5 Employees, 1 Falang & 1 Thai Gf To Find Plastic Bags In Lotus

[Tokay]

The task was simple. Find large plastic bags used for garbage at Lotus, which is not our usual shopping location.

My Thai lady and I enter Lotus and walk into the supply area where we ask a girl, in Thai, where the plastic bags were. "Mai mee" she said. I knew this was not true so we moved on to another girl 2 isles over. "Mai mee" again.

Not surprised and with a chuckle, we headed over to a young boy standing at the start of another isle which looked like it had bag potential. "Mai mee" he replied.

We have now asked 3 employees who have all said they don't have them. We knew this to be false as you could not have such a large store and not sell plastic bags. This is after all, the land of plastic bags and straws.

Moving on to a much older women, we thought for sure she would know. She has probably been there a while. "Mai mee."

At this point we've walked almost every isle in the store. Maybe they don't have them. It is foolish for us to assume that logic must apply within the great walls of Lotus while outside there is no logic at all and even gravity sometimes works in reverse. Maybe we were simply defeated and need to go to Big C where we know they have them and what brand to buy. Oh right, my lady wanted to buy them at Lotus for some unknown reason. Perhaps she had a dream about it. I'm still unsure why she pushed so hard for Lotus this one (and last) time.

Defeated, we decided to go to Big C, where I wanted to go in the first place, and on the way out my lady asked a boy standing near a check out counter. He turns and starts walking. We follow. To my absolute surprise, he takes us right to the isle where employee #3 was guarding, the same boy who said they didn't have them. The same isle we did not walk down because we foolishly thought the boy standing in the front of the isle would know if that isle had them or not. Well, that isle did have them and he was totally clueless as to what was in that isle, as were 4 other employees.

So yes, the exact bags we wanted were there, right behind a boy who said they didn't exist!

Moral of the story... never, ever, under any circumstance, listen to the locals regarding anything. This is not news to me or most of you, and I knew it would take a few of them to get the job done, but this Lotus trip was worthy of sharing. Oh, and the best part.... we bought the bags, took them home and turns out they are so thin they rip open so easily they are useless unless you triple bad them. Next time.... Big C. At least I know the brand to buy there.

[patsfangr]

ROFLMAO! Great story. Well told. Had you just related it factually, without the well done humor, I would have simply shrugged,; acknowledged having had nearly the same experience several times, for different products, in various stores; and given it the old 'TIT". But your presentation is deserving of recognition, Tokay!

Such everyday occurances here often leave us wondering whether to , , , or just walk away and !

[mrtoad]

I think "Mai Mee" is probably the most used word in Thai customer service.

Went into a computer shop last week to buy an ADSL cable. Straight away "Mai Mee", followed by another "Mai Mee" from the young girl (Dumb and Dumber), so I left the shop and went opposite. Again I asked for an ADSL cable, lots of scratching heads, and usual BS - eventually out of the three workers in the shop, they realised they didn't have one, but sent me back to the previous shop . Okay, so next out comes another assistant from the first shop who not like the original Dumb and Dumber immediately says he has and can make . So I sit around while Dumb and Dumber are looking increasingly sheepish, after about 10 minutes I have an ADSL cable - so I ask for a tax invoice, give them a card written in Thai, so it is easy for them to understand. Well, again this seems to confuse them, Dumb is scratching his <deleted>, and looking perplexed at the card and the screen. Dumber heads off, and is gone for about 15 minutes - returning with a bag of food . She then prints up the receipt as soon as she returns . Suffice to say that particular shop will not be getting any further visits when I am looking for computer stuff. 45 minutes for a cable and a receipt.

[Tokay]

ROFLMAO! Great story. Well told. Had you just related it factually, without the well done humor, I would have simply shrugged,; acknowledged having had nearly the same experience several times, for different products, in various stores; and given it the old 'TIT". But your presentation is deserving of recognition, Tokay!

Such everyday occurrences here often leave us wondering whether to or just walk away and !

Thanks.

Can't really get upset with them even though it does test my patience from time to time. I just chalk it up as poor or no training.

My friends girlfriend started a job at one of the top Thai media companies. They gave her no training at all. And I joke you not, her only job is to call someone else (a number they gave her) when someone asks her a question. You just can't make that sort of a thing up. As frustrating as it can be sometimes, I love it!

I think "Mai Mee" is probably the most used word in Thai customer service.

Went into a computer shop last week to buy an ADSL cable. Straight away "Mai Mee", followed by another "Mai Mee" from the young girl (Dumb and Dumber), so I left the shop and went opposite. Again I asked for an ADSL cable, lots of scratching heads, and usual BS - eventually out of the three workers in the shop, they realised they didn't have one, but sent me back to the previous shop . Okay, so next out comes another assistant from the first shop who not like the original Dumb and Dumber immediately says he has and can make . So I sit around while Dumb and Dumber are looking increasingly sheepish, after about 10 minutes I have an ADSL cable - so I ask for a tax invoice, give them a card written in Thai, so it is easy for them to understand. Well, again this seems to confuse them, Dumb is scratching his <deleted>, and looking perplexed at the card and the screen. Dumber heads off, and is gone for about 15 minutes - returning with a bag of food . She then prints up the receipt as soon as she returns . Suffice to say that particular shop will not be getting any further visits when I am looking for computer stuff. 45 minutes for a cable and a receipt.

Reminds me of the time I was asking a computer shop on Tukom about a tech school in town. She let me finish what I was saying and then she walked in the back, returned, and handed me a tiny screw.

Another two funny ones stem from Pizza Company. The first was when they delivered a large pizza in a medium box. The pizza was folded over. This beats the multiple times it was delivered sideways so I did not even sweat it. Another time I was eating in the restaurant and they brought the pizza out with the crust burnt to a black crisp. I kindly explained that I was not going to eat it, they said ok and that they would fix it. 20 minutes later, they returned with the same pizza but they cut about an inch off of it, all the way around, to remove the blackest part of the crust, but the pizza was mostly still burned. I was not clear enough when explaining that pizza crust was not supposed to be black. Defeated, I laughed and ate it.

[Forethat]

Well, pop in to the Motor Forum here on TV and check out the number of falangs who claim that the Department of Land and Transportation is located in Suk Soi 62...

[mrtoad]

Well, pop in to the Motor Forum here on TV and check out the number of falangs who claim that the Department of Land and Transportation is located in Suk Soi 62...

Care to elaborate? As I can't really be bothered to search for it.

[chickenslegs]

Well, pop in to the Motor Forum here on TV and check out the number of falangs who claim that the Department of Land and Transportation is located in Suk Soi 62...

Care to elaborate? As I can't really be bothered to search for it.

I just checked the motoring forum - "Mai mee"

[RogueExpat]

Reminds me of the time I was asking a computer shop on Tukom about a tech school in town. She let me finish what I was saying and then she walked in the back, returned, and handed me a tiny screw.

That's funny.

[Thakkar]

Khun Tokay,

Clearly the name of the last person you asked is "Mai Mee". All the others were telling you to go ask Mai Mee.

[Chunky1]

Next time try walking up and down the isles yourself OP.

[PhilHarries]

Next time try walking up and down the isles yourself OP.

Somewhat missing the point which is, a store owner who hires paid staff should expect them to have a vague inkling of what is in the store as would any customer.

But obviously not in your parallel universe.

<edit: to the OP, why the hel_l would anyone in Thailand have a clue about garbage bags? There is no need for them until the countryside is full>

[bonobo]

My Thai friend was hungry yesterday as we were shopping, so we stopped by KFC so she could get a Zinger.  She went to the bins for ketchup and chili sauce, and both were empty.  She grabbed one on the workers, pointed at the empty bins, and asked for some of both.  Sitting down she waited until a few minutes until the worker  came back with a  big smile and handed her a spoon.

[robblok]

My Thai friend was hungry yesterday as we were shopping, so we stopped by KFC so she could get a Zinger.  She went to the bins for ketchup and chili sauce, and both were empty.  She grabbed one on the workers, pointed at the empty bins, and asked for some of both.  Sitting down she waited until a few minutes until the worker  came back with a  big smile and handed her a spoon.

You made me laugh with a farang id say communication error but when its Thai on Thai its a lot less likely

[bonobo]

My Thai friend was hungry yesterday as we were shopping, so we stopped by KFC so she could get a Zinger.  She went to the bins for ketchup and chili sauce, and both were empty.  She grabbed one on the workers, pointed at the empty bins, and asked for some of both.  Sitting down she waited until a few minutes until the worker  came back with a  big smile and handed her a spoon.

You made me laugh with a farang id say communication error but when its Thai on Thai its a lot less likely

I laughed, too.  I don't know if "chili sauce and ketchup" sounds like "spoon" in Thai or not, but I thought the whole thing was pretty funny.

[sanook2me]

Not wanting to re-route the thread but a similiar thing happened to me last night as happened to bonobo.

I was in a restaurant with my Thai wife and ordered yam khor mu yang (spicy pork salad) i spoke to the girl in Thai it must be spicy (i know from experience service staff cannot believe farang can eat spicy ) and my wife told her too.

When she the waitress was reading the order back to us..I had to correct her as she said yam khor mu yang pet noi (not spicy)

This is after she was told by me and wife in Thai that yam khor mu yang must be spicy...

Me and my wife both laughed as no one had mentioned pet noi..it was in her head as farang cannot eat spicy !

[Phil Conners]

I think "Mai Mee" is probably the most used word in Thai customer service.

Went into a computer shop last week to buy an ADSL cable. Straight away "Mai Mee", followed by another "Mai Mee" from the young girl (Dumb and Dumber), so I left the shop and went opposite. Again I asked for an ADSL cable, lots of scratching heads, and usual BS - eventually out of the three workers in the shop, they realised they didn't have one, but sent me back to the previous shop . Okay, so next out comes another assistant from the first shop who not like the original Dumb and Dumber immediately says he has and can make . So I sit around while Dumb and Dumber are looking increasingly sheepish, after about 10 minutes I have an ADSL cable - so I ask for a tax invoice, give them a card written in Thai, so it is easy for them to understand. Well, again this seems to confuse them, Dumb is scratching his &lt;deleted&gt;, and looking perplexed at the card and the screen. Dumber heads off, and is gone for about 15 minutes - returning with a bag of food . She then prints up the receipt as soon as she returns . Suffice to say that particular shop will not be getting any further visits when I am looking for computer stuff. 45 minutes for a cable and a receipt.

I think I would have scratched my balls too. What is an "ADSL cable"? There are phone cables and there are LAN cables.... which one do you need?

[Tokay]

Khun Tokay,

Clearly the name of the last person you asked is "Mai Mee". All the others were telling you to go ask Mai Mee.

THAT is funny. And who knows... maybe true.

Next time try walking up and down the isles yourself OP.

We walked down every isle EXCEPT the one where the boy was standing in front of, and that was the isle with the bags!

[Tokay]

My Thai friend was hungry yesterday as we were shopping, so we stopped by KFC so she could get a Zinger.  She went to the bins for ketchup and chili sauce, and both were empty.  She grabbed one on the workers, pointed at the empty bins, and asked for some of both.  Sitting down she waited until a few minutes until the worker  came back with a  big smile and handed her a spoon.

It is the simple entertainment such as this that keeps me in good spirits most days.

When it's English to Thai, I understand. When it's Thai to Thai... it's always good for a laugh. Then you have to think about other aspects of life, Thai to Thai, where things get botched. It then puts a little order to the chaos and explains why nothing works, everything breaks and no one knows anything.

[gallyer]

I think "Mai Mee" is probably the most used word in Thai customer service. Went into a computer shop last week to buy an ADSL cable. Straight away "Mai Mee", followed by another "Mai Mee" from the young girl (Dumb and Dumber), so I left the shop and went opposite. Again I asked for an ADSL cable, lots of scratching heads, and usual BS - eventually out of the three workers in the shop, they realised they didn't have one, but sent me back to the previous shop . Okay, so next out comes another assistant from the first shop who not like the original Dumb and Dumber immediately says he has and can make . So I sit around while Dumb and Dumber are looking increasingly sheepish, after about 10 minutes I have an ADSL cable - so I ask for a tax invoice, give them a card written in Thai, so it is easy for them to understand. Well, again this seems to confuse them, Dumb is scratching his &lt;deleted&gt;, and looking perplexed at the card and the screen. Dumber heads off, and is gone for about 15 minutes - returning with a bag of food . She then prints up the receipt as soon as she returns . Suffice to say that particular shop will not be getting any further visits when I am looking for computer stuff. 45 minutes for a cable and a receipt.

I think I would have scratched my balls too. What is an "ADSL cable"? There are phone cables and there are LAN cables.... which one do you need?

Exactly! ADSL cable? You just made that up didn't you.

[Richb2004v2]

Reminds me of the time I was asking a computer shop on Tukom about a tech school in town. She let me finish what I was saying and then she walked in the back, returned, and handed me a tiny screw.

That's brilliant! Maybe she was something of a comic genius.

[bunta71]

I went to a chinese restaurant and while ordering, I told the waitress that I would like a glass of milk served with my meal and not before because I did not want the milk to be warm before my food came. Soon after she comes back with a tall glass of milk. I explained that she should keep it in the fridge until the food was ready because I like it cold and not warm. Off she goes. In about five minutes here she comes back with a steaming hot glass of milk, long before I was old enough to like warm milk.

[Birdman]

so how could the OP ask an employee in the first place? It's completely clear for someone who lives here longer than 6 months, that this is a serious no no, completely the wrong way.

Walk and check everything by yourself.

[mrtoad]

yeah mrtoad sure did look like a jackass making fun of thais for not finding something that doesn't even exists.

For a Jackass like you, I'll put the picture up - anyhow whatever cable you would like to call it - it is the cable that runs from the router to the computer. And strangely enough, in one of the shops that I went in they are bagged with that label.

[mahtin]

Me and my wifey got wifi - cable my me.

[mrtoad]

Me and my wifey got wifi - cable my me.

Wow, we have WI-FI as well, just some of the older computers no have wi-fi so need caben.

Still, I was more pissed off with the wait for the receipt, but sure that some of the Saffron tinted brigade will have an answer for that.

[ilyelol]

yeah mrtoad sure did look like a jackass making fun of thais for not finding something that doesn't even exists.

For a Jackass like you, I'll put the picture up - anyhow whatever cable you would like to call it - it is the cable that runs from the router to the computer. And strangely enough, in one of the shops that I went in they are bagged with that label.

that's a lan cable, rj45

they used those before dsl's existed.

ADSL cable would most likely mean a power cord for your modem.

[spud1]

I recently ventured to a fishing park where at the entrance was a small coffee shop.I,d decided I wanted a hot coffee before I started fishing.I asked my gf if she could order me one.On returning she told me the

assistant had asked her if I,d wanted ice in it.You could'nt make it up.

[grin]

that's a lan cable, rj45

they used those before dsl's existed.

ADSL cable would most likely mean a power cord for your modem.

Actually it looks more like what I would call an RJ11 cable which is just a four wire telephone line with RJ11 plugs on both ends.

OP, are you sure you didn't use this to connect the ADSL router's line in port to the telephone outlet on the wall?

[ilyelol]

that's a lan cable, rj45

they used those before dsl's existed.

ADSL cable would most likely mean a power cord for your modem.

Actually it looks more like what I would call an RJ11 cable which is just a four wire telephone line with RJ11 plugs on both ends.

OP, are you sure you didn't use this to connect the ADSL router's line in port to the telephone outlet on the wall?

thats what i wrote first, but then it wouldnt make sense with his wifi post...

i first wrote that this is the same wire people used 20 years ago with their phones, before ADSL..

[t.s]

yeah mrtoad sure did look like a jackass making fun of thais for not finding something that doesn't even exists.

For a Jackass like you, I'll put the picture up - anyhow whatever cable you would like to call it - it is the cable that runs from the router to the computer. And strangely enough, in one of the shops that I went in they are bagged with that label.

Im with the others: its a lan or a phone cable. posting a low res picture that could be either doesn't change anything.