Is It Like This Everywhere ?

[LennyW]

Bulling usually does the trick for those hard-to-remove sticker glue traces.

Take one coarse cloth and just watch the telly or the wall or something for a while whilst you rub the offended object (sans boot polish, naturally). Apply just enough pressure for the friction to generate some heat.

It works - eventually....

I'm building up the courage to tell the store to remove the stickers when I next buy the dam_n thing!

Dab cooking oil on the stickers and leave for half an hour - comes off easy then!

I am going to try that next time. If it doesn't work, can a bring the offending object over and beat you soundly over the head with it? I think the next item on my list is a cast iron skillet.

When it does work - i will gladly accept a case of Leo!

[Trembly]

Bulling usually does the trick for those hard-to-remove sticker glue traces.

...

What, pray tell, is "Bulling"???

I asked my friend Mr. Google and all he had to say was....

"Bulling is a behaviour seen in cattle when one mounts another, usually when one or the other is a female in oestrus (on heat);^[1] "bulling" is commonly used as a term for a female in oestrus. Female cattle in oestrus may mount any adult cattle, especially a bull (fertile male) if one is present, but they will also mount castrated males or other females. A bulling female will often also be mounted by other cattle, both male and female (only fertile males are usually capable of mating). A dominant bull will defend the bulling female from being mounted by other cattle."

This may well get the sticky bits off your glasses, but would probably break them in the process.

But perhaps I'm a little off topic....

Bulling Boots

[thaibeachlovers]

If you want quality goods you have to pay for them.

Buy cheap and you know it's going to fall apart in a couple of weeks.

It's not just here. Go to a market back home and buy cheap Chinese tools, they don't last any time at all!!!!!!

I concur. In London I bought a cheap screwdriver that bent first time used- just mild steel rubbish.

You can buy good tools in Thailand, but you have to pay for them- Makita etc. It's unreasonable to expect something that cost BA to perform like quality at a "quality" price.

The only cheap things I'd expect to last would be electronics that are used infrequently. I have a cheap DVD that has lasted over a year, and still going fine. You can even buy notebook computer from good brand at 800 baht now.

Can't say that I've experienced anything like the OP's list of complaints, except with obviously inferior tools, which I knew were a risk when I bought them.

[thaibeachlovers]

You're right, Charlie, and many of the posters are missing your point. Thai products, in general, are crap. Thais will buy the same pair of flip-flops, that last a few weeks, time and time again, not realizing how much it is actually costing them. My GF can't believe I have worn the same pair of flip-flops almost daily, since I bought them in Mexico in 2007. Soles are made from old tires. They are very attractive, with leather strapping, and still look new. I paid $18 for them.

I bought a pair of flips here for 300 baht, last month. They're coming apart.

I bought a kitchen appliance at Home Pro. I opened the box in the store to be sure it had a ground. After all, it was going to be used in a wet environment and I had paid good baht to install grounded plugs in my house (even though the "electrician" said I didn't need such things).

I plugged the sucker in, filled it with water, and pressed the switch. My GF came running into the kitchen. She thought I'd just been nailed by a cobra. Scared the hell out of her when I screamed from all the current running into my armpit.

Took the appliance apart. Only two wires inside. No ground wire. That third terminal, inside, was just sitting there.

I hated going to WalMart in the States. If you want to see why, go here ...

http://www.peopleofw.../photos/page/5/

I would kill to have one here now. 30-count'm-30 days return (cash, even if you used your Visa) and no questions asked.

Do you have a Safe T Cut or similar electrical safety switch on the incoming house wires? Doesn't sound like it.

I think I paid about 500 for my flip flops. Been wearing them every day for over a year and still going strong.

[Gaccha]

What's strange is Tesco et al are prepared to sell the cheap tosh.

The other thing is how there is either cheap rubbish or ultra brandnames. There is a giant gap of good quality no brand goods. Just a walk around Tokyo (e.g. Tokyu Hands) will reveal just how enormous this gap is.

A Chinese 7/11 umbrella in Japan costs the same as a Chinese 7/11 umbrella in Thailand. Can you guess which lasts 3 days?

[hanuman2543]

Sent from my GT-S5360 using Thaivisa Connect App

[moe666]

At least he isn't complaining about his wife

[rics21]

Hatari fan. Thai made. 7 years. Still working.

Toshiba LED TV. 2 years still working fine.

Mitsubishi fridge: 7 years.

SB furniture all over the house. 5 years, look as new.

Teak furniture in bedrooms. 7 years. All intact.

Panasonic Mircowave. 7 years.

Most of the appliances were bought @ power buy.

I gave out on tesco / macro / big c electric appliances long time ago. Most of the electric appliances sold there were the cheaper range and therefore the lousier ones.

Its all about doing research before you buy anything. Wherever it is made/ you buy (internet/ local dealer).

Sent from my XT910 using Thaivisa Connect App

[crazygreg44]

Bulling usually does the trick for those hard-to-remove sticker glue traces.

Take one coarse cloth and just watch the telly or the wall or something for a while whilst you rub the offended object (sans boot polish, naturally). Apply just enough pressure for the friction to generate some heat.

It works - eventually....

I'm building up the courage to tell the store to remove the stickers when I next buy the dam_n thing!

Dab cooking oil on the stickers and leave for half an hour - comes off easy then!

AAAHH! Superb Tipp ! The TIPP OF THE YEAR on ThaiVisa ! I always tried nail-paint-remover, and kept wondering why it did not work on the Thai glued stickers ! I promote the Idea to suggest you as the TIPPER of the Year on Thaivisa !

To the OP . . yes it is a heck , too, in my area. The provincial town shops are fulla cheap and low quality crap, as this is the only stuff the people living here can afford. If I need better quality tools and machinery, I need a hour-and-half drive to Ubon Ratchathani, there is a BIG hardware store among two more Home-Pro's which sells both the higher priced good quality tools and cheap stuff. For electric appliances, the Tesco assortment is OK so far, however like many posters are correect, the improper handling and the harsh environment will shorten the life of most. Improper handling - I observe many Thais handling their tools in a rutless manner, also they never oil them against rusting. So what do ya expect. They don't even oil and grease their tractor gears and equipment, just use it as it goes. So when you buy a set of proper quality tools, stock them in a strong box locked with an even stronger padlock, or you loose all the goodies to the family cowboy mechanics.

[nisakiman]

You buy a screwdriver, it rounds off, as its too soft

Buy... Stanley, Snap-on or Facom

You buy a hammer and the handle breaks off the head.

Buy... Stanley or Estwing

The tube of Silicon sealant is dry half way down the tube.

Buy... Sony brand

Power tools are dead in a very short time.

Buy.... Bosch, De-Walt, Ryobi or Makita, It really all comes down to the quality of equipment you purchase, and of course how you use and look after them.

Major stores (Tesco as an example) only give a 7 day "guarantee" so they must know its crap.

They have a 7 day "return" policy as standard, but the manufacturers warranty usually extends beyond that, make sure receipt and warranty card are stamped at time of purchase.

Furniture de-laminates and warps in a few months and looks terrible.

Buy..... hardwood furniture or keep the laminated stuff dry and out of the sun.

Desk chairs with castors, the legs always break as they are cheap plastic.

Buy .... Chairs with cast aluminium legs or go on a diet.

Anything with a chrome type finish becomes rusty scrap in weeks.

Buy ... Solid Stainless fittings.

Spend the money and stop being a cheap CharlieH

This is very true, especially where tools are concerned. As a professional, I always spend a lot of money on tools. I just repaced my Estwing hammer after 25 years of use - and not because the old one has had it, just the leather handle is getting a bit loose. The new Estwing cost me £50 (a lot of money for a hammer, really) from Screwfix UK, but it will see me into my grave. Likewise power tools. I'm still using Bosch pro, AEG, Makita and Elu power tools I bought in the eighties.

A lot of posters seem to think that if it's made in China, it's garbage, but that's not true. If you buy Ryobi these days, chances are it will have been made in China. However, Ryobi oversee production and quality control, so what you get is as good as if it was made in Japan. They have a reputation to think about, and a good reputation is hard won and easily lost. So Chinese stuff is ok as long as it has a reputable name behind it. I think you'll probably find that a lot of big name stuff is made there now - Apple, Blackberry, Nokia etc have moved a lot of their production there I believe.

[barefoot1988]

off topic but no matter what excuses there is, its kind of pathetic not to have a box of decent quality tool kit in your house. just about as bad as not having some basic medication or first aid kit in your place

i do not think everythingg made here are cheap crap, maybe its your area or just the price range of products you are buying. my aj, hatari, otto etc etc stuff all works pretty fine, they seems to be wildly available at my area too. there is this amazing local copy of nuwave oven i got from robinson at 2000+ baht, pretty much roast my meat daily with it. good stuff

[tartempion]

Bought a 20K Hitachi fridge (two doors, upper freezer, lower fridge) 5 years young, last week door handle came off

Went to big shop Udon Thani, reply: too old, can't order replacement handle.

Checked Hitachi service centers, 3 shops on Udon list, suspect one of them was shop I visited, will stop by today at other address, expect same result

But hold on, yes: Sony, Samsung, Hatari, aircos Mitsu and Panasonic are still doing their daily jobs.

Edited August 31, 2012 by tartempion

[F1fanatic]

Hatari fan. Thai made. 7 years. Still working.

Toshiba LED TV. 2 years still working fine.

Mitsubishi fridge: 7 years.

SB furniture all over the house. 5 years, look as new.

Teak furniture in bedrooms. 7 years. All intact.

Panasonic Mircowave. 7 years.

Most of the appliances were bought @ power buy.

I gave out on tesco / macro / big c electric appliances long time ago. Most of the electric appliances sold there were the cheaper range and therefore the lousier ones.

Its all about doing research before you buy anything. Wherever it is made/ you buy (internet/ local dealer).

Sent from my XT910 using Thaivisa Connect App

I agree about the fans. I've had all of mine for several years, and they're still going strong - although I have to 'faff about' with the lowest setting switch on a couple of them.

My LG fridge (5 yrs) is still working fine, although the cold water dispenser has stopped working.

Samsung TV (5 years) still working fine, although the remote is 'playing up'.

My Phillips DVD surround system (which was expensive) on the other hand, is disappointing as the DVD player stops working after a short time. I bought it not much over a year ago...

Incidentally, my Electrolux microwave stopped working BUT, after putting it outside in the sun for a few days, it is now working again .

[Godders]

It's the same with Thai women. Except that they are already broke when you buy them.

[thaibeachlovers]

Hatari fan. Thai made. 7 years. Still working.

Toshiba LED TV. 2 years still working fine.

Mitsubishi fridge: 7 years.

SB furniture all over the house. 5 years, look as new.

Teak furniture in bedrooms. 7 years. All intact.

Panasonic Mircowave. 7 years.

Most of the appliances were bought @ power buy.

I gave out on tesco / macro / big c electric appliances long time ago. Most of the electric appliances sold there were the cheaper range and therefore the lousier ones.

Its all about doing research before you buy anything. Wherever it is made/ you buy (internet/ local dealer).

Sent from my XT910 using Thaivisa Connect App

I agree about the fans. I've had all of mine for several years, and they're still going strong - although I have to 'faff about' with the lowest setting switch on a couple of them.

My LG fridge (5 yrs) is still working fine, although the cold water dispenser has stopped working.

Samsung TV (5 years) still working fine, although the remote is 'playing up'.

My Phillips DVD surround system (which was expensive) on the other hand, is disappointing as the DVD player stops working after a short time. I bought it not much over a year ago...

Incidentally, my Electrolux microwave stopped working BUT, after putting it outside in the sun for a few days, it is now working again .

I bought a DVD from a well known store. The first one was bent! and the replacement doesn't work! At least it is within the 7 day return period.

However, I doubt they will recompense me for being reduced to gibbering with frustration as I tried to operate the machine, despite not having an English manual included- every other appliance I have bought came with a Thai/ English manual. Even my wife could not operate it, and she does read Thai.

[farang000999]

Bought a 20K Hitachi fridge (two doors, upper freezer, lower fridge) 5 years young, last week door handle came off

Went to big shop Udon Thani, reply: too old, can't order replacement handle.

Checked Hitachi service centers, 3 shops on Udon list, suspect one of them was shop I visited, will stop by today at other address, expect same result

But hold on, yes: Sony, Samsung, Hatari, aircos Mitsu and Panasonic are still doing their daily jobs.

cant you just screw in your own handle?

[sotsira]

Who's bought ''stainless'' steel braided flexible tap hoses that rust out in a couple of years.

Not me. I have bought in my time though;

1. Screws where the head grinds away half way through screwing something in;
   
2. Shower head that rusted on the inside in 6 months (stainless steel rusts in Thailand apparently).
   
3. Silicone sealant in a push tube where the internal plunger did not actually plunge and resulted in the whole lots covering my hand. And deck. Sealant worked though! Couldn't get it off of my hands for a week.
   
4. A plethora of floor mops that break in a week / sponge falls off / attachment rusts and breaks
   
5. Yard brushes where the head drops off in about a minutes
   
6. wall plugs that break apart as soon as the screw is half way in. Never found out how they perform as the screw could not be put in all the way as the head rounded out.
   
7. Drill bit designed for masonry that snapped in half when being used to hard wood
   
8. A selection of forks where the prongs bent out of shape. Once, it happened with a sausage.\
   
9. Frying pan that actually curved up on itself under moderate heat like a taco shell. I forgot about a Tefal one I used in Thailand once on the flame. It was there for in excess of an hour. The telfon had burnt away with a horrendous smell, but the pan itself was fine and still use it today.
   

....the list goes on. The most irritating of the lot though are the labels they stick on things. The glue they use works very well. It never comes off. I steamed a wine glass once for about 30 minutes and still could not get the label off. The one in English came off straight away; the Thai label stuck on by the importer is still there.

If you soak the item in water mixed with washing up liquid for a few hours the sticky labels come off easily.

Yes, cheap grade stainless steel does rust here in Thailand, remember that there are many grades of stainless steel.

Masonry drill bits are not designed to be used on any wood, only masonry.