Warning Regarding Gdl Poolshop Hua Hin

[Cabrinha]

I would like to warn others about my recent experiences with GDL poolshop in Hua Hin.

I bought all the pumps, filters and chlorinator equipment e.t.c, for my swimming pool from GDL last April. I was advised to buy their more expensive Australian option rather than the Chinese (I think) equipment they had available. I was told it would last longer.

The equipment was installed last April and worked great until the end of January this year when the Chlorinator stopped producing chlorine. I have been trying to resolve the issue with GDL since then. This month GDL told me that the Chlorinator was broken and no longer works.They told me that the product is out of warranty and that I must buy a new chlorinator for approximately 24,000 baht. The lady I am dealing with is relatively new to the company and she did not realise that the company actually gave me a 24 month warranty and not a 12 month warranty.

Once I highlighted this, other excuses from GDL started to emerge. I was first told by them that someone had intentionally broken the unit. They then retracted this and claimed that high levels of calcium in the water had broken the machine. This morning I have received an email from GDL saying "that the warranty does not apply to problems occurring as a result of abuse, misuse, negligent repairs, corrosion or normal wear and tear".

The unit has not received any abuse, misuse or negligent repairs. Am I wrong to assume that "normal wear and tear" and "corrosion" should not render the unit useless within 10 months or even the two year lifetime of the warranty? The manual for the chlorinator advises for the unit to be cleaned internally for calcium approximately every 6 months to ensure optimum performance. GDL themselves cleaned it for me after 10 months.

To be honest I'm quite shocked at the stance GDL has taken. It's quite a clear case for product replacement, yet they refuse to replace it. I had thought that they were a good reputable company, but my experience has just shown quite the opposite.

It's time for me to find out what the effectiveness is of the relatively newly formed Thai consumer protection agency. I've heard that they do a pretty good job.

D

[FRM-BKK]

It seems that they will use any excuse or opportunity to avoid giving you what you are reasonably entitled to.

Your next port of call should be the newly established Thai Consumer Protection Board

They were called into life in March 1997.

You can write to the company you are having problems with again and tell them that that is where you will go next and see what response you will get. I would seriously consider and forward the matter to the Thai Consumer Protection Board.

Here is information and what they promote to do as an organisation:

I hope this is useful.

Frm-Bkk

Copy and Paste:

Organisation Name:Office of the Consumer Protection Board of Thailand

Member no:527

Joining date:15 Mar 1997

Region:Asia Pacific

Address:Government Administrative Centre, 5th Floor, Building B; Chaengwattana Road

Thoung Songhong Sub-District, Lak Si District

Bangkok

10210

Location:Thailand

Telephone:+66 2 141 3437; 143-0368

Fax:+66 2 143 9766; 143 9765; 143 9774

Email:[email protected]

Website: http://www.ocpb.go.th

Main contact:Ms Kuncharee Tanarak

Position:Policy and Plan Analyst

Description:The Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) is a government agency attached to the Office of the Prime Minister. There is a Board called the ‘Consumer Protection Board’, of which the Prime Minister is the chairman and the Secretary-General of the Consumer Protection Board is a member and secretary. Its main duties are to handle complaints received from consumers and institute legal proceedings when an infringement of consumer rights is recognised. OCPB covers three major areas of consumer protection: consumer protection on advertising, consumer protection on labelling, and consumer protection in contract. In addition, any other consumer matters not fallen under specific law shall be also under OCPB's jurisdiction.

Operational Language:English

Member Type:Government

Type of Work:Campaigning and/or lobbying, Consumer Advice, Consumer Legislation, Dispute Resolution, Networking, Product Testing, Publishing, Research/Policy analysis, Other

Current Campaigns:Consumer Education, Corporate Social Responsibility, Food Safety/Obesity, Legislation/Consumer Protection, Public Utilities, Standards