Dealing With Charoen Optical

[cecco]

Guys, nearly 11 months ago, I bought a pair of glasses in Pai, from Charoen Optical. I told them that if they were not back in the maximum 10 business days they promised, I didn't want them.

They were back, but the bifocals were cut crooked.

For the past 11 months, they keep breaking (falling apart) every 2-4 days. Last week, as soon as they handed them to me, they fell apart.

They have not been in an accident and I wear a full faced helmet, never get drunk, go to bars, smoke, use drugs, or chew gum.

Last week I called the Tourist Police in Chiang Mai because Charoen Optical at the headquarters in BKK kept hunging up the fone on me. The Tourist Police said BKK would call me back, but they did not. The local store called me back and fixed them again. The glasses broke again today (2 days later), and I took them back. They want me to buy a new pair of glasses.

I am very angry. I feel very cheated. I am tired of being patient. Can somebody please give me some contact information for where to get some help? Or, are we baked potatoes (man farang as some of u reference) unable to deal with these things professionally?

from my terrible experience, I would strongly suggest none of you ever patronize Charaoen Optical, and if would love to know how to tell the prime minister's office of my experience.

Thank you.

[dave111223]

A store sold you shoddy merchandise...just don't shop there anymore, and complain to friends about how crap they are, but I don't see why you would be calling the police...? It's not illegal sell crap products.

[givenall]

A store sold you shoddy merchandise...just don't shop there anymore, and complain to friends about how crap they are, but I don't see why you would be calling the police...? It's not illegal sell crap products.

I always wondered how Charoen Optical stays in business. Every time I pass one of these and it is many times they are always empty. Now I know how, they cheat people.

Another way is to tell them you will let all the forms like TV about what they did creating bad publicity and this way more people will know about them and will not shop at their store. This may get them to act and fix your problem

[Lite Beer]

Yep. They are not Opticians, they are Spectacle Frame Salesmen.

[katana]

...they keep breaking (falling apart) every 2-4 days. ...

...I wear a full faced helmet...

Is the weight of a tightly fitting helmet, when wearing the glasses, contributing to it?

[Heng]

I always wondered how Charoen Optical stays in business.

They have plenty of other non-optical income streams and apart from the locations in malls and shopping centers, they own most of their buildings, so no rental overhead.

[Mark Wolfe]

With all that stress, I suggest you start chewing gum.

[mahtin]

Another way is to tell them you will let all the forms like TV about what they did creating bad publicity and this way more people will know about them and will not shop at their store. This may get them to act and fix your problem

Is that a flock of swine overhead?

Like you say, they're always empty, apart from being overstaffed.

I always assumed money-laundering, tax write-off, whatever.

Edited August 28, 2009 by mahtin

[pattaya_girl]

I bought some Glasses for someone from the Branch in Pattaya a few Years ago, they cost me a fortune.

With being new to Thailand at the time I was not sure where to go.. Later I found another Opticians in another part of Pattaya, and the Glasses I bought were a Quarter of the Price.

I will never go to Charoen Optician again as there prices are sky high.

I understand you are angry, just don't go again.

[Hawk]

Its simply a case of the buyer beware. Shops all over Thailand sell rubbish, so you haven't got a leg to stand on legally.

And you called the tourist police? You ought to be on the TV in one of those joke shows along with your tourist cop friends.

[Geekfreaklover]

Would it be fair to say 'they saw you coming?'

[dave2]

dave111223

quote ..... It's not illegal sell crap products.

you forgot to add ... especially in thailand

say bye bye to your money and try somewhere else .... NOT ... the police

dave2

[Gary A]

What do you call broken? Did you choose a pair with fragile nose pads to wear under a helmet? You normally pick a pair of frames to suit how you are going to use them. Some frames are solid with no nose pieces. They are built into the frames and are quite rigid. Some frames are fragile and can't handle any twisting. The thin wire frames get twisted and a lens will pop out. How much did you pay for the glasses? You can buy quality or you can buy junk. I have a quality pair of frames that are made from titanium. I have had the lenses replaced at least four times over the years. They still look like new.

[DP25]

would love to know how to tell the prime minister's office of my experience.

Forget about those impending Red Shirt Riots and the global financial meltdwon Mark, cecco from Pai has a pair of wobbly glasses!!!

[givenall]

Another way is to tell them you will let all the forms like TV about what they did creating bad publicity and this way more people will know about them and will not shop at their store. This may get them to act and fix your problem

Is that a flock of swine overhead?

Like you say, they're always empty, apart from being overstaffed.

I always assumed money-laundering, tax write-off, whatever.

Yeap, I also wondered about money laundering

[Heng]

Another obvious one... (for optical shops in general, here not neccessarily just TC) Ralph Lauren and Armani likely aren't getting their cut if you know what I mean.

[DragonQuest]

dude you got scammed, get over it move on

[Hawkup2000]

Another example, once I bought a pair of glasses there. At that time they had a promotion "buy one get one free". I got my first pair quite fast but it took weeks before the free pair arrived. By then the promotion had magically expired. Therefore I had to pay 9,000 Baht for the second pair. I find "we don't stick to the normal time frame; you pay more" strange.

Edited August 29, 2009 by Hawkup2000

[haybilly]

Another example, once I bought a pair of glasses there. At that time they had a promotion "buy one get one free". I got my first pair quite fast but it took weeks before the free pair arrived. By then the promotion had magically expired. Therefore I had to pay 9,000 Baht for the second pair. I find "we don't stick to the normal time frame; you pay more" strange.

They are running the same promo right at this moment--buy one get one free, or 50% prices,--however, having been foolish enough to buy a pair from them many years back I am not tempted. As has been stated before--they are specs frames salespeople--not opticians.

[CanInBKK]

I've never been impressed by Charoen Optical. If you're ever in Bangkok I'd recommend Rutnin Eye Hospital on Asoke Road. They've made 2-3 pairs of glasses for me and the quality has always been top notch. I usually wear very thin frames and I also wear a full face helmet, the glasses have never broken.

[strawberry]

I've had similar problems with this mob. last year i went into the shop in town and asked for a quote. just wanted a cheap pair of glasses suitable for the work on the PC the cheapest was 2600b. Went to the city and got 2 pair for less than that price.

i did buy a pair of glasses at another Charoen Optical but continuing problems with these, no more bussiness with these people

Joe

[mca]

How long was the warranty OP?

Edited August 29, 2009 by mca

[H2oDunc]

I can't beleve anybody would call the police over a dodgy pair of glasses. And you then wonder why they didn't call you back ? To then to consider trying to let the Prime Minister kow about this shocking deal takes the biscuit. I suggest you get a life of some sort as you don't any of the normal things people with a life do here in Thailand and forget about ever getting any joy from the shop.

[mca]

Or, are we baked potatoes (man farang as some of u reference) unable to deal with these things professionally?

Sadly from your post OP I think it's you.

I bought a rather expensive camera and the lens wouldn't seat properly on it. I took it back to the shop and they told me it would have to go to Bangkok to be checked out. I said to them that as it was less then 24 hours old there was no way that was going to happen so it's either a new camera and lens or a full refund. Took a bit of polite back and forth but eventually got a new camera.

Why didn't you reject the glasses from the very off when the bifocals were crooked?

Edited August 29, 2009 by mca

[bendejo]

I always had the impression that Top Charoen was there for the tourists seeking a relative bargain, foreigners who would compare their prices to those at home, get the quick turnaround service, and get back on the plane home to Farangland, never to be seen again. But they’re all over the country, prominent as 7-11, so I guess they must have Thai customers. I think having attractive, somewhat flirtatious salesgirls is part of the modus operandi: gotta admit, gents, those tight, white outfits do get your attention.

I think a different type of scam for tourists is to promise an impossible delivery, collect the deposit, and when the foreigner, who explained up front that they were leaving day after tomorrow, turns up they say “sorrreee” and of course the deposit is not refundable. They know the foreigner is not going to re-schedule their flight to wait for the glasses. (I say foreigner here as opposed to farang because I could see the Japanese being roped in as well.) I had one guy promise me he could have progressives for me by 6pm, and it was noon when he said it; it was too good to be true.

On the other hand, one time in the US I went to one of these eyeglass-dispensing chain stores and brought in their 2-for-1 ad from the newspaper (I think it was 2 pair for US$75, this was about 10 years ago). The guy tried his best to sell me a different deal, telling me the glasses will rust and fall apart within a year etc. He was pissed off when I wouldn’t go for it. Well, one pair broke three years later when I sat on them (wasn’t part of the plan) and the other was retired after five years when I needed a new prescription. Only goes to show…

I finally got the ‘progressives’ and they’re maddening! I’ve switched over to 100 baht generics.

OP: after a while you’ll realize that money flows in only one direction in this part of the world. The police are not your friends, either.

[Hawk]

and if would love to know how to tell the prime minister's office of my experience.

Thank you.

I suppose you could get a petition up and running, get about 10,000,000 signatures that might get their attention.

Or you could walk around Bangkok naked with a placard saying Charoen Optical are crooks that will get you arrested and on the TV for sure.

You could set up a stage outside government house.

Perhaps you could give an interview on the BBC or CNN condemning Chareon Optical for their brutal sales methods, Mr.Mark watching those channels.

Another idea, make an official complaint to the UN who will then take it up with the Thai government, who will quickly organize a meeting and send the army over to see the manager of Chareon Optical.

You sound like a real winner so go for it.

[Rimmer]

I think the Charoen Optical group is maybe a franchise.

I had a dispute with them over them supplying standard lenses against my order for hard coated non scratch lenses. The first pair of glasses from them I took back because they scratched after one week using the supplied cleaning cloth. I mistakenly ordered another pair from them thinking there had been a mistake. They were also not hard coated when they arrived and scratched after a couple of days. My wife asked for the phone number of the head office to make a complaint, they would not give it to her and threatened to call the police if we did not leave the premises, my wife stuck to her guns and eventually got the number which turned out to be the owner or maybe franchise holder who said in effect tough sh*t. But having said that, previously a different branch of the same company had supplied hard coated lenses which even five years later still have not scratched.

I suspect that some of the shops in the chain use different and not always top quality products in order to maximize their profits at branch level.

Edited August 29, 2009 by Rimmer

[way2muchcoffee]

Hmmm. I'm surprised to hear so many complaints about this company, but then TiT, so my surprise has faded already.

I purchased specs from them about 5 years ago. It was a buy one get one free deal. I chose one pair of regular glasses and one pair of sunglasses. Both seemed high quality. I paid about 6,000 all in. After 5 years the regular ones are still fine. I did drop them once and one of the lenses broke, so I replaced the lenses, other than that they are still fine. The sunglasses snapped after about a year, but again, that was my fault - I sat on them. Service was efficient and friendly. Specs were cut and fitted while we waited. It took about 40 minutes. Different experiences for different folks I guess. I guess I will be careful which particular outlet I shop from. By the way, the shop I went to is located underneath the BTS Thong Lor station.

Edited August 29, 2009 by way2muchcoffee

[caf]

and if would love to know how to tell the prime minister's office of my experience.

Thank you.

I suppose you could get a petition up and running, get about 10,000,000 signatures that might get their attention.

Or you could walk around Bangkok naked with a placard saying Charoen Optical are crooks that will get you arrested and on the TV for sure.

You could set up a stage outside government house.

Perhaps you could give an interview on the BBC or CNN condemning Chareon Optical for their brutal sales methods, Mr.Mark watching those channels.

Another idea, make an official complaint to the UN who will then take it up with the Thai government, who will quickly organize a meeting and send the army over to see the manager of Chareon Optical.

You sound like a real winner so go for it.

Who owns - controls Chareon , Hawk?

[Samuian]

Everyone has a choice, if I need spectacles my choice would be a optician

and not a frame pushing sales brach of some franchise operation!

Or since when is McDonalds a culinary specialties restaurant?