A stark reminder of Thai "hospitality"

[billd766]

40 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

I moved here to build a house for my now ex and our daughter. Her colors came out after the house was built, as many other expats have seen. It is cheaper but I'll gladly pay more and be happier, and my daughter safer.

I came to live here after working in Thailand. I divorced my UK wife and married my Thai wife who is 21 years younger.

 

Like you I bought land and paid for the house.

 

Like you my wife's true colours have come out. I am now 79 and partly disabled. Despite this my wife is supporting me in every way she can, from doing the shopping, doing the laundry that I used to do, driving me around when I ask, cooking for me and helping me in any way that she can.

 

After 7 years of knowing her and 23 years of marriage I am more than happy and content.

 

NOT all thai women are the same though I have noticed on this forum that the whiners, wingers and moaners come from a small group and expect everybody to be sad for them and agree with them about nasty Thailand and the nasty Thai wives.

 

What they NEVER mention is the fact that THEY ALONE made the choice to be in Thailand, and THEY ALONE chose their own wives and family.

[steven100]

1 hour ago, mike111 said:

For the kind souls who've decided it was an impulsive buying for something I didn't need: I planned to use the bags (as a protection some items) but eventually managed without them. Nothing impulsive.

 

Anywhere in the world I've been to, and I've been around, a shop would gladly exchange an item if it's unopened and a receipt is provided. I didn't ask for a refund, just to exchange for something else. Why is this considered "bothering" the shop staff is beyond comprehension.

 

 

I think the problem is that the cashier's TILL is not programmed for return and exchange for other items,  how can they account for sale on other items when the cash is not in the TILL ?

 

Their computerized cash register is not geared up for "swap" of items.

As for the girl saying " yes "  at the start to exchange,  she didn't understand what you meant obviously,  and you took it as ok ....  

 

Why the heck you want so much stress in your day for a lousy packet of garbage bags is beyond me.  You should have just kept them.

[Farrows3399]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Moral of the story, think before you buy something and don't bother people by:

1) buying something you don't want

2) bother staff to return your bought items

3) making a post in a forum blaming Thai hospitality for your own error of judgement. 

Right this is as far as I got with this ridiculous topic.

[steven100]

1 hour ago, NoshowJones said:

Very true, but as the OP said, it is the attitude of some assistants that is questionable. Many times I have gone into some store and asked for something or some service and the staff member starts waving his/her arms about shouting No! No! when all that's required is a "sorry we don't have any" or whatever.

I totally agree .....   many Thai 7-11 cashiers, sales staff and shop keepers come across as arrogant, verbally abusive, uneducated and down right rude,  they haven't a clue on how to act when asked a simple question,   ain't that the truth.

 

I did say many,  but not all ....  some have a pleasant manner and will assist if asked a question.

 

 

 

[GypsyT]

How about selecting REALLY safe state?

 

"Eight people were killed at the hands of a mass shooter at a Dallas-area mall on Saturday, making Texas second, after California, for the state with the most mass shootings this year, with a total of 17."

 

[Jelli]

It was worth an ask but tbh things aren't really returnable here. Lotusss' is ok here in BKK, but if a strain. Big C a strain. I'd just not bother in a small shop unless they know me. Transactions are one way

[Jelli]

6 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I totally agree .....   many Thai 7-11 cashiers, sales staff and shop keepers come across as arrogant, verbally abusive, uneducated and down right rude,  they haven't a clue on how to act when asked a simple question,   ain't that the truth.

 

You can always go back to your country for stellar 711 and petrol station services.

 

Those kids prolly make b70 hr in BKK. Yet, you moan

[richard_smith237]

Very odd thread... 

 

When it comes to customer service experience encounters in Thailand certainly differ from the treatment many of us are familiar with in the West.

 

However, in this example of the Op the expectations are plain strange. 

 

Its like buying a packet of crisps or a can of coke from a corner shop and the next day trying to return the item.

 

Sometimes the Westerners telling these tales are just outright 'odd'... 

[Nick Carter icp]

10 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I totally agree .....   many Thai 7-11 cashiers, sales staff and shop keepers come across as arrogant, verbally abusive, uneducated and down right rude,  they haven't a clue on how to act when asked a simple question,   ain't that the truth.

 

Don't leave it there .

What "simple" question did you ask the 7/11 staff (that they didn't have a clue how to react) ?

[richard_smith237]

11 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I totally agree .....   many Thai 7-11 cashiers, sales staff and shop keepers come across as arrogant, verbally abusive, uneducated and down right rude,  they haven't a clue on how to act when asked a simple question,   ain't that the truth.

 

Do you have any idea how your comments highlight that it is you who is the source of any such problem you face.

 

7-11 staff arrogant, verbally abusive, uneducated and downright rude with no clue how to act when asked a simple question ??? REALLY ????   

 

OF course you are asking in perfect Thai right... because you are not arrogant, uneducated and downright rude enough to ask in English and expect a perfect response, correct ???

 

 

 

 

[steven100]

7 minutes ago, Jelli said:

Those kids prolly make b70 hr in BKK

It's got nothing to do with their salary,  it's assisting the customer that's required.

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Do you have any idea how your comments highlight that it is you who is the source of any such problem you face.

 

7-11 staff arrogant, verbally abusive, uneducated and downright rude with no clue how to act when asked a simple question ??? REALLY ????   

 

OF course you are asking in perfect Thai right... because you are not arrogant, uneducated and downright rude enough to ask in English and expect a perfect response, correct ???

 

 

 

 

oh dear Richard ....    lol

I did say some 7-11 staff,  not all   !!

and yes,    I believe it's a lack of communication both ways,  they don't understand English & my Thai is limited.

I did not say all were arrogant,  as some are educated and know how to act when asked a question and then some don't,  sometimes they'll just walk away, or waves the hands without an answer or whatever .... haha ......   maybe that's what they were told to do. 

Some are quite pleasant to deal with .....  not all.

[fredwiggy]

21 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

How about selecting REALLY safe state?

 

"Eight people were killed at the hands of a mass shooter at a Dallas-area mall on Saturday, making Texas second, after California, for the state with the most mass shootings this year, with a total of 17."

 

Lived there 32 years, sold guns, hunted, dealt with thousands of gun owners, never saw any gun violence. Of course it happens, and makes news, as does it here, but most of it here isn't shown. New about guns explodes in the US because of these mentally unstable individuals that get their hands on guns and take out their anger on the innocents. It's big news because of the extremists on both sides. Lived in New Jersey, next to NYC, for 30 years, and same story.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

All depends on the store. It's not a law.

I'm pretty sure Thai 7/11 has some formal policy somewhere on the return of purchased items (but I'm not presuming what it says one way or the other).

 

Now, whether the OP and others can find a version of that policy in English language is a different matter.

 

But as an example, when we purchase items for home delivery via Tops Online, the paperwork indicates we have up to 7 days to return the purchased items if not satisfied for any reason.

 

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, steven100 said:

oh dear Richard ....    lol

I did say some 7-11 staff,  not all   !!

and yes,    I believe it's a lack of communication both ways,  they don't understand English & my Thai is limited.

I did not say all were arrogant,  as some are educated and know how to act when asked a question and then some don't,  sometimes they'll just walk away, or waves the hands without an answer or whatever .... haha ......   maybe that's what they were told to do. 

Some are quite pleasant to deal with .....  not all.

What questions do you need to ask 7/11 staff ?

[HauptmannUK]

Returning stuff is often a headache even for Thai people. I recall last year my wife asked me to get her a 'wholesale size' box of the earwig brand cough-drops from the big 7/11 on Jomtien Beach Rd for her to take back to UK. I think a box holds about 30 packets. It wasn't cheap (I think about ฿400).

When I got back to our condo she spotted that it was past the marked 'use by' date.  I still had the receipt so went back to the 7/11.  I speak adequate Thai and politely explained the situation. I also pointed out that the other boxes on the shelves were also expired.  The response was basically, 'You chose to buy it. Bad luck'.  No refund.

My wife went down later in the day with a similar outcome. The out of date boxes were still on the shelf....

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, steven100 said:

oh dear Richard ....    lol

I did say some 7-11 staff,  not all   !!

and yes,    I believe it's a lack of communication both ways,  they don't understand English & my Thai is limited.

I did not say all were arrogant,  as some are educated and know how to act when asked a question and then some don't,  sometimes they'll just walk away, or waves the hands without an answer or whatever .... haha ......   maybe that's what they were told to do. 

Some are quite pleasant to deal with .....  not all.

(some) 7-11 staff arrogant because they don't speak your language - thats hilarious. 

 

The behavior you describe seems more like exasperation than anything else...  Another foreigner coming into the store and expecting to be understood - I can see why some just walk away thinking "What the F*** another one !!"...    I imagine this could happen in areas with plenty of low class tourists and foreigners who do not know how to behave and do stupid things such as ask for a refund on a pack of bin-bags !!!

 

 

Given some of the comments and highlighted sense of entitlement on this thread, I too would just ignore some people...   Dealing with the general public on a daily basis has to be challenging, some of the folk on this thread (forum) highlight extremely well how challenging this can be.

 

Its always seems to be the same guys who have these problems, yet they are unable to recognise their own contribution to such issues.

 

 

 

[bignok]

9 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

What questions do you need to ask 7/11 staff ?

Where is the bathroom?

[BarraMarra]

2 hours ago, bignok said:

Western laws are

Money back or exchange for faulty goods

 

If change of mind they can but dont have to

 

OP is being petty

 

But you're not in the West Bigbash you're in Thailand.

[steven100]

5 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

What questions do you need to ask 7/11 staff ?

any general question,  will this item be coming again this week, what does this discount poster mean, is it 2 for 1 deal,  how much is this cost,  can you make microwave that a bit longer please (now that request is not easy)    Lol    .....  look most times they are quite good and accommodating,  just the odd time it won't happen that way.

 

you get my drift Nick.

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

What questions do you need to ask 7/11 staff ?

I know that was aimed at steven100.

 

I asked for batteries...  the girl at the 7-11 counter had no idea what I was talking of. 

I asked again and still received the 100 yard stare, the girl at the counter was a like a rabbit in the headlights. 

I asked a different member of staff who pointed out the batteries. 

 

First staff member was probably frightened by foreigners and just froze, then panicked and didn't realise I was speaking Thai (eyes couldn't believe the ears - which happens sometimes). 

 

No issues, but sometimes there needs to be interaction which is fine - but there is no need to be 'demanding' of the staff when things don't go our way.

 

 

 

 

[bignok]

1 minute ago, steven100 said:

any general question,  will this item be coming again this week, what does this discount poster mean, is it 2 for 1 deal,  how much is this cost,  can you make microwave that a bit longer please (now that request is not easy)    Lol    .....  look most times they are quite good and accommodating,  just the odd time it won't happen that way.

 

you get my drift Nick.

Use a language app

Problem solved

[bignok]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

I know that was aimed at steven100.

 

I asked for batteries...  the girl at the 7-11 counter had no idea what I was talking of. 

I asked again and still received the 100 yard stare, the girl at the counter was a like a rabbit in the headlights. 

I asked a different member of staff who pointed out the batteries. 

 

First staff member was probably frightened by foreigners and just froze, then panicked and didn't realise I was speaking Thai (eyes couldn't believe the ears - which happens sometimes). 

 

No issues, but sometimes there needs to be interaction which is fine - but there is no need to be 'demanding' of the staff when things don't go your way.

 

 

 

 

Some young new workers dont know

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

I bought my house, I owned it. I wanted to get a job, I could anytime. A foreigner can go to the US and get work, buy land and run for president.

Foreigners can buy and own houses in Thailand, also.  Foreigners can get work in Thailand, also.

 

"A foreigner can ... run for president".

Since when can foreigners run for POTUS?

[Nick Carter icp]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I know that was aimed at steven100.

 

I asked for batteries...  the girl at the 7-11 counter had no idea what I was talking of. 

I asked again and still received the 100 yard stare, the girl at the counter was a like a rabbit in the headlights. 

I asked a different member of staff who pointed out the batteries. 

 

First staff member was probably frightened by foreigners and just froze, then panicked and didn't realise I was speaking Thai (eyes couldn't believe the ears - which happens sometimes). 

 

No issues, but sometimes there needs to be interaction which is fine - but there is no need to be 'demanding' of the staff when things don't go our way.

 

 

 

 

Where the batteries by the till ?

Where the batteries next to the condoms in front and to the left hand side of the till, near the door way entrance ?

[billd766]

38 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

How you feel about taking rubbish bags back to 7/11 and getting a refund in Thailand ?

I would not have bought trash bags at 7/11 in the first place. BigC and Makro have a bigger selection and are cheaper.

 

If I did buy the wrong thing I would simply have used them elsewhere.

 

It would have been MY mistake and my problem.

[steven100]

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Another foreigner coming into the store and expecting to be understood

yes .... the nerve of some falang is beyond belief Richard,  fancy expecting an employee in a 7-11 shop to understand a scrap of English.      Lol

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

48 minutes ago, steven100 said:

many Thai 7-11 cashiers, sales staff and shop keepers come across as arrogant, verbally abusive, uneducated and down right rude,  they haven't a clue on how to act when asked a simple question,   ain't that the truth.

No different from most AN posters, then.

[fredwiggy]

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Foreigners can buy and own houses in Thailand, also.  Foreigners can get work in Thailand, also.

 

"A foreigner can ... run for president".

Since when can foreigners run for POTUS?

That was a joke, although it's getting there. Obama was from Hawaii I believe, just not from the contiguous states. My house is actually mine, though in my ex's name. You can't entirely own the house and land it's on. We can work in some occupations here, but it's not the same as what's available for foreigners in the US, was my point.

[richard_smith237]

Just now, Nick Carter icp said:

Where the batteries by the till ?

Where the batteries next to the condoms in front and to the left hand side of the till, near the door way entrance ?

I think they had a large advertising board up in front of them so I didn't see them.

 

The second member of staff understood the question no issues, no complaints from me. 

The first member of staff was simply not very sharp and didn't catch my Thai.

Battery is the same word in English and Thai BTW !!!... (just different intonation).

 

Sometimes people are just switched off...   not an issue. No need to get upset or complain etc they work long hours and get tired.

 

It's not the first time when talking with Thai's in Thai and it takes a moment for them to realise I'm not talking in English - Some folk are smarter / sharper than others and that is evident in many different interactions.

 

Some guys get upset so easily and very minor simple stuff - it could be argued they are not very smart or sharp if allowing such minor stuff to rub them up the wrong way.