Enough about the restaurants in Thailand, let’s move to other subjects that keep irritating me and I feel the urge to rant about.

And I don’t want the usual answer “if you don’t like it here, go back to your own country” because it doesn’t apply to me.

I love and enjoy, living in Thailand, but I also have the right to moan for anything wrong I see here.

Back to the subject now.

This morning, I went to Global House to get some electrical staff (not only, Crossy, knows how to change a faulty switch).

From the moment, I stepped my foot in the store, I was bombarded by about 100 idle staff in there with Swadee khrap/Kha and not only that but I was followed all the time by a member of the staff trying to attract my interest in the curtains or the kitchen cabinets.

And that does not only happen to Global House, but all the big stores, I’ve been in Thailand.

Thank God, not the Super Markets.

I don’t enjoy that treatment, makes me feel intimidated.

My reaction was to start saying Swadee khrap, even if it happened that no member of staff was near me.

And the outcome, at the end, got the wrong switch…………..have to go back there………………

These are international companies, they should know better how to treat a customer and teach their subsidiaries how to treat people.

I’ve spoken with other Thais and they confirmed to me that they don’t enjoy this treatment by the staff, so it’s not only me moaning here.

What is your opinion on this matter?

chern bai kap (I invite you to leave)

Is the correct answer.

Kalimera Costas!

I know where you're coming from but

I have found just simply ignoring them works a treat

No stress, just walk in, get what I need and go pay for it.

A completely justifiable rant. I was in Robinsons recently looking for some footwear. I knew exactly what I wanted but was continiously harassed by one of the staff wanting to show me shoes I wasn't interested in. I ended up walking out. I really like to be left alone when I'm browsing until I require help. He was polite and friendly as I was, but it's just not my style of shopping.

I would write a letter to all major companies not to harass a skirt wearing man walking about saying Sawadee Khrap to himself.

My heart is bleeding for you, the mental anguish they put you through. At least you have a shoulder to cry on with all the compassionat members here.

On that note moved to PUB.

I have found just simply ignoring them works a treat

No stress, just walk in, get what I need and go pay for it.

I always do that but sometimes they follow you around so i then tell them to go away. I was once followed in a well known shoe shop by an assistant holding a shoe and pointing at it saying 'shoe' When you DO actually want some help there is strangely nobody about or they do not have the answer.

I simply say you keep following me i don't buy and walk on out if they continue,then i explain to her indoors what i require,sometimes this involves a written explanation and some crude drawings you see i was bottom in art lol.

Then off she goes and gets what i need,reminds self to get her to go for me so i can relax with a beer and not waste any effort in the first place.

They are taught to do it, sadly, but thats why there are so many of them, their job to sell you something. Unfortunately they don't realise it has the opposite effect with (most) farangs (me)......

Well since I shan't tell you to beat it back from where came from all I should mention is that I personally have a list made in (Thai) and I hand it off to the first staff that isn't sleeping at the wheel. I then sit back and watch the circus begin. Personally I tend to take care of my own emotions as there is little chance of changing people or circumstances that seem to be a daily occurrence here in Thailand. I do however enjoy your rants so by all means carry on.

Just ask them for something that you are certain they haven't got.

For example purchasing a Blue-ray Player, (or not lol) after listening to their spiel about how the brand that matches their tee-shirt is completely superior to any other brand on the planet. Tell them you want a blue one, like it says on the box.

go in when you just finished a good pub, start running up to each and every one of them and start jabbering away. After several days of this, nobody will be pestering you.

They are taught to do it, sadly, but thats why there are so many of them, their job to sell you something. Unfortunately they don't realise it has the opposite effect with (most) farangs (me)......

+1 Trans, you can't blame the staff for doing their job, most are employed by the suppliers so it's in their interest to sell you a Samsung and not the Mitsubishi you're looking at.

That said, I really don't like the 'following' bit, particularly after you've told them 'just looking' or something similar, try walking around a display two or three times (my wife does dig me in the ribs rather hard when I do that). When you do need to ask staff, not a single one in sight.

The regular staff in our local HomePro know me and leave me alone, except the water pump lady who always asks if we need another pump (she's joking, we already bought 3 or 4).

Such is life, this place has so many pluses that the odd minus gets lost in the noise.

go in when you just finished a good pub, start running up to each and every one of them and start jabbering away. After several days of this, nobody will be pestering you.

Or fart continuously........... ....................

I would write a letter to all major companies not to harass a skirt wearing man walking about saying Sawadee Khrap to himself.

My heart is bleeding for you, the mental anguish they put you through. At least you have a shoulder to cry on with all the compassionat members here.

On that note moved to PUB.

Sir, may I draw your attention to the footnote of my posts?

Don't wish it to you.........but you never know............

Thai Watsadu Buriram - yesterday afternoon - I was probably the only visible customer/

It was a continuous Sawasdi kha/khrap.

I wanted some special nails. Approached 4 lads, sitting around with nothing to do. Asked in Thai where the nails were. All pointed in the same direction. Eventually found the nails (not what I wanted) in a totally different location.

Went to pay for my 3 purchases. 1 cash desk open 4 people in the queue!!!!!

The big stores could easily cut their prices by 5-10% if they got rid of many of the unnecessary staff who know bugger all anyway!

Headphones.

I have learnt be be chilled, so i take the shit or i walk out if i cannot see anything i like

sawadee krap

Just ask them for something that you are certain they haven't got.

For example purchasing a Blue-ray Player, (or not lol) after listening to their spiel about how the brand that matches their tee-shirt is completely superior to any other brand on the planet. Tell them you want a blue one, like it says on the box.

In Homeworks I've asked staff in a particular department for the whereabouts of an item I purchased there before, only to be told "no hab". After wandering the aisles for 5 minutes, finding the said item and waving it under their bone lazy, mobile phone obsessed noses, I'm just met with blank stares. I just can't fathom the need to have dozens of bone idle staff sitting around squeezing their zits.

I can't wait for his next topic. "Thai people keep looking at me funny"?

I can't wait for his next topic. "Thai people keep looking at me funny"?

Funny you should say that....

It's a reasonable rant, especially when you get stalked in the shop and if you do ask them about a product then. 9 times out of 10 they are clueless anyway.

stupidest shop experiences

looking for ten minutes at a tile with 'assistant' hovering, only to be told when wanted to buy them they not make any more -can't get the materials, er why didn't you tell us then and why is it on display- blank look

Phone shop- what's the difference between these two models, - 'well this one black and that one red'

Fed up with being followed round the booze dept in Tops asked what the difference is between blended and single malt whisky - 'malt more expensive', what would we do without them!

Forgot one the Nokia shop and Nokia care shop, they only deal with phones and only Nokia ones. Mrs went into both asking how to change the language on a Nokia x she just bought, nobody could tell her!

Life is tough.

Would the salesmen saying "make your purchase and get out of here you complaining old bastard!." make you feel better?

Some very good answers.......feel better now......I'm not the only one.

Sorry, run out of Likes......promise them for tomorrow.

And we complain when we receive no service....

In the grocery meat counter one store butcher was bothering me and I asked if he had pigs feet, he said "Yes have". I then asked him if he had problems finding shoes that fit.

My bitch is not the actual shopping, but the length of time it takes to pay and the endless questions about do I want a club card ? Am I interested in these discounted items ?

With the best will in the world the answer to all these questions is no - I am the world's most boring shopper. It gives me no pleasure at all and I generally consider the need to shop as a major inconvenience .

I know what I want before I go and know where to get it , I walk in , pick it up , occasionally try it on but not normally - at this point I want to pay and leave - if I wanted a conversation I would choose someone with whom to have it and a place for it to take place but I don't , I am shopping , I want to pay and leave.......

Yep, fair enough, I hate that too.

What irritates me more, though, is that the days are the same length all year round.

I think Thailand should have much longer days in the summer, and shorter ones in the summer, just like at home.

Thai Watsadu Buriram - yesterday afternoon - I was probably the only visible customer/

It was a continuous Sawasdi kha/khrap.

I wanted some special nails. Approached 4 lads, sitting around with nothing to do. Asked in Thai where the nails were. All pointed in the same direction. Eventually found the nails (not what I wanted) in a totally different location.

Went to pay for my 3 purchases. 1 cash desk open 4 people in the queue!!!!!

The big stores could easily cut their prices by 5-10% if they got rid of many of the unnecessary staff who know bugger all anyway!

Reminds me of a post on here once about nails. No have in the tray, popular size and type so bloke asks assistant if they have any, kid runs off. No they don't have any, bloke asks when they will be getting some more in, kids runs off again. Not ordering any more- they sell out too fast! Don't know if it was true, but it does have a certain ring of truth here.