Any Consumer Protection? Jvc Incompetence

[Bangkok Barry]

Is there any kind of consumer protection agency in Thailand, or do we just pay our money and get ripped off?

My problem is that I bought a JVC machine (admittedly in Dubai) that records videos to DVDs, and it has repeatedly broken down (no signal between video and DVD, usually). The JVC people in Bangkok obviously didn't have a clue about how to repair it and, the first time they had it, even made it worse. I eventually took it to their chief engineer at his office, rather than their service centre, and when I went to collect it he had fixed one problem but introduced another. The CHIEF ENGINEER, having failed, gave up and sent it back to the service centre to play with.

It always works for a while after I get it back, but then it breaks down again. Of course, the service centre think it's funny when I come back with it - "Oh, you again, ho ho ho," which pisses me off even more. I can't see the joke I guess.

It's now six months over its warranty period so now I'm having to pay for their incompetence. What should have happened if they can't fix it properly is that I should have received a replacement machine, but I guess in LOS that would never happen in a million years.

Is there anything I can do? What I feel like doing is heaving it through their window. Or maybe someone knows of a service engineer who actually knows what he is doing.

[jbowman1993]

Next time buy a Sony?

[h90]

Is there any kind of consumer protection agency in Thailand, or do we just pay our money and get ripped off?

My problem is that I bought a JVC machine (admittedly in Dubai) that records videos to DVDs, and it has repeatedly broken down (no signal between video and DVD, usually). The JVC people in Bangkok obviously didn't have a clue about how to repair it and, the first time they had it, even made it worse. I eventually took it to their chief engineer at his office, rather than their service centre, and when I went to collect it he had fixed one problem but introduced another. The CHIEF ENGINEER, having failed, gave up and sent it back to the service centre to play with.

It always works for a while after I get it back, but then it breaks down again. Of course, the service centre think it's funny when I come back with it - "Oh, you again, ho ho ho," which pisses me off even more. I can't see the joke I guess.

It's now six months over its warranty period so now I'm having to pay for their incompetence. What should have happened if they can't fix it properly is that I should have received a replacement machine, but I guess in LOS that would never happen in a million years.

Is there anything I can do? What I feel like doing is heaving it through their window. Or maybe someone knows of a service engineer who actually knows what he is doing.

If it is 6 month over its warranty periode it is over even in other countries, by the way don't buy a Sony. Everything with DVDs and CDs is a desaster at Sony....

[bendix]

This would normally be covered by a Product Liability law which, unfortunately, Thailand does not yet have.

The good news is that it's been drafted (badly) and would have been enacted by now had it not been for this year's political turmoil. It's expected to be in place by the end of the year.

How effective it will be is open for debate. The draft is so full of loopholes that it is going to provide a bumper crop of work for law firms helping clients to make sense of it and - more usually - get out of it.

[Phil Conners]

Oh man, don't get me started on warrenties in Thailand:

1) Bough a (Thai, noname) DVD player in Lotus, South Pattaya. Broke after a few months. Had to be sent to Bangkok for repair. Took three months and numerous visits before we had it back.

2) Bought a Phillips DVD with built-in DTS amp in Numchai, Pattaya. After a few months it became unable to read DVD's. Was again without player for a month while they tried to fix the problem. Other Phillips players were able to play the DVD's so it wasn't a problem with the DVD's. They suggested we should use the other player to play the DVD's and just use this one as amp! Eventually we had another (smaller model) Phillips DVD player "on loan" - which we still have, now 6-8 months on.

3) Bought an Asrock motherboard in Tukcom last year. Broke. Brought back for warrenty repair. Been away a month now. Had to buy another motherboard to get the computer working in the meantime so when I get it back one day it will go onto the shelf as spare.

4) Bought a memory stick in Tukcom last year. Broke. Brought back for warrenty repair. The stick is clearly labelled "lifetime warrenty". Girl in shop seriously explained that "lifetime" is 12 months. Yes tried getting a manager to overturn that decision, but no luck.

5) Bought a Clarte water cooler/heater from HomePro about 10 months ago. Broke - one morning water was all over the floor and the plastic tubing inside had melted. Homepro sent some local guy to pick it up for repairs. Two days later brough it back saying there was nothing wrong with it. Problem is most likely that the termostat is broken but they refuse to accept the problem. Now they tell me to only turn on the water heater when I use it. Now what's the point in having a cold/hot water dispenser when you have to turn it on when you need it and wait half an hour for the water to get hot. We have had to just stop using the hot water part of it and just use it as water cooler.

6) When we moved about a year ago I asked a local satelite installation guy - the one on 3rd road near Pattaya Klang - to put up my 1.8 mtr offset dish. He insisted it would not work and that I should buy a 2.5 mtr center dish off him - and "guaranteed" that would work. It does - when the wather is perfect. Any cloud and you can forget about it. His suggestion to fix? Buy a bigger dish. No, he don't want to take back the 2.5 mtr dish.

I could keep going on but I guess it would just become boring.

[raybkk]

There is a consumer protection.

In fact they are very helpfull... They helped me several times with problem purchases..

You always win! or at least get what you want if you are fair.

Ask for Mr. Kiti: 02-6297030 or 02-6297036

Address: Consumer protection

Government House

Dusit, Bangkok

10300

Above is postal address. You can call them and they will fax you a map. Very efficient bunch of people. However dont get your first impression from all the paper files stacked up on the Hall ways.

Not that I winge about everthing but there where some situations where I was ripped of and wanted to set the record straight.

[Khun Jack]

Is there any kind of consumer protection agency in Thailand, or do we just pay our money and get ripped off?

My problem is that I bought a JVC machine (admittedly in Dubai) that records videos to DVDs, and it has repeatedly broken down (no signal between video and DVD, usually). The JVC people in Bangkok obviously didn't have a clue about how to repair it and, the first time they had it, even made it worse. I eventually took it to their chief engineer at his office, rather than their service centre, and when I went to collect it he had fixed one problem but introduced another. The CHIEF ENGINEER, having failed, gave up and sent it back to the service centre to play with.

It always works for a while after I get it back, but then it breaks down again. Of course, the service centre think it's funny when I come back with it - "Oh, you again, ho ho ho," which pisses me off even more. I can't see the joke I guess.

It's now six months over its warranty period so now I'm having to pay for their incompetence. What should have happened if they can't fix it properly is that I should have received a replacement machine, but I guess in LOS that would never happen in a million years.

Is there anything I can do? What I feel like doing is heaving it through their window. Or maybe someone knows of a service engineer who actually knows what he is doing.

Well I am qualified years ago for doing that kind of repairs and do repairs for the expats here (Phuket) who have similair problems.

Is it a combination like the JVC DR-MX1S Hard Drive/DVD/VHS Recorder Deck?.

Common problem for VCR's is the tape loop, tape gets shortly stuck in the mechanisme and the loop picks up sometimes grease from the mechanisme and than it greases the videohead and other parts and finaly becomes stuck.

[camerata]

The Consumer Protection Bureau will help. In my experience with a company selling services, they tend to side with the consumer! As a consumer you really have nothing to lose by reporting a problem to them. But they will look at any written agreement you have with the vendor, be it a contract, warranty, or whatever.

[h90]

Oh man, don't get me started on warrenties in Thailand:

1) Bough a (Thai, noname) DVD player in Lotus, South Pattaya. Broke after a few months. Had to be sent to Bangkok for repair. Took three months and numerous visits before we had it back.

2) Bought a Phillips DVD with built-in DTS amp in Numchai, Pattaya. After a few months it became unable to read DVD's. Was again without player for a month while they tried to fix the problem. Other Phillips players were able to play the DVD's so it wasn't a problem with the DVD's. They suggested we should use the other player to play the DVD's and just use this one as amp! Eventually we had another (smaller model) Phillips DVD player "on loan" - which we still have, now 6-8 months on.

3) Bought an Asrock motherboard in Tukcom last year. Broke. Brought back for warrenty repair. Been away a month now. Had to buy another motherboard to get the computer working in the meantime so when I get it back one day it will go onto the shelf as spare.

4) Bought a memory stick in Tukcom last year. Broke. Brought back for warrenty repair. The stick is clearly labelled "lifetime warrenty". Girl in shop seriously explained that "lifetime" is 12 months. Yes tried getting a manager to overturn that decision, but no luck.

5) Bought a Clarte water cooler/heater from HomePro about 10 months ago. Broke - one morning water was all over the floor and the plastic tubing inside had melted. Homepro sent some local guy to pick it up for repairs. Two days later brough it back saying there was nothing wrong with it. Problem is most likely that the termostat is broken but they refuse to accept the problem. Now they tell me to only turn on the water heater when I use it. Now what's the point in having a cold/hot water dispenser when you have to turn it on when you need it and wait half an hour for the water to get hot. We have had to just stop using the hot water part of it and just use it as water cooler.

6) When we moved about a year ago I asked a local satelite installation guy - the one on 3rd road near Pattaya Klang - to put up my 1.8 mtr offset dish. He insisted it would not work and that I should buy a 2.5 mtr center dish off him - and "guaranteed" that would work. It does - when the wather is perfect. Any cloud and you can forget about it. His suggestion to fix? Buy a bigger dish. No, he don't want to take back the 2.5 mtr dish.

I could keep going on but I guess it would just become boring.

I always bought in panthip hardware store and never had any problems there. As well it worked well with my brother printer.