I used to have a wee mate that would go into a quiet pub, or deserted restaurant,

or empty shop and tell me that the place was just a 'front' for something untoward.

So with this is mind I bring up the 'Top Charoen Optical' stores. What the hell is

it with all those eye shops? Is Issan going blind? If they are then they can't find

the stores as they are always void of punters when I look in . . . . and I always

look in to have a wee glance at the birds with their micro uniform skirts.

There seems to be more 'TCO' gaffs in Mukdahan than 7-11's, <deleted>!

I tell you all now, "It's a front!"

Or am I missing something?

Is a 'wee mate' someone you know who urinates in his pants?

Same in Ubon CB! They are opening more all the time and still am I yet to see even a single customer in any of their shops!

Is your wee mate's name Mr Giggles ?

I know him well .

Chiang Mai too. I hope that it is a front for demimondaines pretending to sell glasses!

One has just opened in our small town...... must stake it out

almost all the shops occupy corners

Is a 'wee mate' someone you know who urinates in his pants?

Note to self. Don't drink anything when reading replies like this. The keyboard is a mess now.

yes - what are they up to?

There is one in our town (about 5000 people) and rarely see a customer; I suspect the women are clones in their snug little uniforms.

Local shop on an intersection corner, likely cause of many near-miss accidents, very distracting.

Aside from that - I do need new specs - are they any good? Quality?

My current pair prescription sunglasses cost 22,000 baht at today's currency rates, what would I expect to pay here?

There is one in our town (about 5000 people) and rarely see a customer; I suspect the women are clones in their snug little uniforms.

The Thai version of Stepford Wives.

I've been wondering about Top Charoen as well.

Bought a pair of "Ray Ban" for 5000,- baht in one of the shops in my early days here. Didn't last long before the lacquer/colour started to fall off. Obviously selling fakes as everybody else, but better then buy in Big C for 99 Baht.........

almost all the shops occupy corners

They'd have to be on a corner, half-blind

folks wouldn't find them if they were up an

alley!!!

almost all the shops occupy corners

They'd have to be on a corner, half-blind

folks wouldn't find them if they were up an

alley!!!

My wife buys her sun shades there for 5,000 baht each. I can't afford that so I get mine off the 99 baht rack at the local beauty parlor.

I will sometime get a green tea and sit in my car outside the local Charoen shop to relax though.

Same in Ubon CB! They are opening more all the time and still am I yet to see even a single customer in any of their shops!

And chances are they will close, as every one of these corporate chain shops is subsidized in some manner....

And, aside from conspiracy that constinues to suggest, subliminally, that Thais are becoming blind.:jap:

The one across from my office in bk just closed. Seen livelier morgs than that place.

Maybe the upcountry expansion is to coincide with the free tablet pcs?

For many years, in Ban Kruat,( C. Buriram) T.C. operated a mobile optician ,that used to set up shop outside our local Post Office. Did a good trade. On the 1st ,11th ,and21 st of every month. Was a husband and wife team .Yes , I have used there service. Very satisfactory. As has my G/F. Thais have a big problem ,being short -sighted. You will see many more Thais wearing glasses, as their incomes grow. As we are in deepest ,darkest Southern Isarn ,I don't think you will see A big proportion wearing contact lenses, yet. But glasses, yes

For many years, in Ban Kruat,( C. Buriram) T.C. operated a mobile optician ,that used to set up shop outside our local Post Office. Did a good trade. On the 1st ,11th ,and21 st of every month. Was a husband and wife team .Yes , I have used there service. Very satisfactory. As has my G/F. Thais have a big problem ,being short -sighted. You will see many more Thais wearing glasses, as their incomes grow. As we are in deepest ,darkest Southern Isarn ,I don't think you will see A big proportion wearing contact lenses, yet. But glasses, yes

Short-sighted....is this being coined figuratively, literally, or metaphorically?:jap:

For many years, in Ban Kruat,( C. Buriram) T.C. operated a mobile optician ,that used to set up shop outside our local Post Office. Did a good trade. On the 1st ,11th ,and21 st of every month. Was a husband and wife team .Yes , I have used there service. Very satisfactory. As has my G/F. Thais have a big problem ,being short -sighted. You will see many more Thais wearing glasses, as their incomes grow. As we are in deepest ,darkest Southern Isarn ,I don't think you will see A big proportion wearing contact lenses, yet. But glasses, yes

Short-sighted....is this being coined figuratively, literally, or metaphorically?:jap:

And also, afarang, for one so critical of everyone elses spelling or misspelling, such as bath instead of baht you recently were so irate about, the correct way to spell this version of their is THEIR, not there.

Okay good, my job is done.

For many years, in Ban Kruat,( C. Buriram) T.C. operated a mobile optician ,that used to set up shop outside our local Post Office. Did a good trade. On the 1st ,11th ,and21 st of every month. Was a husband and wife team .Yes , I have used there service. Very satisfactory. As has my G/F. Thais have a big problem ,being short -sighted. You will see many more Thais wearing glasses, as their incomes grow. As we are in deepest ,darkest Southern Isarn ,I don't think you will see A big proportion wearing contact lenses, yet. But glasses, yes

Short-sighted....is this being coined figuratively, literally, or metaphorically?:jap:

Oh, bloody hell .An affliction that is oh ,so common in most of Asia

For many years, in Ban Kruat,( C. Buriram) T.C. operated a mobile optician ,that used to set up shop outside our local Post Office. Did a good trade. On the 1st ,11th ,and21 st of every month. Was a husband and wife team .Yes , I have used there service. Very satisfactory. As has my G/F. Thais have a big problem ,being short -sighted. You will see many more Thais wearing glasses, as their incomes grow. As we are in deepest ,darkest Southern Isarn ,I don't think you will see A big proportion wearing contact lenses, yet. But glasses, yes

Short-sighted....is this being coined figuratively, literally, or metaphorically?:jap:

And also, afarang, for one so critical of everyone elses spelling or misspelling, such as bath instead of baht you recently were so irate about, the correct way to spell this version of their is THEIR, not there.

Okay good, my job is done.

My sincere apologies.There , O.K.?And ,yes I will continue to get "irate " about the spelling of Baht ,as this is extremely disrespectful of the country we are living in. After all, it is THEIR correct spelling of THEIR currency. accept my apologies?.Go through my ,in excess of 1,000posts- see how many spelling or grammatical errors you can find. Good luck, enjoy your bath.

For many years, in Ban Kruat,( C. Buriram) T.C. operated a mobile optician ,that used to set up shop outside our local Post Office. Did a good trade. On the 1st ,11th ,and21 st of every month. Was a husband and wife team .Yes , I have used there service. Very satisfactory. As has my G/F. Thais have a big problem ,being short -sighted. You will see many more Thais wearing glasses, as their incomes grow. As we are in deepest ,darkest Southern Isarn ,I don't think you will see A big proportion wearing contact lenses, yet. But glasses, yes

Short-sighted....is this being coined figuratively, literally, or metaphorically?:jap:

Oh, bloody hell .An affliction that is oh ,so common in most of Asia

Imported pomposity is quite popular too..... or so I am led to believe.

Imported pomposity is quite popular too..... or so I am led to believe.

I've witnessed this lovely trait a time or ten...

If you get a new pair of specs zzaa09 you may be able to see beyond the end of your nose.

If you get a new pair of specs zzaa09 you may be able to see beyond the end of your nose.

Thanks for your concern, Puchooay.

But my vision is quite clear from the specs of illusion, unlike most whom require the varying degree of tints and magnifiers to gild their surroundings.

I agree with the OP ....they have to be a "FRONT".....Every Thai I ever meet has "eyes like a shit house hawk" as my old man used to say....they miss nothing and Thailand has got the smallest FONT for the dictionaries they sell here....you need a gas spectrometer to read the molecules they use to write the text....

but what is the FRONT...??? Illegal gamblng den round the back....? is it a Bookies ?

Is it a way of employing people....to keep them off the streets...is it a Gov plot and the women in them are spies checking everyday movement...

My GF says they sell "XXXXXXXXXX" ....!!! because she knows the prices for the specs are way out of reach of the average Thai.

IF it is all legit....then the customers must sneak in and out without anyone else knowing and pay on HP....maybe Thais "lose face" letting people know they have defective eyesight so it has to be done discretely and once you have the specs then its OK ???

Like many things here in LOS ....we will never know - Hey Did Neil Armstrong really walk on the moon ???

Actually I know the real answer.......its to do with "mark up"....on the price...Rayban - Dior - Police etc manufacture specs for basically pennies....I kid you not...that is why I have a pair of Polarized sun specs that cost 300 Baht ( or is it bath) that are far better than a pair of Raybans I bought for 120 Euros...So if the TOP shop sells just two or three pairs of these over priced bits of plastic and wire specs they can keep afloat in a country that is talking about a minimum wage of a few bucks a day......

Now you know......not a FRONT - Just bare faced cheek and daylight robbery along with selling brand name products at exhorbitant prices...its not just Thailand that has lots of spec shops...every single major airport has them all round the world.....

^ Excellent! I'll go with that . . . .

I have bought glasses from several of the TCO shops. Come to think of it there was never another customer when I was there I must admit I bought the lesser expensive glasses but they seem to last. Sometimes they come with a one year or a two year guarantee. Mine had to be repaired once and they did it without a quibble.

I have been noticing this lately here too in Mukdahan. Even wrote a blog on it. 6 of them are located with in just a few hundred yards of each other. Check it out here. The Top Charoen Mystery

Aren't they franchises? They probably had a deal, buy one get one free.