Packaging In Thailand, And How To Open

[Gazza]

Anyone ever have problems ripping off the plastic off those one-2-call phone cards?

I usually have to wait until I get back home before I can open it.

I suppose I could always ask for assistance from a nubile, long-legged, tight-skirted, small-breasted, pouting-lipped, exoticingly sensuous female university student at the shopping mall.........but I doubt she'll have a pair of scissors handy.

[Welshman]

Anybody ever bought (new) furniture in Thailand. I moved into a house recently and had to buy quite a bit. By the time it was delivered I would spend the better part of an afternoon trying to get the cellophane off.

It was only after a while I realised what the problem was - they put the packaging on before they finish building the damned stuff.

That means that you have to unscrew all the handles to get the cellophone off.

I had a three piece (sofa and two chairs) delivered the other day - it took me the best part of the evening to get the stuff off and I daren't use a knife in case I damaged the covering.

It's still sitting there with bits of cellophane sticking out!

Edited January 5, 2006 by Welshman

[Dustoff]

Amazing isnt it how many people get caught out by the same things. Take for example the above mentioned cooking oil bottles. I soon learnt that apart from having fingers too big to open the ring pull, it was necessary to remove my upper garments as at least half the oil ended up on me !!!!!

Great, eh? Then you are already oiled up for a great game of topless ring pull.

The packaging I hate the most is the really heavy duty plastic they use to package things like hand tools and such. Even when you are able to cut around the edges, slashing yourself with the plastic while trying to pull the rest of it off is a real possibility.

And people who know me run for cover when I try to open one of those little ketchup packets...

[toptuan]

It was only after a while I realised what the problem was - they put the packaging on before they finish building the damned stuff.

So THAT'S why I've got these little clear plastic "skirts" hanging out of the bottom of the office chairs!

For the last three years I just thought it was some kind of Asian fashion statement.

[LadyinRed]

I really really hate those hard-to-take-off price tag stickers that they like to stick on almost every merchandise they sell, especially plastic ones.

[Patex]

Anybody ever bought (new) furniture in Thailand. I moved into a house recently and had to buy quite a bit. By the time it was delivered I would spend the better part of an afternoon trying to get the cellophane off.

It was only after a while I realised what the problem was - they put the packaging on before they finish building the damned stuff.

That means that you have to unscrew all the handles to get the cellophone off.

I had a three piece (sofa and two chairs) delivered the other day - it took me the best part of the evening to get the stuff off and I daren't use a knife in case I damaged the covering.

It's still sitting there with bits of cellophane sticking out!

You put the packaging off ?

That's not the way like Thai do.

Most sofas I sat on were still packed, the owners are thinking when it is packed it is still new, not really used . They also expose their souvenirs and pictures with the cellophane on/around it - keeps the dust away .

I know s.o. who rides a bicycle since 5 years, it is still covered with the original packageplastic

Patex, worried about the packed backseats in his 1 y.o. Lexus

[Bryan in Isaan]

....

I suppose I could always ask for assistance from a nubile, long-legged, tight-skirted, small-breasted, pouting-lipped, exoticingly sensuous female university student at the shopping mall.........but I doubt she'll have a pair of scissors handy.

Just for contrast, this is an example of GOOD packaging in Thailand.

Bryan

[the_heart_thief]

Cosmetics! They are always wrapped with thick strong plastic, and instead of trying out my very brand new make-up product, I always end up fighting with the thick and strong plastic wrappers and/or picking them up from the floor. What a waste of ........... tsk. tsk. tsk. (What's wrong with paper? or Thin plastic covers?)

[PeaceBlondie]

Picture this: I'm standing in the room, trying to open a package of Lay's potato chips (crisps). The usual tear-rations on the top were not yielding, and I had no scissors. After countless tries, all I could think to do was to pop the bag, like a balloon. It popped, finally, at the BOTTOM, spilling all the chips on the floor.

[srisatch]

Anybody ever bought (new) furniture in Thailand. I moved into a house recently and had to buy quite a bit. By the time it was delivered I would spend the better part of an afternoon trying to get the cellophane off.

It was only after a while I realised what the problem was - they put the packaging on before they finish building the damned stuff.

That means that you have to unscrew all the handles to get the cellophone off.

I had a three piece (sofa and two chairs) delivered the other day - it took me the best part of the evening to get the stuff off and I daren't use a knife in case I damaged the covering.

It's still sitting there with bits of cellophane sticking out!

You put the packaging off ?

That's not the way like Thai do.

Most sofas I sat on were still packed, the owners are thinking when it is packed it is still new, not really used . They also expose their souvenirs and pictures with the cellophane on/around it - keeps the dust away .

I know s.o. who rides a bicycle since 5 years, it is still covered with the original packageplastic

Patex, worried about the packed backseats in his 1 y.o. Lexus

Ah! With the packaging of furniture, fashion statements and the issue of dust this debate moves to the heart of Thai culture!( I leave aside for the moment Gazza's speculations about shop assistants. I suspect if he addressed her in such terms a pair of scissors would be to hand at the double!)

In most places I have lived the acquisition of goods seems to be as much a question of their acquisition and preservation in perpetuity as use. Who after all would unpack anything unless they wanted to eat it. And even then I wonder. As I look round this room there are clocks, jigsaws, pictures of HMs The King and Queen, Gift baskets, several bunches of flowers-fake and dried, 2 wooden fish and several items of furniture yet to be undressed. Then all electrical items-TV, Stereo etc and telephone and fridge handle have soft covers. When I drive my sister in law's car I have to remove a snoopy gear stick cover and also some covering for the steering wheel as of course you cannot grip it otherwise. Where no obvious covering is provided like car windows of course coats of black plastic are applied. Wots it all about. Surely nothing so simple as dust!?

Edited January 6, 2006 by srisatch

[spog]

I have a solution:

[chanchao]

Whay a wonderful topic...!

As the ultimate one (Sang Som bottles where the cap just goes round and round) is already taken, I'll go for those jelly fruit cones closely followed by watermelon seeds. Come to think of it, that must be the most unrewarding thing ever to try to open.

[Gazza]

....

I suppose I could always ask for assistance from a nubile, long-legged, tight-skirted, small-breasted, pouting-lipped, exoticingly sensuous female university student at the shopping mall.........but I doubt she'll have a pair of scissors handy.

Just for contrast, this is an example of GOOD packaging in Thailand.

Bryan

Not as good as the packaging on a Thai girl when she steps out from the bathroom wearing only a bath towel.

Unwrapping that covering is like opening a present on Xmas day.

[Patex]

... those jelly fruit cones...

Aaargh

Those aren't allowed in our place/car! Do not dare to open one in this Topic

[Gazza]

... those jelly fruit cones...

Aaargh

Those aren't allowed in our place/car! Do not dare to open one in this Topic

I agree with the 'Aaargh' bit.

I persuaded my son not to buy them one time and he chose instead one of those 10baht packets of wine gum type sweets. Six little wine gum sweets looking temptingly and salivatingly chewable sitting neatly in a little shallow, circular plastic tray but are............sealed over with a clear cellophane cover that doesn't peel off, pull off, tear off, nor do they magically open with divine intervention from the Gods I've been shouting to, nor does hair stuck on my fingers from pulling it out of my head provide a better grip to open them.....arrrrrghh! I give up.

Just thinking about them has me pounding out every keystroke as I type. And talking of strokes, that what I'm gonna get one of these days but not before I get my hands on the guy who.........oh, nevermind. I guess I'll just keep resorting to using a pair of scissors.

[PeaceBlondie]

A couple more pet peeves of perverse packaging:

Those mosquito repellent coils that are made two together, coiled together. It ain't easy to get them apart, and then you've got lethal poison all over your hands.

Cigarette cellophane. I don't smoke (cigarettes), but my Thai friend burns the cellophane with his lighter in order to get started.

7-11 coupons or stamps that you post on a card to accumulate enough points to get a free premium. The backing on each stamp is impossible for my big fingers or nails to open.

Thais are easy to unwrap, however.