A Merry Merry Trip To Big C Yesterday

[elgordo38]

The four of us took off for Big C Extra yesterday as they had a good sale on bedding and pillows and one of ours were in need of replacement. One thing that amazed me some years ago when I shopped at Big C in Phitsanulok for a TV was the fact that the sales staff were 5 deep just falling all over each other to serve you. Of course few spoke English and a lot were well just watching TV. Today upon reaching the bedding department low and behold there was not a sales person to be found. I did notice a set of doors towards the back and staff seemed to be coming out from time to time so I stuck my head in and noticed a guy sitting at a desk. I motioned towards his walkie talkie held my hand up to my ear and he got the message. My g/f thank God speaks Thai and eventually a guy came strolling along. She asked him about the bedding and he pulled out various sets and bang disappeared. We finally flagged down a couple cute girls and I must say they tried to be helpful. The problem was that we had a Queen size bed and 80% of the sets on the sales racks were King size. To get a Queen size set we finally settled a set featuring Justice League Heroes and I could not head for the door fast enough as my frustration was building. When back in the car going home the driver happened to mention he went to a mobile kiosk with 3 sales personnel and asked what the country code was for Thailand. They could not not answer his question. The moral of the story is that Big C especially in a tourist city like Chiang Mai could do much better in what they stock and train their employees to speak a some English or have an English speaking floater that can be summoned up if need be. I guess we really are aliens.

[arthurwait]

Are you new here ?

[mania]

I think you might do better to learn some Thai rather than hope

that a store like Big C or any other really will train workers to speak English to the tourists/expat customers.

Where I come from there is a larger section of Japanese than CM has Falangs & yet none of the stores there have ever

trained their workers to speak Japanese as English is the language of that country.

(Tour companies yes...same as here) But stores? No

I know probably not what you want to hear but I think it may be true.

Edited November 20, 2014 by mania

[NanLaew]

Is this another Chiang Mai bash?

(makes a change from Pattaya)

[Soutpeel]

Is this another Chiang Mai bash?

(makes a change from Pattaya)

Naah its more of why can't all Thai's speak English because the Lilley white bwana,s cant understand the natives type bash

[Evilbaz]

It's a bit hard to understand the natives if there isn't one within cooee - in a large department store!

[robblok]

I think you might do better to learn some Thai rather than hope

that a store like Big C or any other really will train workers to speak English to the tourists/expat customers.

Where I come from there is a larger section of Japanese than CM has Falangs & yet none of the stores there have ever

trained their workers to speak Japanese as English is the language of that country.

(Tour companies yes...same as here) But stores? No

I know probably not what you want to hear but I think it may be true.

This is Thailand and these sales clecks dont make much money if they spoke good English.

Your in Thailand put some effort in learning the language and life will be so much easier.

[Briggsy]

All the large dept. stores and supermarkets have "plants" in their electrical depts. They don't work for Big C, etc. If you look carefully they will have a tiny label or sticker saying Toshiba or some other firm. They work on commission and will advise you to buy their product. No commission in bedding dept. = very few staff.

Your post reveals your noobness in a number of ways. You will need to toughen up if you want to get by in Thailand.

1. You assumed the supermarket will have standards in staff behaviour. They won't. They are all the same. Big C is bottom end as in Tesco Lotus as is The Mall, etc. The sales staff are mostly untrained under-30's.

2. You assumed somebody will speak English. Even less likely in Chiang Mai than in Bangkok.

3. You seem not to know about commission agents in the electrical dept.

4. You speak no Thai.

5. You need to know precisely what you want or at least have a very good idea before you go to a shop here.

6. You need patience in Thailand. Most things are done inefficiently.

7. You expected to be served. This is an odd one. Where do you come from? Kenya?

I personally would have preferred to have no staff around which would have allowed me to find what I wanted without some clueless 20-something shoving stuff under my nose that didn't meet my requirements.

[pgrahmm]

Baan Tawai has the best place for good cotton bedding at the best cost....none of the lousy poly blend that the chain stores carry....soi 5 or 15...past the coffee/cafe about 3 sois turn right...on the left about 1/3-1/2 way down...they supply most of the 5 stars....one of the best kept secrets in CM....once found we never go any place else.....

Edited November 20, 2014 by pgrahmm

[sipi]

This is Thailand. Buy a "king-set" and wrap it around your queen mattress.

Goodnight....

[kcore]

Baan Tawai has the best place for good cotton bedding at the best cost....none of the lousy poly blend that the chain stores carry....soi 5 or 15...past the coffee/cafe about 3 sois turn right...on the left about 1/3-1/2 way down...they supply most of the 5 stars....one of the best kept secrets in CM....once found we never go any place else.....

Bedding/ sheets are one of the purchases I do when back in my country. Never had a good night sleep on Thai sheeting. 650 thread count complete king sets at Costco or SAMs for about 50 $. That being said, I will check out the Baan Tawai source you mentioned. If quality is there, this will free up more room in the suit case for some prime beef! Thanks for the tip. Steaks on me.