Is It Just Me?

[SCARLETIBIS1]

I know that many of the Thai Visa members do nothing but pick on Thais with their incessant Thai bashing. I for one am sick of it. I therefore am offering not one but several examples of not only quality customer service but exemplary examples of Thai service-service over and above the norm here in Thailand.

A week ago I dropped my camera off at ???? camera shop and asked specifically if they could "clean" my Nikon D200. I said I needed it back Monday the latest as I was taking a trip starting on Tuesday. I said the dust appeared to be under the viewing screen and I did not want to attempt to take it apart myself. I explained this all to the girl at the desk who then spoke with the technician in front of me. He said no problem. They were supossed to call me when it was finished. Never got a call so Tuesday (today) I call them and say hey, where is my camera?

Their response was the technician didn't look at it yet. So I said you promised me to have it done by Monday and today is Tuesday. She says she will get it done today and call me back. An hour later I get a call back saying they cannot clean it because it is a 'big' camera and the dust is on the inside not the outside of the camera.

I thanked them for wasting a week of my time and for making the astute observation that the dust was not on the 'outside' of the camera but on the inside which is what I told them. I asked them why they did not know they do not clean 'big' Nikon cameras as one would think they would know which camera's they do clean especially since the technician looked at it when I dropped it off. I got a perfectly acceptible answer, "Technician cannot clean it".

My next example:

I planned to take a long motorcycle trip on a new Kawasaki ER-6N and wanted to have a new seat put on it. I found a leather shop and showed the guy a picture of the seat I wanted made. He told me no problem but I would have to wait a week. I said fine I will make an appointment then. I then asked him if he knew of where I could have a bracket made for a carry-all I bought for the back of the bike. He said he knew a guy right around his shop.

We, along with my Thai gf went to see the guy and explained what I needed. He said he could do it same day as I was having my seat done. Wow, that is the type of service I like. So I had my gf call the seat guy last nite and remind him that we had an appointment today. He said he remembered me and that I should show up at 8:30.

So we show up at 8:30 and his shop is closed. We went around the block and spoke with the bracket guy and he says he is too busy to do the work today but he can do it in a week or so. I said we had made an appointment and he was supossed to do it today that we had waited a week to get it done. He gets pissed off and starts yelling at me. I thanked him for being a prick and went back around the corner to the leather shop and it was still not open. We called ass.... number 2 (or is it number 3) but no one answered the phone.

So, we gave up. We did find a place to have the brackets made. It is a huge shop and I think they probably know what they are doing but we have to wait (and delay the trip) for another week or longer.

If anyone knows of a reputable leather shop that can make a seat let me know.

So I hope that with these fine, exemplary examples of Thai service and customer satisfaction we can all stop bashing these poor genius'.

One truly has to wonder how a Thai genius (are there any at all here?) would stack up to the idiots of the world with the way they

handle business. I heard President Obama from the USA visited Thailand last month. I heard he was having the seats on Airforce One redone. Last I heard he had to fly home without it.

If anyone has any other exemplary examples of Thai service pass it along as they are clearly getting a bad rap. From what I'm hearing the service I got "IS" quality Thai service. LOL

[pattayadingo]

Ah, the joys of trying to get something done here

[whiteman]

Well maybe it is just you or your unlucky it happens.

I asked for flyscreens put in the new school done that day and good

Call up for 2 new aircon units for the school from the guy that services our home units they are put in with in 2 days all working fine.

Ask for a small school to be built in 2 parts and transported to the rented land next door to our home he said 4 weeks it was delivered and set up and no leaks and no cracks and delivered in 3 weeks and today it still stands 8 months later and no cracks or leaks.

So there

[HeijoshinCool]

Clever post.

Years ago I had two Thai, long-term friends enthusiastically recommend someone to restore my cherished old motorbike. We talked for a week, came to understandings re: every aspect of the restoration. We received a written quote, and a promise of 4 to 6 weeks.

Four months later, I received a piece of shit back. The original seat had been stolen (irreplaceable) , the factory chromed rack was missing," and all the new chrome rusted within two weeks. The paint had runs, and numerous dings. The promise to have a machine shop in BKK do the engine was BS. He bored the cylinders on a junk drill press. It barely ran.

All new wiring? No. He lied.

His "guarantees" were worthless. He told me to take all the chrome off and take it myself to another city for the "warranty" work. Right.

He tried to double the price (didn't get it , though.)

After many instances of calmly speaking with him, (while he looked down his nose at me) trying to reason, I got in his face. Next day his buddies came to visit. Including one of the ones who recommended him.

Never again.

I know there are some good ones to be found, but this is why it is more expensive to live here than back "home." Because you have to weed through the bad ones, at great expense, to find one good one. The law of averages, wins.

We are a minority here. The majority here have no concept of quality customer service, so typically, it's not offered.

[David48]

you have told us your story ...

But what was your girlfriends reaction to the level of service you received above?

I'd like some Thai perspective on the situation.

Be honest now ... no cheating with her side ... .... we can tell ...

.

[whiteman]

My wife was very happy with the school and other details around it she is Thai. Oh I forgot she would be happy I paid for it all but to me it was small change to get her set up in her own business that she has allways wanted to do + she has a masters in teaching English as a 2nd language so when I pass on she is set up in either teaching or being a reg nurse helps too.

Do your home work b4 you buy in all things. Oh I do not mean I bought my wife no sinsot was paid and no she has not been married b4.

[dean999]

My wife has lost one of the stones out of her ring. She said she will not get it fixed in Thailand. Her reason, they will steal the real stones and put fake ones in. She says, Thai people are cheeky.

Even Thai's bash Thai's.

Thought i would mention that, just to level it out.

[chiangmaikelly]

My last ex wife was a bit of a wild child. When I gave her an engagement ring I told her to take in to the Jeweler next door to my business to have it sized and appraised. He was a friend. He replaced the diamonds with Russian zircons after he appraised it. She was a French lady. After we got a divorce I moved to Thailand.

[SCARLETIBIS1]

The bike rip off is a good one but I challenge anyone to top my classic story. A friend of mine became ill and had to fly back to Canada. I lent him some money and he never was able to pay me back so he said I could keep his motorbike (Yamaha Virago) as payment which he left with me.

I took the bike to my friends's auto shop and he recommended a guy to me. (Thai). Two weeks after I left it there he said he didn't work on big bikes.

Next, I took it to another shop someone told me about. The bike was not running. I told the guy (Thai) that all I wanted was to get it running so I could sell it. He agreed to get it running and he would sell it for a commission. He told me all it needed was a new battery. One month later I went back and it had old, rusted out parts sitting on it. He said no one wanted to buy it because it needed a paint job and new seat etc. So I said, ok how much to repaint it and chrome the wheels and re do the seats? He said 7k. So I said do you guarantee it will run? He said yes. I told him to go ahead and do it. He told me it would take one week.

Two months later he finished the job. I left it there for 3 months but no one bought it. I told him I would take it home with me. When we tried to start it it would not start. He changed the plugs three times and each time it would start but when I drove it for a mile it concked out and he had to come get me and bring it back to the shop. He called and said it was running. I came to pick it up got one block from his shop and it stopped running. When I walked it back to his shop it was because he had not put any gas in the tank. So he goes to get gas and it still won't start. So then he says nothing he can do about it that the bike is a piece of crap. (Which he guaranteed would be fine).

I told him I wanted my money back and he starts pushing me around. I told him I was gonna call the cops and he said fine so I hired a red truck and took it to another shop. These guys were pure crooks. He said he could fix it for 5k that it needed a new cylinder replaced. I said ok. I pick it up and one block later it stops running. I bring it back and a week later he says the other cylinder needs to be fixed. I said how much and he says another 5k. I said do you guarantee it? He said yes. I come back a month later and before I pay him I asked him to drive it around the block. It stops running a quarter mile away. I was able to glid it to yet another shop where the Thai guy looked it over plus inspected the invoice and then called the shop and afterwards told me they fuc... me over and didn't do the job right and it would not run right.

So now this is a year later and I find yet another Thai who owns a big time outfit and came highly recommended. I asked him how much to take it apart and figure out what the hell it would take to get it fixed. He said 2000 baht so I said do it. In the mean time the previous crook calls the cops on me and wants his money. I get a call from the police. I told them what happened and they ask me to come in. I told them I would come when the guy finished assessing the problem. A few days later the new guys tells me they stole one of the cylinders off it and replaced it with an older one and didn't bother to replace the spark plug with a new one. Plus they didn't do the job they said they did. He showed me the parts.

So, now I go to the Tourist police and tell my story. They make an appointment for the crooks to show up too. So they show up he starts to yak yak about what who knows. This guy is actually pissed off that I didn't pay him. The cop shows him the report from the new guy plus the old spark plugs. He asked me how many times did I go back to this crook and I said maybe 6-7 times. He suggested I go once and then find a new guy. LOL

Ok, so now the newest Thai guy who speaks good English I might add says it will cost 25k to completely redo the engine. I said fine do it. I told him I was going back to my country for two months and take your time. He agrees to have it done by then. I come back and it doesn't run. Long story short the bike was in and out of his shop for another year (probably 20 times) and he can't get it running properly. Finally, I said well, give me back my money. You agreed it would run perfectly. He blows me off so I hire a Thai attorney who rips me off. (Another long story). He gives me a price to deal with it and then asks for more money. Just another crook. Finally, the guy agrees to put in a new carburetor but if it doesn't work that's it. He puts in a used one and it doesn't work but I am fuc... again.

I finally found an honest (yes Thai) bike guy who was finally able to fix it. It was only the carburater. I spent 50k to fix the bike and was able to sell it for 60k but the hassle took two years.

I challenge anyone to top this one.

[SCARLETIBIS1]

you have told us your story ...

But what was your girlfriends reaction to the level of service you received above?

I'd like some Thai perspective on the situation.

Be honest now ... no cheating with her side ... .... we can tell ...

.

She was pissed off. When she called the leather guy the night before she said the guy sounded drunk. I guess he was still sleeping when we got there. She couldn't understand why these idiots didn't want to make the money. I am just as stymied about it. My conclusion about Thai business people who own their own business is that they will lie about anything to convince you they can do a job and then either do a ratsh.. job or if they have another customer blow you off.

And frankly the owners of large companies are idiots as well in my view. I went to Tesco on the super highway to buy a big screen tv, a washing machine, a refrigerator and some other stuff-probably 40k worth of stuff. It took one hour to find anyone who spoke English. At one time we had about 25 Thais standing in a circle looking at me. Pure lunacy. One would think by now these guys would figure out the Farongs do have money to spend but would like to be able to speak English. I guess not.

[chasggg]

This morning I had a puncture(the 4th time in as many weeks) riding my Fino from the village to Kalasin......this time fortunately only 50m from the bike shop in the next village.........I asked the guy to fit a new tyre and tube.....he did the job in 20 mins flat and charged me a total of 550Bt........I then carried on my merry way wearing a big smile.......service???..........Exemplary!!!

Am I just lucky.........???

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[pattayadingo]

On the way to Mai Sot my car stopped on the mountain roads.

3K for a tow truck to get to Mai Sot.

The mechanic did not understand LPG but he phoned someone and had it started in 10 minutes. He said it needed some work to make sure it stayed in working order and that we should come back in an hour or so.

We went for some food and drink at a local place as we were very hungry after a long drive and a long wait for the tow truck. Came back to the garage to collect the car about an hour later and he had the cylinder head off!! Telling us the valves needed grinding down due to low compression. (Yet there was nothing wrong with the compression).

3 days and 2 nights in a hotel before he fixed the engine and put it back together.

That cost me over 10K Baht plus hotel bills and extra things like food etc. No clean clothes for that time either.

3 weeks later the car would not start. Took it to an engineer who was recommended near where we lived. Seems the head gasket had gone. Another xK baht to do that.

Yeah, what a great mechanic the first one was.

Minor problem with the driveshaft. took it to a garage and they fixed it. 10 minutes of driving and the shaft itself broke at the joint as I was reversing out from a shop. He took the car back on the back of his truck and repaired it again. This time they forgot to put the CV boot back on!! And he expected to be paid for the 2nd repair.

Within 3 months the same shaft broke as I was in Pattaya. Had it repaired and it worked fine ever since.

Before going on a border run I had the car serviced and asked them to make sure the brakes were in good order. On the return trip the car was written off under the back of a 6 wheeler when the brakes failed, or should I say it felt like only either the front or rear worked, but there was no stopping power at all. I was lucky to get away with minor injuries but the car set alight where it was trapped under the truck. The truck driver managed to free the car that was left to burn out. None of the passing police stopped. No fire engines at all in the area. The local people kept the traffic back fully expecting the car to explode, but by this time I was in hospital.

No car, a hospital bill and a bad limp for quite a long time.

I really do love Thai mechanics - honest!!

[impulse]

Seems like you're experiencing the flip side of the freedoms and conditions that draw so many to Thailand.

Freedom to open a bike repair shop (or street food cart or electrician or carpenter or.. or..) with no qualifications, no liability and no downside risk.

Alternate: go work at a factory for $10 a day. Can make more than that screwing one customer a week.

Results: Too many scooter repair shops pursuing too few scooter repair $$$, all (well most) competing only on price.

I don't need to tell you guys what comes next- your posts spell that out.

Compare that with the over regulated west where it costs a zillion dollars to get a shop set up, licenses are required, inspections occur, estimates must be in writing and signed off, and small claims court favors no individual.

Still, I like it here- though I worry about these horror stories every time I get anything worked on. You make ya choices, you take ya chances.

[endure]

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

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