With apologies for the ramble but I needed to unload this from my mind…………..

Don’t get me wrong, I love living in Thailand and have no desire to return to the UK.  But sometimes, when dealing with what is a seemingly small issue, I find myself being driven to the verge of insanity at how things are done.

We recently moved house.  Having had fibre internet at the previous 3 houses with a TV box added a few years ago we asked to move our existing contract and service to the new property.  That happened seamlessly with the technicians setting everything up the day after we moved in to the new place.  Well done.

We then decided to get a second TV box for a TV in another room.  We enquired at one of the company shops we were passing one day to ask what the options were.  

The friendly staff member there said “Oh you still have the old box.  That has to be replaced.  You must bring the box in to the shop soon or we will fine you 2,500 baht”.  She wouldn’t even discuss the option of having a second box until we sorted out the ‘problem’.

So I called the Call Centre.  A very helpful lady there couldn’t understand why the shop worker had said what she did.  A second TV box could be added to our package for about 140baht a month.  Wonderful, could I book a visit to instal it on 18th June after we return from holiday?  "No that is too far away we can only make bookings up to 20 days in advance."  OK I will phone next week when the 18th June is within the 20 day window.  

A week later and I call the call centre again, brimming with confidence about how simple it would be.  This time I am told “Oh you are on a contract that isn’t supported anymore.  If you want to make a change to it, any change at all, you will have to upgrade to a new package.”  

In the end I just rolled over and accepted it.  I will end up with 2 TV’s working and overall the cost of the new package is only about 250baht per month more than I pay now.  OK book me in for 18th June please.  I am told "No.  You have to go to a shop.”

Oh for XXXX sake.  Why wasn’t I told this last week?  Never mind.

So we went to a shop, this one a bit closer to where we now live.  I explain what has happened before saying the call centre operative said she will find all the details she needs for the contract on my file notes.

“There is nothing on your file Sir.”   Oh for.XXXX sake. OK I want an internet package with two TV boxes.  What are my options

We end up getting everything agreed, contract signed, and job booked in.  Sorted I think.  Frustrating at times but we got there in the end.  Then as we are about to leave I hear “Oh.  Just a moment.  You have an old TV box.  You have to bring it in to the shop or we will fine you 2.500 baht”.  I held back the tears of frustration, just.  

You are visiting my house in 2 weeks time with two new boxes.  Why can’t you collect the old box then?  “Oh no sir.  Technicians cannot collect old equipment.  You must bring it to a shop yourself or pay a fine of 2,500baht.”  OK I give up.  I will bring in the old box after the two new boxes are installed.

I subsequently sent an email to their customer complaints address and received a polite apology for the service but it was confirmed that they can’t possibly collect an old box when they instal a new one.  That sounds like a mad way of doing things.

The technician has just left.  “Two TV boxes?” He said.  “No, my job sheet is to instal one TV box only.  You should go back to the shop and ask for them to raise a new job for us to instal a second TV box”

I will try and go to the shop later.  When I have stopped crying and slashing at my wrists.

Sounds like an AIS/3BB screw up? If you are/were with 3BB now you need to change to AIS?

The bored ladies in the shop are just punching buttons. The install guys are just doing what they are told.

Your request obviously falls outside the norm.

Edited June 18Jun 18 by VocalNeal

After careful investigation, we’ve concluded that this entire situation could easily have been avoided. The root cause has now been identified:

You voluntarily boarded a flight from Blighty to Thailand.

2 hours ago, BilllyGOAT said:

After careful investigation, we’ve concluded that this entire situation could easily have been avoided. The root cause has now been identified:

You voluntarily boarded a flight from Blighty to Thailand.

And you think that sort of thing doesn't happen in "Blighty"?

Last December, I upgraded my broadband on my existing ISP paying 20UKP extra for a priority installation.

it took 3 visits from OpenReach (the company who maintains the fibre network) and 5 phone calls to my ISP to get it to actually work.

That's partly (IMO) because OpenReach is an offshoot of BT and the ISP is s client of OpenReach.

To be fair, my old system was still working right up until the new one was commissioned and the ISP did refund my £20 and as compensation, also refunded the cost of the new router, but incompetence is not unique to Thailand! 🤬

7 hours ago, grs90 said:

With apologies for the ramble but I needed to unload this from my mind…………..

Don’t get me wrong, I love living in Thailand and have no desire to return to the UK.  But sometimes, when dealing with what is a seemingly small issue, I find myself being driven to the verge of insanity at how things are done.

We recently moved house.  Having had fibre internet at the previous 3 houses with a TV box added a few years ago we asked to move our existing contract and service to the new property.  That happened seamlessly with the technicians setting everything up the day after we moved in to the new place.  Well done.

We then decided to get a second TV box for a TV in another room.  We enquired at one of the company shops we were passing one day to ask what the options were.  

The friendly staff member there said “Oh you still have the old box.  That has to be replaced.  You must bring the box in to the shop soon or we will fine you 2,500 baht”.  She wouldn’t even discuss the option of having a second box until we sorted out the ‘problem’.

So I called the Call Centre.  A very helpful lady there couldn’t understand why the shop worker had said what she did.  A second TV box could be added to our package for about 140baht a month.  Wonderful, could I book a visit to instal it on 18th June after we return from holiday?  "No that is too far away we can only make bookings up to 20 days in advance."  OK I will phone next week when the 18th June is within the 20 day window.  

A week later and I call the call centre again, brimming with confidence about how simple it would be.  This time I am told “Oh you are on a contract that isn’t supported anymore.  If you want to make a change to it, any change at all, you will have to upgrade to a new package.”  

In the end I just rolled over and accepted it.  I will end up with 2 TV’s working and overall the cost of the new package is only about 250baht per month more than I pay now.  OK book me in for 18th June please.  I am told "No.  You have to go to a shop.”

Oh for XXXX sake.  Why wasn’t I told this last week?  Never mind.

So we went to a shop, this one a bit closer to where we now live.  I explain what has happened before saying the call centre operative said she will find all the details she needs for the contract on my file notes.

“There is nothing on your file Sir.”   Oh for.XXXX sake. OK I want an internet package with two TV boxes.  What are my options

We end up getting everything agreed, contract signed, and job booked in.  Sorted I think.  Frustrating at times but we got there in the end.  Then as we are about to leave I hear “Oh.  Just a moment.  You have an old TV box.  You have to bring it in to the shop or we will fine you 2.500 baht”.  I held back the tears of frustration, just.  

You are visiting my house in 2 weeks time with two new boxes.  Why can’t you collect the old box then?  “Oh no sir.  Technicians cannot collect old equipment.  You must bring it to a shop yourself or pay a fine of 2,500baht.”  OK I give up.  I will bring in the old box after the two new boxes are installed.

I subsequently sent an email to their customer complaints address and received a polite apology for the service but it was confirmed that they can’t possibly collect an old box when they instal a new one.  That sounds like a mad way of doing things.

The technician has just left.  “Two TV boxes?” He said.  “No, my job sheet is to instal one TV box only.  You should go back to the shop and ask for them to raise a new job for us to instal a second TV box”

I will try and go to the shop later.  When I have stopped crying and slashing at my wrists.

Human beings are no damn good!

Reminds me of many years ago when one of my business phone lines went down. This is with Telstra in Aus. I called the help line to register the problem and was told they had to generate a job number before a technician could fix it. But I explained that there was a tech outside my shop working on the box from someone else's problem. Can you talk to him and fix mine at the same time?

No! It must go through the system where he will return to the depot to get the new instruction and then return to fix your problem.

I fully understand the OP.

Not so much to rage about anymore, the time is to short, or the solution for a fix is out of reach. There is only so much a man can do, or control.

Edited June 19Jun 19 by Hummin

20 hours ago, grs90 said:

With apologies for the ramble but I needed to unload this from my mind…………..

20 hours ago, grs90 said:

That isn't a Thai issue in the slightest. Things like this happen all the time in the west and fixing them is usually MUCH more expensive. You were told you needed a new package and you had to bring in your old box. Frustrating but simple instructions. You chose to complicate things as I might have myself :)

By not bringing in the box as they told you, a technician showed up with one box because you already had "one" box. They aren't going to give you a free box and the only way you get a new box is by returning the old box or pay 2,500 baht.

Sorry, you are more of the problem than them :) I do these types of things all the time and hopefully you can laugh at yourself.

Edited June 19Jun 19 by atpeace

Sounds like OP is dealing with the wrong ISP — if it was me, I would change, and I already did that several years ago when two ISPs merged and it became a pain in an unspeakable body part to deal with — only excellent service experiences ever since...

I, too, have noticed that Thai processes are often rigid and what appears to be sensible pragmatism to us doesn't always work with them. It appears to me that most front-line workers in a larger organisation don't have any autonomy to be flexible, even if they might wish to be, so I believe it would be unfair to blame them.

I am a guest in their country so I realise there is no point in raging against their processes. At the end of the day nobody gets hurt so it's usually a small ripple on an otherwise placid pond...

Edited June 19Jun 19 by IsaanT

Why not just order a chrome cast for second tv ?

Anyone seen the Michael Douglas movie 'Falling Down'?

I understand the OP's frustrations.