter the OTP that the bank sends to my mobile phone, and the payment is sent. Print this for records, and click the button close out and return to the PEA site again.

 

Returning to the PEA site, repeating the original steps above, thus logging in again, I get new page that transforms to being a nifty RECEIPT format that prints out nicely for my records...

 

AND... I totally "get it" that this seems like (maybe?) a lot of hoops to have to jump through to avoid the drive to 7-11 plus the fee 7-11 charges for the service, plus needing the CASH IN HAND to give 7-11... BUT... to explain, as a former Computer and Network Engineer / MCSE, it was a personal challenge to me, back a few years ago, to see if this online service that PEA claimed to offer could be "mastered".  In all honesty, it WAS a bitch (and ALL the PEA pages are in Thai), but then I've got plenty of time on my hands, as fully retired now, and the 2 minutes it NOW takes to pay the PEA bill each month... feels like a personal achievement, lol อิอิอิ.

 

IT CAN BE DONE!!!!

Edited May 27, 2022 by Pawpcorn
conform font size after pasting link f-ed up the trailing text

[it is what it is]

11 hours ago, worgeordie said:

He forgot to mention Immigration problems , no problem at

all for me, but for many it seems

regards worgeordie

 

agree, never, ever, had a problem with immigration, always found them to be reasonably friendly and efficient, the help desk staff always calm and helpful despite at times being besieged by customers. i see how some people present themselves and behave and i'm not surprised they have problems.

[Butterflyman]

13 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I come from Broken  Britain- here in Thailand  its a dream trying to get things  sorted out - everything  is so easy- banking - Internet  - electricity- seeing  a doctor - getting a taxi - .I dread having to return to UK.

And who pays the doctor? 

[bwanajohn]

Arrived back in Canada after 3 years away.Its not Thailand it's the whole frikkin world.

I won't go on the rant but trust me nothin works here and it costs 10x as much to not get it done.

2 weeks to book an oil change on my truck and slightly over 6000 baht to have it done.

It does take 14 litres of oil.

[SAFETY FIRST]

9 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I pay PEA through Rabbit Line Pay. 

I have 4 electricity accounts, I bundle them up in the PEA App and pay all in 1 transaction. 

 

Years ago I'd pay my PEA bills directly from automatic bank debit but it was always so difficult to stop these payments, having to go into your bank, fill out forms and then off to the PEA office to submit forms.

Paying online with RabbitLP is so easy.

 

Water bills are simpler, easy to pay, my bank Apps recognize the water company QR codes. 

 

You can even pay water utilities through Lazada, I use my wallet for payment at times.

 

[jerrymahoney]

12 hours ago, Pawpcorn said:

Regarding online shopping, let me say that Lazada has been a genuine dream to shop at... customer's side, customer's support has been at 100% perfect, over dozens of returns situations.

So online shopping  has been great even though you have had to make dozens of returns. Maybe like this from Woody Allen's Annie Hall:

 

Uh, two elderly women are at a Catskills mountain resort, and one of 'em says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know, and such small portions."

[Skeptic7]

Agree. Going on 3 decades and very little has ever worked or functioned here as well or efficienctly with anything even close to USA or Europe. Of course they are not perfect, but a damn sight better than here. Thailand still 3rd World and still well behind the curve. 

[ezzra]

This is a thread about Thailand bureaucracy and in efficiency right? millions of words have been poured over the subject over the year very little has changed, still can't understand why did Thailand went the way of heavy handed bureaucracy whereby dozen of people and department has to sign the same documents to enable it to be used,

 

I'm reminded of an old joke where many years ago, an American tourists wend to visit one of those poor backward staunched governed communist country whereby he was take on  tour to be shown how the country is progressing, on a rural road he saw hundreds of workers manually toiling in back breaking work to lay down a new road, why said the American man, why you don't use a tractor or similar and you can finish the work much quicker? yes i know, said the foreman, but if i brings a machine here what am going to do with those hundreds of workers that the machine will do the work for them prey tell?...