A stark reminder of Thai "hospitality"

[1FinickyOne]

How good is your Thai language ability? You can't really expect a 7/11 employee making minimum wage to understand you... 

 

There is also a language/cultural issue where some people feel it is impolite to answer w/a negative and might answer 'yes' to anything... 

[1FinickyOne]

4 hours ago, nickmondo said:

ever know a Thai let you in front at checkout if you have only 1 item?

actually, that happened today at Big C - - and I had about ten items... and he had fewer than me so I refused.

 

And then after checkout the security guard very enthusiastically engaged me in questions, just the usual, where you from type stuff but then told me he liked foreigners... of course, this was all done in Thai. 

[Pattaya57]

I just went to 7/11 and they had 2 types of garbage bags. One pack for 39 baht and the other for 49 baht.

 

Can't belive someone would take back garbage bags that they chose to buy just to get back < 50 baht because they changed their mind (and then rant about it on a forum)

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

I just went to 7/11 and they had 2 types of garbage bags. One pack for 39 baht and the other for 49 baht.

 

Can't belive someone would take back garbage bags that they chose to buy just to get back < 50 baht because they changed their mind (and then rant about it on a forum)

Welcome to Asean Now where the stinginess, entitlement, and utter misery of members never ceases to amaze.

[bignok]

5 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Um, I had passport photos done for 150 baht, Embassy emailed me and said cannot accept as they had been photoshopped unbeknown to me.

 

Did I go back, nope, but never will, suffice to say went across the road and got some done for 200 baht.

 

Because the 1st shop failed to deliver to me what I wanted, i.e. passport photos, they will never get my business again, and when the wife and children are due for their passports next year, it will be across the road.

 

Was I pi$$ed off that I did the 150 baht, yes, but I couldn't return the photos as 2 had gone in with the passport renewal application to the embassy.

 

Moral of the story, remember where you are and smile as they do.

150 baht 

[bignok]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

I just went to 7/11 and they had 2 types of garbage bags. One pack for 39 baht and the other for 49 baht.

 

Can't belive someone would take back garbage bags that they chose to buy just to get back < 50 baht because they changed their mind (and then rant about it on a forum)

Some people are just trouble seekers.

[NextG]

9 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

You do know, since you use the word freely, what delusional means right? What incontrovertible evidence is there in this man's post that makes anyone who agrees with him delusional? I see his post as it is. Not as a reply to someone else's rants about Thais, but as an experience he had in a store a day ago. It may have been exactly how he stated it was. We weren't there, so can't judge him. You think he made this up just for the hell of it, looking for sympathy? I see it as it probably happened, and I'm far from gullible. If it's not exactly how it happened, it doesn't matter. He asked for a refund from a store that usually does, in 30 days or less, no matter the country. Stores do not usually change policies in other countries unless they are a franchise, then it's up to them. What he asked for isn't unreasonable. It's been called cheap, but that's no one's business how others spend their money. Some have a lot of money, and are of the thinking it's beneath them to return something so small. Oh well, not your deal anyway.

Are you still feeding it?

[novacova]

On 9/10/2023 at 10:44 AM, mike111 said:

WTF. I bought a pack of plastic bags less than 24h ago, never opened the pack & cannot exchange ?

Good freaking grief! It’s a cheap pack of plastic bags that has absolutely no value worth being bothered about unless you’re dirt poor. And not accepting “Cannot” and just moving on only wound up and escalated the situation. OP got yelled at, tongue lashed and demoralized for not being understanding and imposing an expectation…get over it.

[PremiumLane]

On 9/10/2023 at 10:44 AM, mike111 said:

I bought a pack of rubbish bags at 7-11 yesterday. Didn't open it & had the receipt.

Went back to the same shop today, approached the staff at the entrance to show I came in with the item & asked if I could exchange for something else. She said yes.

 

Good, collected a few snacks and headed back to the cashier. Out of nowhere she says "cannot". Surprised I asked why and she replied "more than 1 day".

 

WTF. I bought a pack of plastic bags less than 24h ago, never opened the pack & cannot exchange ? I didn't even ask for a refund.

Then I insisted and told her that the other staff said this would be possible. The gates of hell then opened wide ensuing with swearing in Thai, angry faces and what not. Eventually she said "I give you money back". I said I can just get other items instead but she insisted I just get the money & leave the shop, as a punishment for my wrongdoings.

 

I left determined not to place a foot in that shop again.

 

Moral of the story:

1. A reminder that foreigners are welcome in Thailand only while they're walking ATMs. If you're actually asking for something back, well...good luck.

2. 7-11 has ridiculous unwritten (at least in English) policies. Caveat emptor.

 

 

So, you had one bad experience in one shop, and now all foreigners are walking ATMs.... the ASEAN Now Forum clown show continues 

[swm59nj]

I understand your point completely.  Welcome to the so called LOS. 

[Damrongsak]

On 9/10/2023 at 12:45 AM, fredwiggy said:

I was there 62 years, and know full well the advantages people take on retailers. happens worldwide also. Wal Mart used to do it all the time, but recently started taking not only the ID, but give a reduction of the posted price, just for this reason. The worse times get, the more this will happen. I worked for Home Depot, and people used to put things on carts and just walk out, and you couldn't stop them outside the store. Only call police and give them the tag numbers.

Last week as I was checking out at a Lowe's home improvement store (like Home Depot), a fellow with a shopping cart was about to exit.   He had an empty cart with a big backpack on the lower shelf. Another guy came in from outside and confronted him.  The cashier and I watched as he emptied the contents of the backpack into the cart.  It was a whole bunch of DeWalt cordless tools, like drills and impact drivers.  Hundreds of dollars worth.  I think the store guy just chased him off. 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, swm59nj said:

I understand your point completely.  Welcome to the so called LOS. 

You seem to want a warm welcome everywhere you go and get treated like Royalty with all your whims granted and everyone is really pleased to see you and you get anything you want and the full five start luxury service..........................in a 7/11 in Pattaya .

   

[JensenZ]

25 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

You seem to want a warm welcome everywhere you go and get treated like Royalty with all your whims granted and everyone is really pleased to see you and you get anything you want and the full five start luxury service..........................in a 7/11 in Pattaya .

   

It seems to be some expats expect the average working Thai in a corner store should be an ambassador for Thai hospitality.

 

They have no such obligation. It's not their job. They don't get paid by the government - The Tourism Authority of Thailand.

 

Back in most expat's home countries, do they suck up to tourists in order to make them feel more welcome? I used to live in a famous tourist city in Australia, and most locals found the tourists annoying, unless of course their business was actually a tourist related business in which case sucking up was part of the job description.

 

 

[papa al]

OP

I feel so sorry for you.

Maybe I'll start a go-fund-me.

[Middle Aged Grouch]

On 9/10/2023 at 5:44 AM, mike111 said:

I bought a pack of rubbish bags at 7-11 yesterday. Didn't open it & had the receipt.

Went back to the same shop today, approached the staff at the entrance to show I came in with the item & asked if I could exchange for something else. She said yes.

 

Good, collected a few snacks and headed back to the cashier. Out of nowhere she says "cannot". Surprised I asked why and she replied "more than 1 day".

 

WTF. I bought a pack of plastic bags less than 24h ago, never opened the pack & cannot exchange ? I didn't even ask for a refund.

Then I insisted and told her that the other staff said this would be possible. The gates of hell then opened wide ensuing with swearing in Thai, angry faces and what not. Eventually she said "I give you money back". I said I can just get other items instead but she insisted I just get the money & leave the shop, as a punishment for my wrongdoings.

 

I left determined not to place a foot in that shop again.

 

Moral of the story:

1. A reminder that foreigners are welcome in Thailand only while they're walking ATMs. If you're actually asking for something back, well...good luck.

2. 7-11 has ridiculous unwritten (at least in English) policies. Caveat emptor.

 

 

Foreigners or anybody else... is always well treated in Thailand, provide they show reciprocity in respect.

 

But when one sees the arrogance of certain farangs who go out of their way to think they are superiour to the locals or even other foreigners, what can one expect ? It gives a bad name to all farangs and the thai's start to dislike all the westerners...

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Theres not much opportunity to let customers ahead of you if they just have one item 

They have moved all the tills around again in BigCX..., I get a sense that the convenience lines for those with half a basket full are being covered less in preference for the big weekly shop. I let the elderly person with a single item pass me... soon that will be me!

[josephbloggs]

The OP hasn't posted since the first page. Was it just a troll post? Or is he embarrassed after reading the replies? Or maybe he's busy shouting at clouds...

 

 

[Shop mak]

12 pages with comments, all due to a pack of garbage bags value 30-60 baht.

 

The world has gone mad.

 

Not surprise OP has gone MIA.

555

[steven100]

OP has vanished .....   not one reply ....   did he just make this story up !

 

seems he did. 

[Olmate]

16 minutes ago, steven100 said:

OP has vanished .....   not one reply ....   did he just make this story up !

 

seems he did. 

Well in OP, s last few topics hes needed help to buy new mobile, new aircons, new phone battery, new    debit card for dodgy ATM, new computer, some new  dentures, finally.the last straw.. crappy garbags. Hes outa here! 

[Olmate]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

They have moved all the tills around again in BigCX..., I get a sense that the convenience lines for those with half a basket full are being covered less in preference for the big weekly shop. I let the elderly person with a single item pass me... soon that will be me!

I,ve switched to Friendship despite their uppity checkout chicks! 

[BillyBloggs]

On 9/10/2023 at 11:12 AM, fredwiggy said:

I'm not sure what you mean by western, but in the US, most places will return, and many without a receipt. It's called better business, as it brings return customers. It's not a question of have to but will.

Yeah in America you dont even have to pay in the first place just walk on out.

[NanLaew]

On 9/11/2023 at 1:59 PM, nickmondo said:

ever know a Thai let you in front at checkout if you have only 1 item?

Yes. Several times.

 

On 9/11/2023 at 1:59 PM, nickmondo said:

still............its better than UK........and ok for me now........but i need regular visits away or it drives me nuts

I've also been "let you in front" in the UK as well, but since I shop in Thailand three or four times a week versus once or twice a year in the UK, any attempt at correlating this with Thai people's attitudes is worthless.

 

Nice to see that overall you are happier in Thailand than the UK and that despite all the gurning, it is "ok for me now"

[NanLaew]

22 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

22 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Um, I had passport photos done for 150 baht, Embassy emailed me and said cannot accept as they had been photoshopped unbeknown to me.

 

Did I go back, nope, but never will, suffice to say went across the road and got some done for 200 baht.

 

Because the 1st shop failed to deliver to me what I wanted, i.e. passport photos, they will never get my business again, and when the wife and children are due for their passports next year, it will be across the road.

 

Was I pi$$ed off that I did the 150 baht, yes, but I couldn't return the photos as 2 had gone in with the passport renewal application to the embassy.

 

Moral of the story, remember where you are and smile as they do.

Expand  

Could you go back to the first shop and let them know that their photos are not acceptable because they are photo shopped  , explain that they were not accepted .

   They would probably change their process to developing  photos that are acceptable .

   That would be helpful to all concerned in the future

Maybe good for the first shops' future business, but won't do anything for @4MyEgo's ego

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, Shop mak said:

12 pages with comments, all due to a pack of garbage bags value 30-60 baht.

 

The world has gone mad.

 

Not surprise OP has gone MIA.

555

Indeed the world has gone mad....    so many people have no understanding of basic issues and can't follow basic discussions - instead they dumb down and oversimplify things...

 

This thread is not about 'a pack of garbage bags'....  The thread is about a perceived lack of service provided which is juxtaposed to the general impression that service in Thailand is excellent.

 

Personally the 'whinge' is rather pathetic, but there a number of valid follow up points, discussing service standards here compared to the West, when it comes to personal treatment and professional response of staff etc and how that varies from company to company, region to region and also individual to individual. 

 

 

[Moonlover]

On 9/10/2023 at 12:42 PM, fredwiggy said:

A foreigner can go to the US and get work, buy land and run for president. 

Oh really?

 

'As directed by the Constitution, a presidential candidate must be a natural born citizen of the United States, a resident for 14 years, and 35 years of age or older'.

 

https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/elections/presidential-election-process/requirements-for-the-president-of-the-united-states/

[fredwiggy]

5 hours ago, BillyBloggs said:

Yeah in America you dont even have to pay in the first place just walk on out.

Another one who guesses or goes by others ignorance that have never been there.

[fredwiggy]

34 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Oh really?

 

'As directed by the Constitution, a presidential candidate must be a natural born citizen of the United States, a resident for 14 years, and 35 years of age or older'.

 

https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/elections/presidential-election-process/requirements-for-the-president-of-the-united-states/

I was kidding, and just talking about the freedoms there.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

I was kidding, and just talking about the freedoms there.

I have lived and worked in the US. It has more statutes than you can shake a stick at. The average American likes all these laws. I would go so far as they crave them. They think that having all these legal protections is what makes their nation a beacon of democracy.

[fredwiggy]

40 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I have lived and worked in the US. It has more statutes than you can shake a stick at. The average American likes all these laws. I would go so far as they crave them. They think that having all these legal protections is what makes their nation a beacon of democracy.

It's a great country that has people in it that don't belong. Some of them are in high places and need to be removed permanently, just like here. The country is for the people, not the rich who rape it for profit. The only way a country will survive is to rid it of the ones that don't belong there in the first place. Laws are necessary because a lot think they can do whatever they want with no repercussions. Sadly, many of these are rich and with that money have power. Power corrupts, but power can be destroyed.