Why do Thai shop owners have such bad attitudes?

[mogandave]

I think the poorly paid employees in the US are generally more competent than the poorly paid employees in Thailand.

I think the biggest problem with sales people in Thailand is that most of them have never owned the stuff they are selling.

[Kangawallafox]

I think they are pretty friendly overall. What I don't like are the shops that come to you,when I'm eating with my wife and engaged in a private conversation I don't need Indians pleading,not asking but yes pleading for me to buy their peanuts that they have put their hands in,and also I don't want anyway. I don't like having to tell them five times either and they are sill standing there. Thai shopkeepers are a joy mostly. Can someone tell me the quickest way to get rid of these peanut merchants,they just stand there,hands in the wai position,please sir,please. I'm quick tempered and I'm going to do my nut shortly,I don't want that and I hate my private conversations being interrupted,it's a private moment. Ask me once,fine,but five times.

Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems it should be relatively easy to avoid eating establishments in Thailand that allow Indians to peddle peanuts table to table.

How would you know the establishment has peanut peddlers until they turn up.

Or do you call before and ask,looks like you just got caught talking crap doesn't it.

[balo]

My experience is that most Thai shops will greet you with a smile , fake or not and if you speak a little Thai and manage to communicate so they understand there is never a problem and both customer and staff are happy .

But if you are a foreigner who can't communicate at all , don't speak a word Thai and maybe only speak Russian , don't expect a lot of service back . I have seen that myself , that the attitude of the staff working in shops will change quickly if you are not able to communicate or if you are upset or frustrated about something .

[IDL]

My experience is that most Thai shops will greet you with a smile , fake or not and if you speak a little Thai and manage to communicate so they understand there is never a problem and both customer and staff are happy .

But if you are a foreigner who can't communicate at all , don't speak a word Thai and maybe only speak Russian , don't expect a lot of service back . I have seen that myself , that the attitude of the staff working in shops will change quickly if you are not able to communicate or if you are upset or frustrated about something .

Hey, C'mon...you really think that?

I totally agree with a few posts that say good/bad (or anything in between) attitude is global, but really can't palette that in Thailand it's ALL about whether or not you can speak Thai/communicate.

When I first arrived here, traders on the Khaosarn Road were fun. I couldn't speak a word of Thai, but we would banter, haggle and laugh, oh how we would laugh. In the odd Khaosarn visit in recent years, if I'm 'taken' by an item for sale, they now seem quite aggressive and that just increases if you try to knock the overly-inflated price down. Sure, they've encountered some less than savoury characters over the years, but they still keep on trading...

Further, I reckon some of the times I've experienced less than expected level of service have been BECAUSE I'm communicating in Thai. Mostly in touristic areas though.

[watcharacters]

Beats me why you have this problem.I get nothing but smiles and great service. I bought my car in april 2012 when people where waiting months to get delivery. My Nissan deal got mine to me in 9 days.I buy any big items they deliver them free and quickly.Local businessmen see me in a coffe shop or restaurant they stop in and say hello and then pay my bill. At the market the merchants always add a little extra to my order for free. I cannot say I experience anything like what you describe. I cannot help you because I cannot see how that could happen in Thailand.

.

I'm impressed and suspect you are immune and exempt from the potential reality the OP mentions.

Good for you and please continue doing what you do.

Well done !

[watcharacters]

Maybe it depends on where you do your shopping. Outside of tourist areas I generally find staff helpful and polite. Just because there might not be prices displayed doesn't mean you can bargain a lot so if you offer a ridiculous price not everyone wants to play. In a tourist area I can imagine some staff are sick of pushy foreigners offering insulting prices. Quite a few times at computer malls in Bangkok I've had staff rush off to another shop to bring back something they were out of stock of. I know part of the reason is because they get trade discount from the other shop so they do make something on the sale. In some shops, if you are talking to a sales assistant rather than the owner maybe they can't be bothered. Training can be part of it. In many large stores it still surprises me when staff follow you everywhere like a criminal. A Thai might tell you it is their idea of good service but you would think someone would know by now how most foreigners don't see it that way. Overall though, in Thailand I'm more often surprised by good service rather than disappointed by bad service. YMMV

.

Thanks

kkerry

Your post expressed reality and no BS.

Much appreciated.

[IDL]

First customer of the day is lucky for the vendor and customer in Chinese owned stores.

13/14 years back, looking to buy a warm coat/jacket (similar to football manager's one) for a chilly motorcycle tour around Mae Hong Son loop.

In Nong Khai, found one. Fit a treat, reversible fleece/shower-proof. Brand was Puma (Puma here, Puma there, Puma everywhere). Sales lady wanted 800THB. "Originon! Ching-ching!". I offered 350THB. She wouldn't drop lower than 750THB; told me how she needs to pay the licencing fees for selling original-branded items.

Giving her a chance to re-think her bottom line, and myself time to look around, I went back to her after 20 mins or so. Tried it on again and offered 500THB. Now she was getting quite shirty/short in her tone. "I tell you, ORIGINON! No can sell cheap". Pondering, I zip-up the garment and notice...'Nike' on the zip! Once she realized, her attitude changed completely, smiles through the roof, accepted 500THB and couldn't be nicer had she tried. Thanking me over and over for being the first customer of the day, now she has good luck for the rest.

Hope it worked

[mogandave]

I think they are pretty friendly overall. What I don't like are the shops that come to you,when I'm eating with my wife and engaged in a private conversation I don't need Indians pleading,not asking but yes pleading for me to buy their peanuts that they have put their hands in,and also I don't want anyway. I don't like having to tell them five times either and they are sill standing there. Thai shopkeepers are a joy mostly. Can someone tell me the quickest way to get rid of these peanut merchants,they just stand there,hands in the wai position,please sir,please. I'm quick tempered and I'm going to do my nut shortly,I don't want that and I hate my private conversations being interrupted,it's a private moment. Ask me once,fine,but five times.

Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems it should be relatively easy to avoid eating establishments in Thailand that allow Indians to peddle peanuts table to table.

How would you know the establishment has peanut peddlers until they turn up.

Or do you call before and ask,looks like you just got caught talking crap doesn't it.

Be that as it may, I have never been to a restaurant in Thailand that had Indians (or anyone for that matter) peddling peanuts table to table, so it is difficult for me to understand the difficulty you seem to have avoiding them. Perhaps you look a soft touch and they are following you around...(just kidding)