CTH installation cost?

[rawhod]

Enquired about the cost of CTH installation at a dealer in Chiang Mai today.

He said 5,000 Baht for HD and 2,800 Baht for SD.

As far as I am aware there is only one CTH box...

I appreciate that there are charges such as installation, deposit for box and first months subscription to consider, but this seemed excessive (or is my inherent farang rip off paranoia getting the better of me)?

In the soccer forum I have seen figures ranging between approx. 560 Baht and 2,800 Baht

Does any body know the recommended CTH installation cost?

[Nomad97]

When I signed up for CTH, the 3 year package, the satellite dish and installation was for free (included in the subscription of 590 Baht/month). The only additional cost was for the 'black box' (satellite decoder) and that cost is refundable at the end of the contract. As far as I know they only have the one HD decoder.

[Sparkles]

We paid 2,800 in first week of September, box,installation,dish and signed up for the monthly contract 899 b.We didn't take a longer contract because frankly the way they were operating we thought they might be lucky to still be around

The first few months were shambolic with invoices still saying we owed the installation money,the program content was all over the place but the last 4 months its settled down.

I too believe there is only one decoder. The SKY news signal breaks up quite a bit but overall its ok

On cancelling TRUE is took 4 months to get our 2,000 baht deposit back,second time that has happened TIT

[SantiSuk]

Look at the CTH web-site:

http://www.cth.co.th/en/super-combo-%E0%B8%BF599-comes-back/

"A one-time set-topbox (STB) deposit of Bt1,800 per STB" +

"Installation fees vary, depending upon which CTH promotional packages chosen and the level of difficulty of installation. The standard installation fee is Bt1000 (VAT exclusive).

You are being ripped off (but see second postscript below) - unless you are a very long way from the installer or the CTH agent (the local provider who arranges installation and arranges your billing) can explain what is so expensive about your configuration that makes his fee non-standard. Prices have not changed since CTH started. My set up costs in August 2013 were as above plus 500 baht for the 90kilometer each way journey the installation contractor had to make to our house. Most of the people contributing to the football forum who were installing CTH in late summer last year paid these sort of prices too, though I recall one Pattaya member saying he thought he was being overcharged.

Try to find a different agent in your region. Challenging this agent is unlikely to reap anything other than denial and abuse (if I have read the Thai phsyce at all correctly in my 7 years here).

Read this useful thread on the football forum for other contacts - or contact CTH central directly for advice

Postscript:

I have just had a further thought I'm assuming you are getting satellite. If it's cable, ignore all of the above but look at the CTH website for guidance re cable

I have just had a second further thought. If you are looking at a satellite installation, the agent may be including a couple of months line rental in that 5,000 baht quote, which would make the fee about right. From memory the monthly rental is just shy of 1,000 baht a month once you have included the VAT that CTH so carefully (legally but unethically IMO - just like many other Thia suppliers of goods and service) avoid including in any literature.

Ask for a breakdown of the total amount stated.

Note that it is cheaper to go for a package of one year to three years duration. Local agents tend to assume you are going for the monthly package and it is standard to bill two months in advance. I think we are all reasonably sure of CTH's cred for running their service now, so that it is reasonably safe to go for a one year package (which I did). I would not go for 3 years though!

Edited January 25, 2014 by SantiSuk

[rawhod]

Thank you SantiSuk for your very detailed reply.

You are quite correct in your reading of the Thai phsyci. I challenged the fact that he was trying to charge two different prices for HD & SD, I said there was only one box, and I did indeed get the denial and abuse. Reinforcing my paranoia with the farang rip-off.

I didn't get as far as asking what the cost included.

My installation couldn't be simpler, about 4 metres of cable straight up from the house to the dish. And we live about 5km from the dealer.

When I'm ready for an installation I will certainly find someone else.