LOS no more?

[marstons]

Ban personnel mobile phones in the work place would be the best thing every business here could do. More interested in playing games then serving staff. One commented to me she got no more money for doing a good job than a bad job. Sums up most of serving staff in tourist area's now.

Edited July 4, 2014 by marstons

[marstons]

They've dealt w/ far too many farang idiots and time-wasters already and rightly assume the worst. Get used to it. Of course, the management of the establishment can make a critical difference.

Now, it's a fun challenge to speak some Thai, joke around a bit, and turn around the whole perception--ending w/ a nice experience and favorable impression for both parties.

Pattaya is just a small part of Thailand.

Odd attitude that a customer has to get used to bad service from sales staff. I was always told rule 1 customer is always right, rule 2 see rule 1

[tlcwaterfall]

They've dealt w/ far too many farang idiots and time-wasters already and rightly assume the worst. Get used to it. Of course, the management of the establishment can make a critical difference.

Now, it's a fun challenge to speak some Thai, joke around a bit, and turn around the whole perception--ending w/ a nice experience and favorable impression for both parties.

Pattaya is just a small part of Thailand.

Odd attitude that a customer has to get used to bad service from sales staff. I was always told rule 1 customer is always right, rule 2 see rule 1

Service in Isaan is very hit or miss. I find the service at Big C and 7/11 here very good. Local copy shop ladies always have a smile and a laugh with the customers. Thai coffee shops and restaurants service is very good.

The service at some Farang establishments is very hit and miss. Staff have a surly attitude, do not understand simple English and when spoken to in Thai also do not understand.

On the other hand when there is good management(and managers/owners are actually on the premises) service levels are quite good. Staff then get more tips as well.

It gets back to lack of training by management and also getting good staff who actually value their jobs.

Plenty of choice here as to where to eat, drink and obtain required services. When service levels are poor in one shop easy to find another where service is much better.

[NormanW]

Hmmm. I hear what you're saying.

Finding a person who values their job at 9k per month is getting more and more difficult.

It's a complex matter.

Good luck to those who can provide good service and therefore hopefully more tips.

[JSixpack]

They've dealt w/ far too many farang idiots and time-wasters already and rightly assume the worst. Get used to it. Of course, the management of the establishment can make a critical difference.

Now, it's a fun challenge to speak some Thai, joke around a bit, and turn around the whole perception--ending w/ a nice experience and favorable impression for both parties.

Pattaya is just a small part of Thailand.

Odd attitude that a customer has to get used to bad service from sales staff. I was always told rule 1 customer is always right, rule 2 see rule 1

You ain't in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.

Service in Thailand as in most Third World countries has always been generally poor. Nothing new there. Been complained about forever. And in Pattaya it's always been some of the worst. Thais agree with that. Complaints from farang business owners about finding good staff are legion.

Thailand didn't become known as LOS because of its superlative service in the shopping malls anyway.

Now, the OP questions whether it's become worse recently in Central etc.? Probably has, and if so the reason is obvious as I pointed out. Still, knowing a bit of Thai, showing good manners, and otherwise proving you aren't one of the farang idiots will go far towards improving the service. It's a matter of pushing the right buttons--most of the time. Should you have to do that? Irrelevant question. Not in the USA or UK or esp Japan of course.

Now go down Soi PO or Yamato and you'll get plenty of smiles from the massage parlor ladies. Need I mention Soi 6? It's--LOS.

Edited July 5, 2014 by JSixpack

[JSixpack]

They've dealt w/ far too many farang idiots and time-wasters already and rightly assume the worst. Get used to it. Of course, the management of the establishment can make a critical difference.

Now, it's a fun challenge to speak some Thai, joke around a bit, and turn around the whole perception--ending w/ a nice experience and favorable impression for both parties.

Pattaya is just a small part of Thailand.

Nonsense post.

I'm from a tourist town and I've been to many other tourist towns.

The customers didn't turn the staff into bitter, lazy racists.

Even in Paris they are allot nicer than the Thais.

Nonsense reply based on false analogy that begs the question.

Besides,

I would totaly disagree with you on that. Even french dont like the Parisians, i hated every minute when i went to Paris, obnoxious lot.

Right. Some of the "service" I've experienced in Paris makes Kiss Restaurant staff look hoppin'. Parisian gentleman once deliberately gave me false directions, too. That was most annoying.

[kurnell]

If a Thai is having a crappy day they are more than happy to share their feelings with you

[spidermike007]

thais never smile if no money is around them..

many girls i no in the bars say the say...big problem now falang not come..no money for sanuk...

so the false smile is gone..what you see now is the real thai...a worried person who can not pay there bills..

Makes me wonder where you live, and who you are dealing with. And what kind of attitude you bring to the table. I find a lot of Thais are very reactionary. Meaning if I approach them with a warm smile, and a good attitude, full of cheer, that is what I get back. In the US that is not the case. No matter how pleasant I am, I rarely get good cheer back. Here I do, consistently. Especially from absolute strangers. Warm smiles, and pleasant dispositions. I see it everywhere. But, when I am having a bad day, I notice they are not as receptive to me. I find Thailand to be quite a mirror of myself, in that sense.

Spidermike

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[coconutbar]

Same falangs are really realy annoying a french guy last night was really rude to the staff in 7/11 he kept semanding malboro light menthols but the lady behind the counter didnt know the color neither did he so he held up the line yelling at her till she cracked and yelled at him......

I understand why staff are rude and dont give a shit.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

^^^Have witnessed a similar thing, as if a small convenience store is going to stock every known variation of a product just for the one farang who's going to visit once a year. It's like some people never get out in the world and have no clue how the world works. Put them is Asia and they still don't seem to understand it's a totally different culture.

This is going to get into French-bashing mode: An English-speaking Dutch fellow is employed by Roong Reuang (Pattaya Bus Co.) as an information officer at Pattaya Bus terminal, which is pretty amazing in itself. I was chatting with him. A Frenchman comes up and, with that sense of entitlement some French seem to have, says in decent English: Do you speak French? The answer is no, so the guy walks away. The Dutchman and I look at each other Huh? I'm half French and can speak the language to a degree but I refused to utter a word. I imagine he's going to run around the kingdom expecting Thai 7-11 clerks to speak his language. Maybe it's the same guy.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[davethailand]

The toilet attendant at The Blues Factory smiles more.

?????

[fosseway]

I agree with Spidermike, If you are friendly and respectful to Thais, they are some of the nicest people you can find. Over the years, ( been here since 1974) I have seen many aggressive 'Bulldog' faced foreigners shouting at Thai staff, so what should they expect, like for like, I think. my simple answer to all of the folk who don't like it here, GO HOME !!

[morrobay]

I could care less about smiles. All Thais owe me is what I pay for.

[watcharacters]

They've dealt w/ far too many farang idiots and time-wasters already and rightly assume the worst. Get used to it. Of course, the management of the establishment can make a critical difference.

Now, it's a fun challenge to speak some Thai, joke around a bit, and turn around the whole perception--ending w/ a nice experience and favorable impression for both parties.

Pattaya is just a small part of Thailand.

Nonsense post.

I'm from a tourist town and I've been to many other tourist towns.

The customers didn't turn the staff into bitter, lazy racists.

Even in Paris they are allot nicer than the Thais.

"Even in Paris they are allot nicer than the Thais."

Come on.

NOw I think you're stretching it a wee bit, ZigZagMan. 555

[OnMyWay2]

I blame iphone. Shop worker are too busy with their phone and don't like being disturbed.

[tropo]

They've dealt w/ far too many farang idiots and time-wasters already and rightly assume the worst. Get used to it. Of course, the management of the establishment can make a critical difference.

Now, it's a fun challenge to speak some Thai, joke around a bit, and turn around the whole perception--ending w/ a nice experience and favorable impression for both parties.

Pattaya is just a small part of Thailand.

Nonsense post.

I'm from a tourist town and I've been to many other tourist towns.

The customers didn't turn the staff into bitter, lazy racists.

Even in Paris they are allot nicer than the Thais.

I would totaly disagree with you on that. Even french dont like the Parisians, i hated every minute when i went to Paris, obnoxious lot.

LOL. On my one visit to Paris I couldn't wait to leave.

I don't really give a damn about service when looking for shoes because I'm a hard sell (feet really hard to please ) and I probably drive the sales assistants bonkers - I feel sorry for them. I prefer less attentive sales assistants who don't follow me around when I'm looking. As long as they're on hand to find my size for fitting I'm content.

I'm a shop assistant apologist (and make no apologies ). I feel sorry for their plight and don't expect too much from them or push them too hard. I treat them like people and not robots. I know they're being paid peanuts and appreciate any effort that they may make, smiling or not.

On a positive note, I bought some Nike running shoes for my wife from Sports World (Central) a couple of days ago. We had a very helpful sales assistant. My wife used them for a 2 hour (indoor) workout that day and didn't like them (the side flywire hurt her foot) - we took them back and got an immediate exchange for another pair no questions asked. I found most of the staff helpful and polite. I like buying from big stores because returns tend to be easier. Yesterday we bought another pair of trainers and clothes from the Puma Store and some stuff from the Adidas store and I don't have any complaints about service. They all worked really hard for their money (wife trying on about 20 different items LOL). I really don't know what else a shopper should expect. The staff in the Reebok store were a bit sour after my wife tried on about 10 outfits and we walked away - I understand that. The staff at the Nike store kept their distance, which I appreciated.

All in all, we find shopping at Central a pleasant experience. Thais will be Thais - we adapt to their behaviour, not the other way around.

[jaywalker]

Same falangs are really realy annoying a french guy last night was really rude to the staff in 7/11 he kept semanding malboro light menthols but the lady behind the counter didnt know the color neither did he so he held up the line yelling at her till she cracked and yelled at him......

I understand why staff are rude and dont give a shit.

Same happened to me in a 7-11 once on Khaotalo. I think the guy was Scandinavian, not to bash Scandi folks, he was just a rude old fart that could barely speak English & knew not one word of Thai.

The poor lady got tired him trying to say Red LM cigarettes (I couldn't really understand him either), he started yelling, so she gave as good as she got.

The cantankerous old geezer left empty handed. I speak some basic Thai & would have helped him if he hadn't been such a sour-puss.

I told the lady (in Thai) he was a mean old bastard & couldn't even speak English & she'd done a good job. She replied in perfect English "Thank you" & smiled big as ever.

I was glad I could make her feel better after that mean old geezer had been so foul to her.

Oh yeah, nothing against old folks either. Some are nice as can be & some are geezers.

Edited October 11, 2014 by jaywalker

[Beardog]

I just got back from a visit in Buriram & the people although they are poorer than dirt they have accepted their plight & help each other out & for the most part smile a whole lot more. Pattaya is a pretty big city & the emphasis is on the almighty baht here so unless the girls do good fishing for a farang that can take care of them not to much to be happy with.

All that being said I smile a lot & smiling is contagious. It takes more effort to frown & people anywhere in the world like people when they smile more than bitching.

Kind of like being polite. If you are not polite you can not expect anyone to reciprocate.Sometimes you have to show by example. Years ago the Thai people owned all the land. Now foreigners have snapped up most of the land & that is a source for their irritation. The girls in Pattaya are part of the fishing pool & you can all see why the men here do not have many reasons to smile when all their scooby snacks are claimed from foreigners.

Sometimes you have to coax people with a genuine smile & they smile back. It can make people more aware that they don't need to be salty. It doesn't turn the tide always but being able to get 1 smile is way better than a frown anyday!

[TobyOliver]

I have to say I have noticed the same thing, but only in Pattaya. Anywhere else in Thailand not rampant with Falang and Russians gives good service.

Reason is when a particular type of person and or culture is repeatedly rude and dismissive you almost want to give up the niceness to them.

Many a time I have held a door open for a Russian and been totally ignored. Unlike in England where you get a smile nod and an effort to almost duck through the door.

But!! I still always maintain the standards I believe are ok in terms of being polite and curious to others.

Treat other people like you want to be treated and maybe next time they will follow suit and change the tone.

However there have been times before when someone has been consistently rude to be despite all efforts. In which case take them aside and give them a firm but fair talking to.

[tropo]

Sometimes you have to coax people with a genuine smile & they smile back. It can make people more aware that they don't need to be salty. It doesn't turn the tide always but being able to get 1 smile is way better than a frown anyday!

Perhaps a smile is way better than a frown, but I prefer neutral expressions from strangers. I would not like people smiling at me wherever I go. That would make me feel uncomfortable. This thread started off as discussion about customer service in shops. I most certainly don't want smiling staff chasing after me in shops. I'd take frowns over that any day.

You can be friendly and polite without smiling at people. Smiles can easily be misinterpreted, especially if the recipient is female.

Edited October 11, 2014 by tropo

[Beardog]

Sometimes you have to coax people with a genuine smile & they smile back. It can make people more aware that they don't need to be salty. It doesn't turn the tide always but being able to get 1 smile is way better than a frown anyday!

Perhaps a smile is way better than a frown, but I prefer neutral expressions from strangers. I would not like people smiling at me wherever I go. That would make me feel uncomfortable. This thread started off as discussion about customer service in shops. I most certainly don't want smiling staff chasing after me in shops. I'd take frowns over that any day.

You can be friendly and polite without smiling at people. Smiles can easily be misinterpreted, especially if the recipient is female.

Yes but there is a huge difference when your smiling cause life is pretty good. Nothing really to do with money but some people are happier than others. I do catch your drift if the smile isn't real save it not worth seeing.

[MZurf]

Sometimes you have to coax people with a genuine smile & they smile back. It can make people more aware that they don't need to be salty. It doesn't turn the tide always but being able to get 1 smile is way better than a frown anyday!

Perhaps a smile is way better than a frown, but I prefer neutral expressions from strangers. I would not like people smiling at me wherever I go. That would make me feel uncomfortable. This thread started off as discussion about customer service in shops. I most certainly don't want smiling staff chasing after me in shops. I'd take frowns over that any day.

You can be friendly and polite without smiling at people. Smiles can easily be misinterpreted, especially if the recipient is female.

As I'm the OP I can tell you that the reason for my post was sour faced staff wholly indifferent to my presence and whether I bought something in their store or not. I also don't like staff that follow me around like a dog that smells food, so I guess I'm not easy to please.

But all I ask is that staff are willing to answer questions when asked, and that they actually bother to go find the stuff I want to try on. It sometimes seems that this is hard to come by.

Oh, and I guess I should stop smiling at female staff because every time I do that I get a phone number!

[tropo]

As I'm the OP I can tell you that the reason for my post was sour faced staff wholly indifferent to my presence and whether I bought something in their store or not. I also don't like staff that follow me around like a dog that smells food, so I guess I'm not easy to please.

But all I ask is that staff are willing to answer questions when asked, and that they actually bother to go find the stuff I want to try on. It sometimes seems that this is hard to come by.

Oh, and I guess I should stop smiling at female staff because every time I do that I get a phone number!

OK OP...You were specifically referring to Super Sport (the big sports store) at Central. This week my wife and I spent hours in Sports World at Central and the branch at Big C (2nd Road) and the one at factory outlet... and all the other sports stores at Central. It was quite a shopping week actually as we bought 3 pairs of gym shoes plus other assorted items.

You must have been having a very bad day because we never once had a problem with any staff members not serving us when required. They don't all smile, but they do their job.

All in all our shopping experience at Central is rather pleasant, with just the right blend of leave-us-alone-to-look and service when required.

If all female staff members (and possibly gay ones and ladyboys) offer you their phone numbers whenever you smile at them, may I suggest next time you shop at Central you target female staff and smile. Surely any lady willing to give you their phone number would be more than happy to find your shoe size in under 5 minutes.

Edited October 12, 2014 by tropo

[MZurf]

As I'm the OP I can tell you that the reason for my post was sour faced staff wholly indifferent to my presence and whether I bought something in their store or not. I also don't like staff that follow me around like a dog that smells food, so I guess I'm not easy to please.

But all I ask is that staff are willing to answer questions when asked, and that they actually bother to go find the stuff I want to try on. It sometimes seems that this is hard to come by.

Oh, and I guess I should stop smiling at female staff because every time I do that I get a phone number!

OK OP...You were specifically referring to Super Sport (the big sports store) at Central. This week my wife and I spent hours in Sports World at Central and the branch at Big C (2nd Road) and the one at factory outlet... and all the other sports stores at Central. It was quite a shopping week actually as we bought 3 pairs of gym shoes plus other assorted items.

You must have been having a very bad day because we never once had a problem with any staff members not serving us when required. They don't all smile, but they do their job.

All in all our shopping experience at Central is rather pleasant, with just the right blend of leave-us-alone-to-look and service when required.

If all female staff members (and possibly gay ones and ladyboys) offer you their phone numbers whenever you smile at them, may I suggest next time you shop at Central you target female staff and smile. Surely any lady willing to give you their phone number would be more than happy to find your shoe size in under 5 minutes.

I don't think we are allowed to name names here, but you're right about which store it was. I go there all the time and have never had an experience like I described in the first post before or after. My only explanation is that it was a mixture of bad luck and weekend/non-regular staff ready to go home (this was Sunday evening).

I can only smile as the hansum man I am when the Mrs is not with me - which unfortunately is not very often