Rama 9 -- The Kawasaki Service Gold Standard?

[wantan]

It`s all about attitude. In the UK the technicians at the dealers where I bought my bikes had a passionate interest in motorcycles and were following a career they`d sought out. They took real pride in their work and if anything needed replacing they`d call first and when the work was completed they`d have the removed component at hand to explain the problem. Here it seems many of the mechanics took up the profession simply because a job became available. There are exceptions and these are the ones who are competent and enthusiastic about their work. I took my wife`s Teana for service at our Nissan dealer and followed my wife`s instructions and requested that the female technician there worked on it. This girl told me she had always wanted to work on cars. She loves her job and could probably walk into any Nissan dealer in the UK and get employment. Some people are trying to excuse sloppy workmanship by playing the race card and crying discrimination; that`s incorrect, many of us have got Thai wives/GF`s and mixed race kids and find that charge offensive.

But the people in your home country are not as poor as the average thai i guess. Not many parents can pay for a good further education of their children. Most are still farmers. And where could someone learn from a professional mechanic if living in a village somewhere? Its like with the hen and the egg. Lack of professional mechanical teachers, lack of professional service stations, lack of money, ...

There is a difference between thai and farang. But the people complaining about it may should try to work in a service station in some village, sitting on the floor, at 35 degree celsius, and should try to repair something without proper tools, for 20 Baht an hour. And most still don't have a computer/Internet to educate oneself. And So On And On And On...

[cbrer]

Of course its about money. Maybe Honda and the others are offering training and some "mechanical education" for their mechanics. But it doesn't seem to be enough. It will take many years till the quality of mechanics in LOS is compareable to high standard western countries. And it will take a lot of money.

No, it will take a complete change of attitude from the Thais.

Just read this thread. Thai mechanics rubbishing a service manual saying that they're not needed here and Thais don't need to do any of the listed items. A Thai rubbishing off the use of a proper tool because he, as a Thai, can 'feel' when the torque is correct, a power that Westerners don't have so thus need such a tool. That is attitude, not education. If fact if you tried to educate that Thai on the matter it is no doubt that it would be such an insult to his ego that he would likely go completely apesh!t.

It doesn't take money to learn. It takes a desire to, and of course the believe that you are not a born expert.

The belief (and egotistical need to believe) that you know everything and anything, like most Thais have, are the inhibiting factor.

Edited December 13, 2012 by cbrer

[cbrer]

There is a difference between thai and farang. But the people complaining about it may should try to work in a service station in some village, sitting on the floor, at 35 degree celsius, and should try to repair something without proper tools, for 20 Baht an hour. And most still don't have a computer/Internet to educate oneself. And So On And On And On...

We are talking about global leading multi-national licensed dealers such Honda and Kawasaki. Not Somchai's corner buffalo mender.

[wantan]

Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha came here to make money with producing, exporting and selling bikes, not to spend money for developing this country. Yes, they are doing "many good things". But main interest is making money, not developing this country. In this i agree.

30 years ago most villages in the country did not even have electricity. And many parts still not have proper internet. There is no technical tradition. There are no elderly people from whom the younger could learn how to do accurate mechanical work. This is much different to western countries. Here there is a tradition in building nice temples and in doing woodwork arts and such things.

And its not easy to cope with all the technical progress without having a solid foundation. First the change from 2stroke to 4stroke. Now its FI and ABS on small bikes. What comes next? It would be better for this country to sell durable "low tech" vehicles to the people and not high tech gadgets.

[BirdsandBooze]

It`s all about attitude. In the UK the technicians at the dealers where I bought my bikes had a passionate interest in motorcycles and were following a career they`d sought out. They took real pride in their work and if anything needed replacing they`d call first and when the work was completed they`d have the removed component at hand to explain the problem. Here it seems many of the mechanics took up the profession simply because a job became available. There are exceptions and these are the ones who are competent and enthusiastic about their work. I took my wife`s Teana for service at our Nissan dealer and followed my wife`s instructions and requested that the female technician there worked on it. This girl told me she had always wanted to work on cars. She loves her job and could probably walk into any Nissan dealer in the UK and get employment. Some people are trying to excuse sloppy workmanship by playing the race card and crying discrimination; that`s incorrect, many of us have got Thai wives/GF`s and mixed race kids and find that charge offensive.

But the people in your home country are not as poor as the average thai i guess. Not many parents can pay for a good further education of their children. Most are still farmers. And where could someone learn from a professional mechanic if living in a village somewhere? Its like with the hen and the egg. Lack of professional mechanical teachers, lack of professional service stations, lack of money, ...

There is a difference between thai and farang. But the people complaining about it may should try to work in a service station in some village, sitting on the floor, at 35 degree celsius, and should try to repair something without proper tools, for 20 Baht an hour. And most still don't have a computer/Internet to educate oneself. And So On And On And On...

You do know that the Thais are indigenous to Thailand which is a hot country? They are acclimatised to the heat and are used to lower pay in a country that is much cheaper to live in than cold, expensive Northern Europe. They don't sit on that dusty floor and say to themselves that they aren't going to do the job properly because Mike The Mechanic at the Kawasaki dealer in chilly Chorley has had a better education and is paid more. Those that don't do their job properly do so because they can't be bothered to, whether that's working for a main dealer or in Batchit the Bodger's shed in a rural backwater.

[wantan]

OK, you guys think its more a matter of the individual person (arrogance, laziness, ...). I think its more a matter of culture, history and tradition. But the truth is of course, that its always a mixture of many things

[cbrer]

OK, you guys think its more a matter of the individual person (arrogance, laziness, ...). I think its more a matter of culture, history and tradition.

I thought we had opposing views.

Edited December 14, 2012 by cbrer

[jkinbkk]

Fellas, if you think you got it bad here, imagine if you had spent big bucks on a Harley in India and got transferred to Kolkata.

Now that's enough to make a seasoned biker weep!

This is the current status of the dealer, i know I took the pic

[wantan]

OK, you guys think its more a matter of the individual person (arrogance, laziness, ...). I think its more a matter of culture, history and tradition.

I thought we had opposing views.

Your thought was right. You tend to think in stupid stereotypes. I basically say that this country just needs more time and more money to get closer to western quality standards.

[cbrer]

OK, you guys think its more a matter of the individual person (arrogance, laziness, ...). I think its more a matter of culture, history and tradition.

I thought we had opposing views.

Your thought was right. You tend to think in stupid stereotypes.

Nope. Just thinking in terms of years of experience dealing with Thai mechanics in Thai dealerships.

Understanding such cultural differences is difficult for some though, so don't worry too much about it.

[Kf6vci]

TT, thank you so much for sharing this! I've had some dreadful experiences with an old Kawa 150 stroker. But those were with independent shops.

The very worst was my 5,000 Baht prepayment "disappearing" never to be found again. And a Honda Dream was sold instead getting serviced and the Green Book transferred... Sale price was half of what I had paid a few months earlier. And it took months to even get the proceeds of that sale...

How are the other Kawasaki shops in Bangkok?

[cbrer]

The very worst was my 5,000 Baht prepayment "disappearing" never to be found again. And a Honda Dream was sold instead getting serviced and the Green Book transferred... Sale price was half of what I had paid a few months earlier. And it took months to even get the proceeds of that sale...

Sorry.

[loserlazer]

TT, thank you so much for sharing this! I've had some dreadful experiences with an old Kawa 150 stroker. But those were with independent shops.

The very worst was my 5,000 Baht prepayment "disappearing" never to be found again. And a Honda Dream was sold instead getting serviced and the Green Book transferred... Sale price was half of what I had paid a few months earlier. And it took months to even get the proceeds of that sale...

How are the other Kawasaki shops in Bangkok?

Wow man. Hahahass.

What an experience.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[cbrer]

^ You can be sure it was down to lack of training and funding by Kawasaki Thailand though.

Check out the 'BMW Barcelona Chiang Mai' thread on GT Rider. Munich had to be contacted. Regular services were resulting in half the parts on the bike being stolen by the guys working on it.

That was obviously down to BMW not having adequate training and funding too.

The same as what is infamous for happening in Thai computer maintenance shops etc etc.

But when the country is run by government officials caught will millions of baht in cash in their house, groups of police men caught for transporting millions of baht of drugs every week, university lecturers and teachers offering and sometimes extorting cash for grades, in short, the people that the populace should be looking up to for moral guidance and how to act while growing up, it isn't coincidence that the same attitude trickles down throughout the society.

There are major problems within the society and culture and this is to be found in the Kawa dealers, computer shops, schools, and everywhere else in the society. It is Thainess.

Edited December 16, 2012 by cbrer

[loserlazer]

But, we are always coming to the same point.

The problems you all mention - which i agree and you are right - are orginated because of less investment on education, training, less investment on human resources, tools, service space etc. and greedy and insensitive owners/managers/politicians are cutting these from us. These are all about money.

Not about being a Thai, man!

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Cbrer you came to my point at the end.

Thanks for your understanding.

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Edited December 16, 2012 by loserlazer

[cbrer]

^ funny troll.

[cbrer]

Perhaps Wanton can counter the points a bit better....

[loserlazer]

^ funny troll.

No need for a piss fight cbrer.

I m just pointing out that we came to a conclusion as check your post and mine. They say the same thing. There is nothing to feel ashamed about coming to the same conclusion with the others even though it came late:lol:

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[cbrer]

No need to be that embarrassed over your defeat mate.

*cringe emoticon*

[wantan]

^ funny troll.

No need for a piss fight cbrer.

I m just pointing out that we came to a conclusion as check your post and mine. They say the same thing. There is nothing to feel ashamed about coming to the same conclusion with the others even though it came late:lol:

Yep, and maybe it is allowed to consider corruption as small part of history/culture/tradition in LOS without offending anyone. Then we ALL agree in one point at least

But i don't think that corruption is the main cause why mechanics are lacking professionalism. This is an agriculture country, not an industrial nation. Its still a long way to go for LOS. Hope they will manage it somehow.

[loserlazer]

No need to be that embarrassed over your defeat mate.

*cringe emoticon*

Hahahas. Nothing personal man. We are fellow riders here at the end sailing at the same boat:lol:

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[cbrer]

^ Phew, thought you were gonna start doing a Johnny F.

You know... dream about me.

Only to wake up with a mouthful of pillow.

Edited December 18, 2012 by cbrer

[JonnyF]

^ Phew, thought you were gonna start doing a Johnny F.

You know... dream about me.

Only to wake up with a mouthful of pillow.

Sorry dude, I prefer women with a real job

[cbrer]

Still delusional about the bizarre Spamming idea of yours?

I'm sure lots of companies, such as Honda and Kawa pay people to post on Thai Visa.