Shop Staff Swarming Over Me

[breadbin]

I'm with the op on this one.

Also, I stayed at Royal Cliff in Pattaya years ago and they had a Chinese restaurant, the waitress stood directly behind me while I was eating, as soon as I'd finished she was there spooning more in the plate. Again there is a line regarding good service and being over the top.

[Jingthing]

I'm with the op on this one.

Also, I stayed at Royal Cliff in Pattaya years ago and they had a Chinese restaurant, the waitress stood directly behind me while I was eating, as soon as I'd finished she was there spooning more in the plate. Again there is a line regarding good service and being over the top.

Indeed. I have had similar experiences that extreme and I am not above telling them to GO AWAY! Much more common and almost as bad are waiters standing at a distance but STARING directly at you during the entire meal.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Jingthing

[teacherofwoe]

Just ask a technical question about a product. After a few minutes of consulting each other, they will will respond with "mai lew" and avoid you like the plague after that.

[Morden]

Being followed irritates me but I tell them as politely s I can that I'm OK. That usually works well enough. If they persist in watching me from a few metres as if I was a well known thief, I walk slowly around the displays with the employee following until I find the boundary of their territory. If that takes me beyond the stock I want to see, I go elsewhere.

What does hack me off is the absence of staff when you need one. And the 'No have' when something is not on the shelf and the absolute refusal to order one.

[Jingthing]

Just ask a technical question about a product. After a few minutes of consulting each other, they will will respond with "mai lew" and avoid you like the plague after that.

That's so true. Sometimes you can actually see them running away.

[Stradavarius37]

I'm with the op on this one.

Also, I stayed at Royal Cliff in Pattaya years ago and they had a Chinese restaurant, the waitress stood directly behind me while I was eating, as soon as I'd finished she was there spooning more in the plate. Again there is a line regarding good service and being over the top.

Indeed. I have had similar experiences that extreme and I am not above telling them to GO AWAY! Much more common and almost as bad are waiters standing at a distance but STARING directly at you during the entire meal.

A lion does not concern himself with the opinions of sheep.

[Jingthing]

I'm with the op on this one.

Also, I stayed at Royal Cliff in Pattaya years ago and they had a Chinese restaurant, the waitress stood directly behind me while I was eating, as soon as I'd finished she was there spooning more in the plate. Again there is a line regarding good service and being over the top.

Indeed. I have had similar experiences that extreme and I am not above telling them to GO AWAY! Much more common and almost as bad are waiters standing at a distance but STARING directly at you during the entire meal.

A lion does not concern himself with the opinions of sheep.

Not talking about caring about opinions. It's just bloody ANNOYING.

[Stradavarius37]

I'm with the op on this one.

Also, I stayed at Royal Cliff in Pattaya years ago and they had a Chinese restaurant, the waitress stood directly behind me while I was eating, as soon as I'd finished she was there spooning more in the plate. Again there is a line regarding good service and being over the top.

Indeed. I have had similar experiences that extreme and I am not above telling them to GO AWAY! Much more common and almost as bad are waiters standing at a distance but STARING directly at you during the entire meal.

A lion does not concern himself with the opinions of sheep.

Not talking about caring about opinions. It's just bloody ANNOYING.

Its only annoying if you allow it to be. I don't' allow myself to be bothered by it...

[Jingthing]

Its only annoying if you allow it to be. I don't' allow myself to be bothered by it...

I don't wish to be quite so disconnected with reality. How far do you take this? Would you be annoyed if the waiter was massaging your neck throughout the meal?

Edited April 1, 2013 by Jingthing

[Stradavarius37]

Its only annoying if you allow it to be. I don't' allow myself to be bothered by it...

I don't wish to be quite so disconnected with reality.

I know, you have more pressing concerns, like worrying about getting kicked out of your favorite restaurant for your constant complaining lol Perhaps a little disconnection would be good for your soul?

[mca]

Its only annoying if you allow it to be. I don't' allow myself to be bothered by it...

I don't wish to be quite so disconnected with reality. How far do you take this? Would you be annoyed if the waiter was massaging your neck throughout the meal?

Only if he had rough hands......

[uptheos]

I just tell them in Thai that I want to look by myself and they usually back off. Once in a while one will keep standing around and I say the same thing again, but a little more forcefully and they go away. It always works for me.

A lot of people (most) don't know how to say that in Thai UG, hence the frustration.

[Stradavarius37]

I just tell them in Thai that I want to look by myself and they usually back off. Once in a while one will keep standing around and I say the same thing again, but a little more forcefully and they go away. It always works for me.

A lot of people (most) don't know how to say that in Thai UG, hence the frustration.

But since they don't put in any time to learn it either, their frustration is just funny, and subject to snarky remarks

[mad mary]

^Bunch of old women.

[kotsak]

Its only annoying if you allow it to be. I don't' allow myself to be bothered by it...

I don't wish to be quite so disconnected with reality. How far do you take this? Would you be annoyed if the waiter was massaging your neck throughout the meal?

or while having a leak? There was a thread on that topic as well..

[Jingthing]

Its only annoying if you allow it to be. I don't' allow myself to be bothered by it...

I don't wish to be quite so disconnected with reality. How far do you take this? Would you be annoyed if the waiter was massaging your neck throughout the meal?

or while having a leak? There was a thread on that topic as well..

Apparently, lions don't mind. Meow.

As far as the sheep , I humbly defer to the Kiwis ...

Edited April 1, 2013 by Jingthing

[Soutpeel]

Its only annoying if you allow it to be. I don't' allow myself to be bothered by it...

I don't wish to be quite so disconnected with reality. How far do you take this? Would you be annoyed if the waiter was massaging your neck throughout the meal?

or while having a leak? There was a thread on that topic as well..

Apparently, lions don't mind. Meow.

As far as the sheep , I humbly defer to the Kiwis ...

or the Welsh

[Jingthing]

Bastards! They either bother you from go to whoa or ignore you!!! Just like on the roads - the mongrels either drive too fast or too slow! No-one drives the way I do - bastards!

Hmm, isn't there a thread about someone being asked to leave a shop . . . Bastards!

Why can't Thailand be more like home!!!!

Instant satire grade: C-

[Sing_Sling]

Bastards! They either bother you from go to whoa or ignore you!!! Just like on the roads - the mongrels either drive too fast or too slow! No-one drives the way I do - bastards!

Hmm, isn't there a thread about someone being asked to leave a shop . . . Bastards!

Why can't Thailand be more like home!!!!

Instant satire grade: C-

Who says it is satire . . .

[scorecard]

I just tell them in Thai that I want to look by myself and they usually back off. Once in a while one will keep standing around and I say the same thing again, but a little more forcefully and they go away. It always works for me.

A farang friend (gay man - since died from AIDS) regularly played a game with the staff in the men's underwear departments at Central, Robinosn, the Mall, etc. He spoke very advanced Thai. He had been annoyed earlier by the pounce of numerous staff all quickly say "buy 2", "buy 4" etc., even before he had actually looked at any underwear.

He would either:

1. Engage a male shop assistant (he would aim for a shop assistant who he thought was probably not gay) in a detailed conversation about how revealing the bulge would be etc., in different tyes of underwear, but (deliberately) never get close to actually buying anything. Additionally his partner was a very obvious gatoey who would keep saying to the targeted shop assistant "my boyfriend is very big".

2. Engage several female shop assistants in a conversation starting with "I never wear underwear", then proceed to open every box, plastic bag etc., and remove and unfold the underpants / bikinis and throw them on top of the rack, all the time repeating "I never wear underwear". When he had caused enough chaos he would say "I'll be back tomorrow" and quickly disappear.

I never actually saw either of these situations, the story relayed by other friends who were 'on site'.

Edited April 1, 2013 by scorecard

[Jingthing]

I just tell them in Thai that I want to look by myself and they usually back off. Once in a while one will keep standing around and I say the same thing again, but a little more forcefully and they go away. It always works for me.

A farang friend (gay man - since died from AIDS) regularly played a game with the staff in the men's underwear departments at Central, Robinosn, the Mall, etc. He spoke very advanced Thai. He had been annoyed earlier by the pounce of numerous staff all quickly say "buy 2", "buy 4" etc., even before he had actually looked at any underwear.

He would either:

1. Engage a male shop assistant (he would aim for a shop assistant who he thought was probably not gay) in a detailed conversation about how revealing the bulge would be etc., in different tyes of underwear, but (deliberately) never get close to actually buying anything. Additionally his partner was a very obvious gatoey who would keep saying to the targeted shop assistant "my boyfriend is very big".

2. Engage several female shop assistants in a conversation starting with "I never wear underwear", then proceed to open every box, plastic bag etc., and remove and unfold the underpants / bikinis and throw them on top of the rack, all the time repeating "I never wear underwear". When he had caused enough chaos he would say "I'll be back tomorrow" and quickly disappear.

I never actually saw either of these situations, the story relayed by other friends who were 'on site'.

Instant satire grade: A+

[mauGR1]

I just tell them in Thai that I want to look by myself and they usually back off. Once in a while one will keep standing around and I say the same thing again, but a little more forcefully and they go away. It always works for me.

A farang friend (gay man - since died from AIDS) regularly played a game with the staff in the men's underwear departments at Central, Robinosn, the Mall, etc. He spoke very advanced Thai. He had been annoyed earlier by the pounce of numerous staff all quickly say "buy 2", "buy 4" etc., even before he had actually looked at any underwear.

He would either:

1. Engage a male shop assistant (he would aim for a shop assistant who he thought was probably not gay) in a detailed conversation about how revealing the bulge would be etc., in different tyes of underwear, but (deliberately) never get close to actually buying anything. Additionally his partner was a very obvious gatoey who would keep saying to the targeted shop assistant "my boyfriend is very big".

2. Engage several female shop assistants in a conversation starting with "I never wear underwear", then proceed to open every box, plastic bag etc., and remove and unfold the underpants / bikinis and throw them on top of the rack, all the time repeating "I never wear underwear". When he had caused enough chaos he would say "I'll be back tomorrow" and quickly disappear.

I never actually saw either of these situations, the story relayed by other friends who were 'on site'.

Your friend was rude, it just takes a few people like that to worsen the things for thousands of foreigners here.

[merck]

In home pro, I played hide and seek with the "shadows" one time, and then popped out and said "boo"...they scattered pretty quickly, and must have been thinking another ting tong farang, but the Mrs wasnt amused...

Think the sadest case in these home improvment places, not home pro, was when I was revamping the bathroom, went into one of the large places looking for wall & floor tiles, new toilet, basins, shower and all the plumbing and electrial cr*p.

picked the tiles first and gave them the number of boxes needed and asked them to go an check they have enough stock, this request was relayed by the long haired dictionary in Thai as well as well, so no problem with communication...they came back rather quick and said "have"..ok so off I went loading the trolley up with all the other bits and pieces I needed, picked the toilet and shower out, and told them to get the tiles etc and big stuff down to the check out, while I finshed filling my trolley up..

so about an hour later arrive at the check out and all the stuff I asked for was piled up ready for payment and I when I checked it looked like there were not enough boxes of tiles, so the the long hair dictionary queries this and the reply was..no have enough tiles, you pay wait two weeks for rest of tiles...suffice to say I wasnt a happy bunny, as we know two weeks can mean two months or never and it was the first I asked prior to buying everything else, in essence they were BS me.

I chose then not to get into debates with them, and said to Mrs, lets go and walked leaving everything at the check out, so the lack of customer service in this place cost them quite a large sale in the end, the Mrs was a little embarrassed, as guess in Thai thinking we suppose to eat sh*t and accept this.

In the end went to one of their competitors not too far away and got great service, they too didnt not have the all tiles I needed in stock, but they were up front with it, promised two weeks, at the end of week one called the Mrs saying everything on track for delivery, week 2 almost to the day they promised, truck turns up at my place with the short fall, all delivered for free and a few hours later a call from the sales girl, did you get all your tiles, is everything ok, nothing broken etc etc

so you can guess were I shop now for my DIY stuff..

So the other shop hadn't got the tiles either and made you wait 2 weeks as well? Looks like you didn't accomplish much other than falling out with the first shop and a wasted journey and time spent going to second shop...

[Nautilus05]

Grab your crotch, and gyrate your hips a couple times. That should give them the message to not bother you.

[Maestro]

No need to get angry. A simple "Do gohn krup" should suffice.

Wouldn't it better to speak English or Thai?

[Maestro]

I have deleted a couple of post that were incomprehensible gibberish, not in English.

[NanLaew]

The sales staff on commission are being more pushy. It's always the same this time of year. Songkran piss-up is looming and they are out for every extra penny before the holidays.

If the OP and others don't like the current 'swarming', simply defer all but essential shopping until after Songkran.

After the holidays, you can post on the "lack of customer service in Thailand" threads again.

[NanLaew]

No need to get angry. A simple "Do gohn krup" should suffice.

Wouldn't it better to speak English or Thai?

Doo gohn... OK?

[bendejo]

You want to see store clerks run? Approach one in the grocery dept of a large Tesco in Bangkok. If you look like you need help I guarantee you will not get within 10 paces of one.

Even in smaller places where there is no commission involved they may keep annoying you because the boss is telling them to do it. The sales philosophy is to annoy the potential customer as much as possible. It doesn't work too well on Westerners, but they haven't figured it out yet.

[cheeryble]

Its only annoying if you allow it to be. I don't' allow myself to be bothered by it...

Repeat:

I DO NOT allow myself to be annoyed by it.

I DO NOT allow myself to be annoyed by it.