Ever Been Told To Leave A Thai-Owned Shop ?

[samran]

No I never have. But as I am constantly reminded, I live in a different Thailand to many posters.

[MrWorldwide]

Beetlejuice, I'm only a weekend warrior, but it's pretty clear that you havent even read my initial post. Give it a shot when you get a moment.

[rattler]

Customer service in Thailand?? bit thin on the ground generally, bought a brushcutter 3 months ago been repaired 5 times since then, just so you know what not to buy, a Waikiki Thai watsadu. I live 30km from the shop so each time its a LONNNNNNNNNNNNG trip there.

I actually wanted a Hitachi but the man said the Waikiki were reliable ( probably meant reliably get me the best commission) and mai me Hitachi at the time although displayed ( normal)

Anyway, its now broken again so Im going back to ask for refund or change to Hitachi, lets see what happens??

"you want fix Mr"

Failing that Im gonna smash it up ( lose big face) in their car park, but Ill announce what Im going to do first on a Saturday when they are busiest.

Falang ting tong, probably ask me if i want to buy another one, and worse still show me the same brand!!!

[rattler]

I've noticed the Thai smiles keep coming as long as the money keeps flowing in the right direction.

Yes!! no pompem sir product broken we sell you another one???

[geriatrickid]

No I never have. But as I am constantly reminded, I live in a different Thailand to many posters.

Hua Hin must be a different Thailand too. I went over to Market Village to replace a charger for my cheapie phone. One of the kiosks actually had them and they even had price stickers on the box. They checked it out with my phone to make sure it would work. It was urgent that I get the darn thing too as I had calls scheduled for later in the day. I was practically in tears I was so grateful. 75 baht - I was Mr. Big purchase, but I was serviced with a smile. The woman could have charged me 500 baht and I still would have paid.

This thread is rather funny. I compare it to the threads where we complain about irritating shop clerks that don't leave us alone. Like vultures to dead carrion, flies to a rotting corpse etc. I would consider a shop keeper waving me on as a good thing. Why would I want to waste my time or spend my money on someone that doesn't want to transact with me. it is a shopkeeper's right not to deal with a customer. If a shop wishes to forgo a sale, then its the shop's loss.

[manarak]

can't understand people busting a nut over being thrown out of a shop because they look loso, especially the part about coming back with the police. LOL.

and what can the police do?

Shops are private areas, the tenant can ban anybody he doesn't like from entering.

btw, the same thing happens also to Thais - and many westerners are still puzzled about why visible status is so important to many Thais...

1. The OP claimed he didnt look 'loso' when waved out of the shop in MBK (MBK, <deleted> - talk about a 'loso' dump !)

2. I'd be very interested to know, as a percentage, how many Thai shop-owners tell customers to leave when they have done nothing improper. Despite the replies in this thread, I'm thinking its still the minority, and they do it simply because they have no fear of retribution. We have hordes of Asian tourists in Australia who wander around our stores for hours on end, seeming looking - and in many cases handling - everything in the store, particularly clothes. Anyone found guilty of openly discriminating against a customer based on their nationality would end up in the media eventually, and no business wants that.

3. I believe I am the only person in this thread to mention 'going to the Police', and I was talking about Australian shops, particularly the 'old-school' crowd in Sydney's Haymarket where you were looked at quite strangely if you ventured into one of the Chinese shops back in the 80s. Whatever their thought processes, back then they had a very real fear of authority (particularly immigration and health inspectors) - any threat to 'call the cops' would have been taken seriously. That said, there are some chronic racists in Oz who continue to refer to the Chinese as 'chinks', 'chongs' and other pathetic variations on Chinese : II'm not onboard with that crowd.

Tyre-kickers are part and parcel of the retail experience - if Mama didn't want Junior besieged by them, she should have shelled out the rent to put him in one of those neat little hidey-holes that most of the high-end Thai handicraft places seem to occupy, usually up on the top floor away from the Hoi Polloi. Hell, she could have even slapped a 'By Appointment Only' sign on the door and had frosted glass installed to obscure the goodies inside from prying eyes. But she didn't do any of that - nope, she installed Junior in MBK. Pick any working girl in Soi 4 and ask her where the best shops are in Bangkok, and I can almost guarantee (short of fresh off the farm gals...) that her response will be 'MBK !, and there are hordes of Farang and Asian tourists there on any given day, all intent on finding a 'bargain'. Just the place for an amplifier that costs half a million baht ....

(if said working girl answers 'Yaowarrat Road !', cut your losses)

1- what people claim and the reality is often quite different. A friend of mine could not understand why he was not let into a certain place that had a "no jeans" policy. His reaction "but these are armani jeans that cost over 1000 USD!". that didn't help either. no jeans, period.

1- MBK has quite a few expensive looking shops in the upper levels selling upscale (read: overpriced) stuff I'd never buy, such as hiso electronics and hiso furniture.

2- this is not Australia. the media wouldn't give a shit and the shopowner would just say it was because the customer didn't look like he was to buy anything... discrimination has to be proven to happen consistently, sporadic cases of customers of some ethnic type being asked to leave are not proof unless the shopowner says it's because of their race.

3- I'm not sure what this has to do with anything at all. Again, this is not Australia, MBK is not the haymarket.

Like it or not, Mah Boon Krung (MBK) is one of the major shopping malls in Bangkok, featuring many luxury shops, where many Thais go as well as foreigners.

BTW, I'm not defending the shopowner - I think there are indeed better ways to do business, but I think looking at the situation through western glasses is wrong.

Edited March 14, 2013 by manarak

[MrWorldwide]

^{Manarak. you make some good points, and I thank you for taking the time to respond to my post.}

[DiNiro]

I needed a 10 AMP replacement fuse & was rudely shooed by the motorbike shop manager when I wouldn't accept a 20AMP fuse she had in stock. "Same same"

She would have fried my electrical system for a 5 Baht profit.

[Almera]

Ever Been Told To Leave A Thai-Owned Shop ?

Yes.

A motorcycle parts shop when shopping for a particular helmet. They showed me one that wasn't made of the material I wanted and I said in Thai that no, it isn't strong.

Being Thai and unable to deal any sort of criticism in any rational way they exploded and told me to get out while they ran away out the back (flight mode) due to being unable to understand or deal with the basic emotions they were feeling.

Of course in a society that can deal rationally it would have been:

'Oh, you want one made from a stronger material. sure, we have these and these.'

Or:

'We don't have them in stock, but perhaps we can order one in if you like.'

Edited March 14, 2013 by Almera

[arthurwait]

Buying an expensive stereo means you are Hi-so now ? Trying to work out if that's better than owning a Honda on 5 years credit.

[MrWorldwide]

The term is 'high end audio', and we aren't talking the latest whizbang creation from Bose. How many people (Thai or otherwise) do you know who would be willing to pay this sort of money for a pair of speakers ?

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=80.90&id=3274〈=th

3 million baht for a pair of speakers (a little over if you need them delivered ..) - unless you know a street vendor who has that kind of money sitting in a drawer, I'm going to guess that it's very much a 'hi-so' thing. Add the 5-10 million you would probably spend on the electronics and cables to drive those speakers and I expect that you could buy a rather nice car for the total outlay - yep, even in Thailand.

(yep - Thai prices are inflated over what you would pay in the US for those speakers, but that's not really the point here)

[phuturatica]

I was asked to leave a small stall that was selling women's clothes once... The clothes only sold small anorexic style clothes that the Thais wear but I was actually shopping for a present for my friend. I ended up being asked to leave as I clearly too big to fit into these anorexic petite Thai fashion clothes.

I was actually quite offended... Not only did the bitch call me fat but she shoo'd me out of her shop before giving me a chance to explain that I wanted something for a friend as a present.

Also it was her attitude. It stunk.

But whatever... I went to another store and spent my money there.

[FunFon]

The term is 'high end audio', and we aren't talking the latest whizbang creation from Bose. How many people (Thai or otherwise) do you know who would be willing to pay this sort of money for a pair of speakers ?

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=80.90&id=3274〈=th

3 million baht for a pair of speakers (a little over if you need them delivered ..) - unless you know a street vendor who has that kind of money sitting in a drawer, I'm going to guess that it's very much a 'hi-so' thing. Add the 5-10 million you would probably spend on the electronics and cables to drive those speakers and I expect that you could buy a rather nice car for the total outlay - yep, even in Thailand.

(yep - Thai prices are inflated over what you would pay in the US for those speakers, but that's not really the point here)

-

Many people, especially from the UK and non-farang Commonwealth cultures, maintain that social class has nothing to do little connection with cash wealth.

North Americans and Aus/NZ tends to just think of class in purely economic terms, except in the slang sense "classy broad".

[FunFon]

2- this is not Australia. the media wouldn't give a shit and the shopowner would just say it was because the customer didn't look like he was to buy anything... discrimination has to be proven to happen consistently, sporadic cases of customers of some ethnic type being asked to leave are not proof unless the shopowner says it's because of their race.

-

Agreeing with you in general, just want to point out that your assumption that discrimination of any sort is actually forbidden here in Thailand is also looking at the issue with your western glasses on.

There may be some nice verbiage written somewhere wrt the problem internationally, but in practice, in day to day life, private business owners can and do discriminate against anyone they like based on race, sex, age or whatever. This includes sex harassment by management, up to the point that would be prosecutable as rape back home.

And it's not just not enforced, they haven't bothered to actually write laws in most common scenarios, they just don't care about the issue at all, it's totally legal to say "no blacks" in a job ad, or that you want an attractive single 22-25 y.o. female under 37 kg, even for a call centre job.

The whole concept of legal protection for nearly any classification just doesn't apply here.

Except for Thai nationals as a whole of course, and I guess Buddhism generally.

Edited March 14, 2013 by FunFon

[MrWorldwide]

The term is 'high end audio', and we aren't talking the latest whizbang creation from Bose. How many people (Thai or otherwise) do you know who would be willing to pay this sort of money for a pair of speakers ?

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=80.90&id=3274〈=th

3 million baht for a pair of speakers (a little over if you need them delivered ..) - unless you know a street vendor who has that kind of money sitting in a drawer, I'm going to guess that it's very much a 'hi-so' thing. Add the 5-10 million you would probably spend on the electronics and cables to drive those speakers and I expect that you could buy a rather nice car for the total outlay - yep, even in Thailand.

(yep - Thai prices are inflated over what you would pay in the US for those speakers, but that's not really the point here)

-

Many people, especially from the UK and non-farang Commonwealth cultures, maintain that social class has nothing to do little connection with cash wealth.

North Americans and Aus/NZ tends to just think of class in purely economic terms, except in the slang sense "classy broad".

Right, and these egalitarian chaps send their children to your average taxpayer-funded school, right ? Short of the odd greenie, I dont know anyone who genuinely believes that - in any case, it absolutely does not apply to Thai people who have an obsession with class that goes way beyond the ability to buy toys.

[bunta71]

I was kicked out of the massage shop upstairs in Tesco/ Krabi while getting a foot massage inside the small shop. My friend has just had a heart attack in Honolulu and called me for some help. Behind a curtain a woman started screaming at me to hang up as she was trying to get some sleep. I told her to go home and sleep as I walked out. She was losing sleep and a steady twice a week customer, but TIT...

[Almera]

I needed a 10 AMP replacement fuse & was rudely shooed by the motorbike shop manager when I wouldn't accept a 20AMP fuse she had in stock. "Same same"

She would have fried my electrical system for a 5 Baht profit.

Ah yes.

A honda dealership for my motorbike.

Blue cap oil for scooter.

Red cap oil for bigger bikes.

Different Viscosity levels.

They only have the blue cap. Oh no, I want the red cap.

Same, same.

No, they're not the same.

Yes, SAME!

Why do they have different colour tops then.

Mr. Almera gets about 2 seconds away from being attacked with whatever was closest to hand to the 'trained and certified Honda mechanic working in an official Honda dealership!'

Odd people.

Odd society.

Not a very nice or intelligent one really, eh.

[dantilley]

Never been kicked out of a shop, and the only person I've never known it happen to is a friend of my wife who's Thai - this was in a shop near Khao San Road and they only wanted to serve foreigners apparently.

[arthurwait]

The term is 'high end audio', and we aren't talking the latest whizbang creation from Bose. How many people (Thai or otherwise) do you know who would be willing to pay this sort of money for a pair of speakers ?

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=80.90&id=3274〈=th

3 million baht for a pair of speakers (a little over if you need them delivered ..) - unless you know a street vendor who has that kind of money sitting in a drawer, I'm going to guess that it's very much a 'hi-so' thing. Add the 5-10 million you would probably spend on the electronics and cables to drive those speakers and I expect that you could buy a rather nice car for the total outlay - yep, even in Thailand.

(yep - Thai prices are inflated over what you would pay in the US for those speakers, but that's not really the point here)

How many Thais do I know that could afford them ? Many and only one of them would be considered Hi-So by real Hi-sos. Not new money trying to look Hi-so.

How many would pay that for speakers. None. Perhaps BIL but he seems to have started to grow up recently.

What have street vendors got to do with it ?

[samran]

The term is 'high end audio', and we aren't talking the latest whizbang creation from Bose. How many people (Thai or otherwise) do you know who would be willing to pay this sort of money for a pair of speakers ?

http://piyanas.com/shopping/productdetail.php?cat=80.90&id=3274〈=th

3 million baht for a pair of speakers (a little over if you need them delivered ..) - unless you know a street vendor who has that kind of money sitting in a drawer, I'm going to guess that it's very much a 'hi-so' thing. Add the 5-10 million you would probably spend on the electronics and cables to drive those speakers and I expect that you could buy a rather nice car for the total outlay - yep, even in Thailand.

(yep - Thai prices are inflated over what you would pay in the US for those speakers, but that's not really the point here)

How many Thais do I know that could afford them ? Many and only one of them would be considered Hi-So by real Hi-sos. Not new money trying to look Hi-so.

How many would pay that for speakers. None. Perhaps BIL but he seems to have started to grow up recently.

What have street vendors got to do with it ?

He thinks we all hang out with street vendors.

Plenty of people I know who wouldn't think twice about buying that stuff, but probably not from MBK.

[MrWorldwide]

Hey, you win - I clearly don't know any hi-so Thais, and I definitely wont be invited their private islands. 3 million baht remains a substantial amount of money in my world, but for Richard Branson it's a nice bottle of wine.

[Almera]

Probably because no-one's reported it or no mods have noticed yet.

Don't worry, Fookhaht is on the case and may even get the buttons he's dreaming of.

[Scottythai]

dbl pst

Edited March 14, 2013 by Scottythai

[Scottythai]

I have been in Bangkok for more than 5 years now and never had this problem. Only have had people ask me what I am looking for or what I want. Only time I was kicked out of a store/Stall was in Malaysia China town. walking down a crowded bunch of stalls with my old boss. He was looking for a belt. A bunch of older ladys where walking towards so we ducked into a stall to let them pass. It happend to be a Bra shop. The old crow of a Chinese lady started screaming at the top of her lungs for us to get out. Was funny as hell to me but my boss stopped me before I couls bait her into thinking I was going to buy a bra.

Thailand has been nothing but good times and no issues though. Sometimes people try to take you for a ride and over change just walk away then chase after you prety quick with the correction.

[watcharacters]

Not if it was her money you opened your toy-shop with...

Yeah, that did occur to me - where does a young guy come by the capital to open a high-end audio store ? Might go a long way to explaining why they found themselves in MBK - surely *the* bargain-basement destination in inner BKK - surrounded by people selling cheap tat and endless rows of mobile phones. Not the market I'd be looking for - it would be like trying to open a Porsche dealership outside Tesco.

The upside, for me, is that I wont be revisiting MBK unless its at the point of a gun, so I am unlikely to ever encounter Mama EatMySh*t.

Aren't all the hi-end audio shops in the upper floors of Ploenchit Plaza?

Used to go there a lot. Some seriously expensive gear. They let you browse as much as you want.

.

any store any where that would be unhappy about me price or product comparing would never have me as a customer. The whole thing here with the "across the threshold guarantee" thing is enough to make me extremely cautious.

[MrWorldwide]

Probably because no-one's reported it or no mods have noticed yet.

Don't worry, Fookhaht is on the case and may even get the buttons he's dreaming of.

<deleted> that, indeed.

Edited March 14, 2013 by MrWorldwide

[SteeleJoe]

Even the seventy year old hookers seated opposite us were aghast.

One of my favorite line's from a post, ever.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

[Beetlejuice]

I was asked to leave a small stall that was selling women's clothes once... The clothes only sold small anorexic style clothes that the Thais wear but I was actually shopping for a present for my friend. I ended up being asked to leave as I clearly too big to fit into these anorexic petite Thai fashion clothes.

I was actually quite offended... Not only did the bitch call me fat but she shoo'd me out of her shop before giving me a chance to explain that I wanted something for a friend as a present.

Also it was her attitude. It stunk.

But whatever... I went to another store and spent my money there.

Are you suffering from some sort of paranoia?

When I go into a store and the staff tells me, mị̀ dị mī (no have), I smile, say; mai pen rai (no problem) Korb kun krup (thank you) and then just walk out.

If you live here, try to learn at least the basics of Thai language and leave the attitude at home, otherwise they will hate you and will not be welcome anywhere. This is Thailand and one cannot equate the types of services and attitudes of those in the West.

Believe this or not, if you conduct yourself in an appropriate manner, come down off your crosses and lose the attitude, Thai people will move mountains for you.

I am not religious, but I pray that wherever you people are, that you don`t decide to move near me and become my neighbors. You would not like me at all. My dogs bark, my neighbors and my family walk on each other’s land to take short cuts and some of our plants are over growing onto the next doors properties and likewise with the neighbors.

Definitely some real characters here to be avoided and to be totally frank, if I owned a store, I would not want to deal with you either.

[Kilgore Trout]

Not if it was her money you opened your toy-shop with...

Yeah, that did occur to me - where does a young guy come by the capital to open a high-end audio store ? Might go a long way to explaining why they found themselves in MBK - surely *the* bargain-basement destination in inner BKK - surrounded by people selling cheap tat and endless rows of mobile phones. Not the market I'd be looking for - it would be like trying to open a Porsche dealership outside Tesco.

The upside, for me, is that I wont be revisiting MBK unless its at the point of a gun, so I am unlikely to ever encounter Mama EatMySh*t.

Do you speak any Thai?

I`ve had this done to me in the past. On occasions when I, an obvious farang, have walked into a store and the owner has not been present, someone who maybe just minding the shop until the owner returns has given me hand gestures and nodded they`re head that appears to say; please leave, but what the person really means is that he/she does not speak English and is trying to tell me the owner is not there, but doesn`t know how to communicate with me in a way that I would understand. It`s all rather awkward for them.

So this could have been a misunderstanding on your part, which I think is more likely the case.

Otherwise if you do speak Thai, why did you not ask this woman; what is her problem?

Again, people assuming what thai people think and projecting their own views or assumptions onto them.

I'm not saying every case here is a clear cut example, but I have experienced this kind of thing before and believe me; when they start acting this way there is nothing you can say or do in any language.

I was once in a restaurant in Koh chang and asked in Thai where the bathroom was; to my complete and utter surprise this punk kid started screaming at me in the most horrible, rude gutteral english I have ever heard.

Basically went like this; I hate falangs that speak thai, thai is for thai people; get out now.

Btw; when this kind of thing does happen to these apologist doubters; you will have absolutely no reason to complain or to get sympathy from anybody. Remember that before you make assumptions.

[SteeleJoe]

The clothes only sold small anorexic style clothes that the Thais wear...

Uhmmm...no offense but have you got a bit of a chip south of your head, perchance?

By the way, did she literally call you " fat" (or is that you being a somewhat sensitive)?

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