Just a word of warning to anyone considering purchasing goods from the electrical store Tuk Com on Pattaya South Road.

I was reminded yesterday of what seems to be the interesting returns policy implemented by some of the ‘independent’ sales stands on the first floor (smart phones etc).

I was there because my wife and I had foolishly previously purchased some memory cards and found to my disappointment that a, they didn’t work and b, they were entirely fraudulent copies. They were 64gb cards so were not talking pennies here so a trip back to put things right was in order. The sales girl was busy feigning incredulity with me when an argument broke out on the next stand. It seems that a European gentleman of about 55 years old had just two days ago purchased a new Samsung smart phone and lo and behold it stopped working. He was claiming it was a copy and that he was ripped off.

The staff was giving him the usual run-around when he began to lose his temper and started shouting. I must say that I thought at this point that the chap could’ve handled it better as he was a biggish fella and should have tried to stay calm.

Within seconds there was a large gaggle of Thai men surrounding him and trying to close him down. He started to try and push them off and then one of the more courageous idiots smacked him hard, from behind in the back of the head. This totally stunned the guy and he was dragged unceremoniously away.

This left me both me and my wife totally shocked, this is not the first time in Thailand that I have seen this kind of cowardly spontaneous violence but it is definitely a first for me in a shop.

The moral of the story for me is that Tuk Com will never receive a penny from me ever again, I will shop elsewhere.

Oh and in case you’re wondering what happened about the memory cards, the girl seemed very keen to change them and get me on my way.

While the story may well be true , it may well also be true that this gentleman tried to scam the shop.

There is no shortage of quality expats and tourists around trying to pull scams.

Shops know their phones because they attach warranty stickers.

Sounds par for the course; one coward Thai only slapped him because there was several of them to back him up. Just sad.

Never buy electronics in tuk com if you cant tell the difference between copy and geniue item...

While the story may well be true , it may well also be true that this gentleman tried to scam the shop.

There is no shortage of quality expats and tourists around trying to pull scams.

Shops know their phones because they attach warranty stickers.

You think foreigners would try to scam a Tukcom phone stall? Seriously?

If you're going to buy a new phone, buy one in Central from a shop which has been around for a long while - preferably a well known franchise store where the staff don't get personally involved with purchases.

While the story may well be true , it may well also be true that this gentleman tried to scam the shop.

There is no shortage of quality expats and tourists around trying to pull scams.

Shops know their phones because they attach warranty stickers.

But it is soooo much more fun to make up our own little stories. Facts just get in the way of an active imagination.

Sounds par for the course; one coward Thai only slapped him because there was several of them to back him up. Just sad.

I don't know. If a foreigner is abusive and loud in a public place doesn't he deserve a slap or two? He may have had a beef with the owner of the phone stall, but why should that involve everyone else in earshot? That is no way to behave no matter what his problem.

There are a handful of decent shops in TukCom, notably JIB.

For the rest, especially the stalls, it's mostly a den of complete thieves and liars such as one would find running jet-ski scams on Beach Road.

It comes as little surprise to me that they are also violent.

I don't know. If a foreigner is abusive and loud in a public place doesn't he deserve a slap or two?

There is no excuse for violence, except perhaps self-defence.

Violence is, after all, the last resort of the incompetent as these stall-holders demonstrate so well.

I don't know. If a foreigner is abusive and loud in a public place doesn't he deserve a slap or two?

Not that I can think of. So you advocate violence, right?

While the story may well be true , it may well also be true that this gentleman tried to scam the shop.

There is no shortage of quality expats and tourists around trying to pull scams.

Shops know their phones because they attach warranty stickers.

You think foreigners would try to scam a Tukcom phone stall? Seriously?

If you're going to buy a new phone, buy one in Central from a shop which has been around for a long while - preferably a well known franchise store where the staff don't get personally involved with purchases.

Any reason why tuk com would be off limits ?

Don't get into an argument like this. Go to the police, file a report and let them take care of it. Before you blast my post, this method does work.

so you go to TukCom to buy a brand phone at a quarter of the price in every other official store or even online and than yur surprised its a copy??????????????? And than you say your surprised with how things work in Thailand??? wonder who the dumb person is here in this story?

you wanne buy cheap live with the risk that it just might break down within hours of purchase that's the name of the game dude some you win some you loose.

I witness an incident that was escalating between a farang and Thai businessman. Someone went across the road and spoke with a policeman that was sitting there. The lazy policeman sent over 7 motorbike taxi drivers to settle it.

The farang hadn't noticed the gang of boys that were lurking there, ready to pounce. He thought the police were on the way... when I explained to him the police will come after he gets his head kicked in.... then probably charge him 20,000Bt for fighting.

The faring smartly decided to not press his case any furthur and went on his way.

The place to go is city hall. They have a consumer complaint office there.

so you go to TukCom to buy a brand phone at a quarter of the price in every other official store or even online and than yur surprised its a copy??????????????? And than you say your surprised with how things work in Thailand??? wonder who the dumb person is here in this story?

you wanne buy cheap live with the risk that it just might break down within hours of purchase that's the name of the game dude some you win some you loose.

Some items in TukCom are obvious fakes and are priced accordingly. That "Samsing" tablet or that "Nukia" phone, for example. Yes, if you buy one of those you take your chances. Just like a Rolex you might buy on Beach Road for 250B.

But other items in TukCom are not obvious fakes and have asking prices not far removed from the cost of the real thing.

There are a handful of decent shops in TukCom, notably JIB.

For the rest, especially the stalls, it's mostly a den of complete thieves and liars such as one would find running jet-ski scams on Beach Road.

It comes as little surprise to me that they are also violent.

Yes, come to mention it there are a number of franchise stores in Tukcom, so buying there is as good as from any other branch eg. JIB, Banana IT, Hardware House and the big one IT City (top floor)... not to mention the 2 Apple Stores on the ground floor and Power Buy one floor up. I bought a computer from IT City in Panthip (Bangkok) and got an immediate exchange from IT City in Tukcom. It's my favourite store to buy computer stuff. The staff really don't care about anything - they just sit up there passing their days away. You can browse for hours and no one will bother you. I've also had immediate exchanges from Hardware House.... so the moral of the story is: don't damn the building as there are reputable operators in there.

While the story may well be true , it may well also be true that this gentleman tried to scam the shop.

There is no shortage of quality expats and tourists around trying to pull scams.

Shops know their phones because they attach warranty stickers.

You think foreigners would try to scam a Tukcom phone stall? Seriously?

If you're going to buy a new phone, buy one in Central from a shop which has been around for a long while - preferably a well known franchise store where the staff don't get personally involved with purchases.

Any reason why tuk com would be off limits ?

You misunderstood - explained it above. As for the cell phone stalls, you're welcome to buy there but they are off limits for me.

Sounds par for the course; one coward Thai only slapped him because there was several of them to back him up. Just sad.

I don't know. If a foreigner is abusive and loud in a public place doesn't he deserve a slap or two? He may have had a beef with the owner of the phone stall, but why should that involve everyone else in earshot? That is no way to behave no matter what his problem.

Raising one's voice in a public place to express one's viewpoint or dissatisfaction with a merchant is perfectly acceptable, especially in Thailand. It's seems OK in Thailand to broadcast loud music, or loud announcements to an entire neighbourhood, so why wouldn't it be ok to raise ones voices so it could be heard a few meters away.

Is there not freedom of speech of expression of personal opinion in Thailand?

so you go to TukCom to buy a brand phone at a quarter of the price in every other official store or even online and than yur surprised its a copy??????????????? And than you say your surprised with how things work in Thailand??? wonder who the dumb person is here in this story?

you wanne buy cheap live with the risk that it just might break down within hours of purchase that's the name of the game dude some you win some you loose.

So you are so sure that the phone was a "QUARTER OF THE PRICE". How do you know ?

I dont go anywhere near the idiots on the first floor - I'm astounded that they would even have a 'returns policy'. They remind me of the thieves in similar stalls in Bangkok - here today, somewhere else tomorrow. I shop upstairs with businesses that have clearly been there for some time and even then I regard anything I've bought as an 'all the best' purchase - they dont want to see people bringing gear back, but at least you should be able to find them if you do need to go back. I also find that the upstairs shops seem to have a clue technically while the phone sales clowns know what colors the cases come in and that's about it. Isaan exports good and bad to Pattaya and it seems that the closer you get to Walking St the lower the standard, but who confronts a group of Thai men anywhere without expecting it to turn nasty ? I completely get the frustration - we've all been there - but losing it with them gets you absolutely nowhere. I walk out when I find myself getting to that point - the numbers just arent in our favor.

I strongly suggest that if we're going to boycott businesses in Pattaya, that floor of Tukcom should be at the top of the list. They seem to have enough Thai customers - leave them to it. The Powerbuy on Klang seems to treat Farang like human beings - at least IME - and most of you know my opinion of the businesses in Central Festival, so I'll leave it there.

Most of the phones there do not even show the price, why on earth would anyone would shop there. just go to Powerbuy as suggested above.

Sounds par for the course; one coward Thai only slapped him because there was several of them to back him up. Just sad.

I don't know. If a foreigner is abusive and loud in a public place doesn't he deserve a slap or two? He may have had a beef with the owner of the phone stall, but why should that involve everyone else in earshot? That is no way to behave no matter what his problem.

Raising one's voice in a public place to express one's viewpoint or dissatisfaction with a merchant is perfectly acceptable, especially in Thailand. It's seems OK in Thailand to broadcast loud music, or loud announcements to an entire neighbourhood, so why wouldn't it be ok to raise ones voices so it could be heard a few meters away.

Is there not freedom of speech of expression of personal opinion in Thailand?

It may be perfectly acceptable for a Thai person to raise their voice in public, but If you, a foreigner, wish to exercise your right of "freedom of speech of expression of personal opinion", go ahead, but don't be surprised if Thai people express their freedom to express dissatisfaction by kicking you in the head. Who's going to stop them?

Most of the phones there do not even show the price, why on earth would anyone would shop there. just go to Powerbuy as suggested above.

Yes, you'll get about the best market price available in a shop, and if you check Lazada prices you may save a bit off the best Power Buy price. They regularly (weekly) have 10% discounts and higher off most models you can buy in the shops.

I would never buy from private shops at tuk kom, here today gone tomorrow.

50/50 chance you are buying fakes.

Recently i bought a new laptop, from tuk kom Khonkaen 2000 baht cheaper than permenant shop.

I paid the extra for peace of mind and can go back if i have aproblem.

Sounds par for the course; one coward Thai only slapped him because there was several of them to back him up. Just sad.

"Just sad."

Sad that this myth of the noble farang compared to the cowardly Thai is perpetuated by brave anonymous posters. I'm sure wherever you come from people who resort to physical violence all follow some code of ethics they learnt at their mothers' knee. Since you don't need anyone to back you up, waddle on down to TukCom and sort them out.

As Craig suggested, go to the consumer complaints office at city Hall. File your complaint, go back to shop and make your claim again. If again no avail, call city Hall and pass the phone to the shop guy. It works!

Oh, and I also had a yelling contest with a dealer who sold me a second hand phone a while ago. Long story, but I had two guards next to me, ready to escort me off the premises and about 100 customers listening to my story.

Got the phone replaced. All good

Don't blame Tuk-Com. There are trustworthy shops in Tuk-Com. Thanks to OP for posting warnings to the naive.

I have not seen much good electronics values in Thailand. Some local things like a cheap Thai cell phone, but prices on everything else never seemed to be what I would call a shopper's paradise