How Much For Specs

[tgeezer]

My second day out in Bangkok I went into an optician without a Thai and ordered a new pair of varifocal glasses for reading and slight long correction plus new lenses for the glasses I was wearing. Price; 10300 and 12400 the difference is in the 'lenses only' having chromatic uv protection which I think means that they change with light. Now this is obviously more than UK where I was last week! and I did expect to pay over the odds. When I told my mate he was gobsmacked, to be fair he has had lazar treatment and hasn't seen an optician in years, but when he asked for the name of the shop to which I replied "Top Jareun" I got the unsettleing feeling that they were a famous franchise and that I had really been fleeced. If the concensus is that I was 'done' I have a plan; I have left 10000 deposit so my plan is to take the first pair and pay the extra 300 and cancel the second, so minimising the hurt. Any one have a figure? I would say that 20% over the odds is fair.

[jcon]

sorry tgeezer, but i think you did get fleeced. So, let me get this clear, you got lenses for 10300 and glasses+lenses for 12400? I think they made you overpay dearly for those lenses... sounds like prices back in the west.

top charoen is a chain, and i'm convinced they are a mafia front... but that's just me.

my personal glasses shop, to give you an idea of prices:

1 pair Gucci frames plus thin lenses and the uv crap: 8k total

1 pair Dior frames plus the above: 8k total

1 pair Gucci frames plus tri-focal thin lenses (for my old man): 8k total.

when i say 8k, it's from memory, but it's somewhere around there, 7 to 9, definitely not over 10.

Frames alone are most of the cost, and the lenses were just 1000-2000baht if i recall correctly. Mostly finished the same day, except for the old man's tri-focals which took a few days. Never had a problem.

[tgeezer]

Thanks very much. I will try to cancel the second order for lenses only the girls shoud be happy when they get used to the idea; after all they still get a chunk of change.

[DP25]

The last lenses I bought were 700 baht. Got the frames for a bit over 1000, and the shop had them ranging from 500 to 10,000 baht. They really tried to push the imported frames that were in the 5000-10000 baht price range on me but I wasn't having it.

[KhunDennis]

I went to an eye clinic near to where I live, run by a eye doctor. Had a eye exam and fitted for lenses, to correct an astigmatism.

I recieved:

New lenses for distance in my driving glasses, multi coated

One new titanium frame, with progressive reading lenses , for computer work.

Total price with good exam 5600 Baht.

[tgeezer]

I went to an eye clinic near to where I live, run by a eye doctor. Had a eye exam and fitted for lenses, to correct an astigmatism.

I recieved:

New lenses for distance in my driving glasses, multi coated

One new titanium frame, with progressive reading lenses , for computer work.

Total price with good exam 5600 Baht.

That is better than I will do, now that the pound is down to 50 if it were not for the 30% paid by HMG for the over sixties (just learned this!) it would compare well with UK. I have cancelled the order for the lenses so will spend a whopping 10300 Bt, a case of 'a lesson earned. better than a lesson learned' I think. It was all amicable at the shop; I apologised, told them I needed the money for proof at immigration, so couldn't etc. both sides happy she knows it was BS and I know she knows that I know I've been ripped-off, but face was saved and my signature not binding.

[KhunDennis]

You did the right thing tgeezer, no use making a big fuss about it. I think being friendly is best, you may want to go back sometime.