Bought some prescription glasses for 300 baht.

[giddyup]

I learnt my lesson the hard way with Charom, 5000 baht for a pair of glasses to watch TV, never again. However, I discovered a stall that is set up regularly at the end of Nern Plubwan, opposite the market area, that tests your eyes and does the lenses then and there. You can choose between a 300 or 500 baht selection of frames. For reading they are as good as any I had from an optometrist in Australia. I'm not sure if they do them for distance, ie driving or not, but for reading glasses I doubt if you can do better. I'd say they don't do anything fancy like tinted or graduated lenses, they are just economy glasses.

Edited May 17, 2015 by giddyup

[impulse]

Do they cut prescription lenses for astigmatism, or do they just choose from a selection already on the shelf?

[fforest1]

The first question places like Top Charon ask you

when you walk through ​the door is.

" do you know how to squeal like a pig?"

Edited May 17, 2015 by fforest1

[giddyup]

Do they cut prescription lenses for astigmatism, or do they just choose from a selection already on the shelf?

Sorry, can't tell you. All I know is they got me to look into the machine, then tried several combinations of lenses until I found the clearest ones. I don't recall them doing any cutting though.

[Pattaya46]

> at the end of Nern Plubwan

You mean near the Wat Sutthawas ?

It's a long way in the Dark Side for those in Pattaya,

so more for expats living nearby.

[giddyup]

> at the end of Nern Plubwan

You mean near the Wat Sutthawas ?

It's a long way in the Dark Side for those in Pattaya,

so more for expats living nearby.

Yes, opposite the wat. I know it's not handy for those who live in Pattaya or Jomtien, but I'm sure there's a few that live on the dark side that may be interested. It's hardly a secret, I've seen the stall set up there for a few years but always thought they just sold those ready made glasses like they do in big pharmacies.

[giddyup]

The first question places like Top Charon ask you

when you walk through ​the door is.

" do you know how to squeal like a pig?"

You're right, I should have known better.

[impulse]

The first question places like Top Charon ask you

when you walk through ​the door is.

" do you know how to squeal like a pig?"

You're right, I should have known better.

I think they get all of at least once...

[thailandforumaddict]

I know that it's possible because in Europe some shops sell them for $10, but are you really sure about the quality of the lenses (we don't care the frame).

What you can be sure is that they cost less than 50 thb to official optical shops and that they sell them 5000.

This is why you can see empty shops everywhere with 4 staff doing nothing but playing with their phones...

[impulse]

What you can be sure is that they cost less than 50 thb to official optical shops and that they sell them 5000.

This is why you can see empty shops everywhere with 4 staff doing nothing but playing with their phones...

So where do Thai folk who make 10,000 a month buy glasses?

I'm asking because I'd like to update my prescription, but my butt cheeks are still sore from the last time I bought glasses under the blue and white sign, and that was 3 years ago.

[giddyup]

I know that it's possible because in Europe some shops sell them for $10, but are you really sure about the quality of the lenses (we don't care the frame).

What you can be sure is that they cost less than 50 thb to official optical shops and that they sell them 5000.

This is why you can see empty shops everywhere with 4 staff doing nothing but playing with their phones...

There was a smirk on the faces of the two Top Charon staff after I paid for my glasses. They must have thought that another stupid falang was easily conned, because I only found out after that there were much cheaper frames that they neglected to show me. I must have driven past that same shop 50 times since and never seen another customer in there.

[giddyup]

What you can be sure is that they cost less than 50 thb to official optical shops and that they sell them 5000.

This is why you can see empty shops everywhere with 4 staff doing nothing but playing with their phones...

So where do Thai folk who make 10,000 a month buy glasses?

I'm asking because I'd like to update my prescription, but my butt cheeks are still sore from the last time I bought glasses under the blue and white sign, and that was 3 years ago.

They buy from the same kind of places I mentioned in my post.

[Basil B]

Do they cut prescription lenses for astigmatism, or do they just choose from a selection already on the shelf?

Sorry, can't tell you. All I know is they got me to look into the machine, then tried several combinations of lenses until I found the clearest ones. I don't recall them doing any cutting though.

Did you notice the assistant go out to purchase a pair for less than 100B from the street vendor down the road???

[giddyup]

Do they cut prescription lenses for astigmatism, or do they just choose from a selection already on the shelf?

Sorry, can't tell you. All I know is they got me to look into the machine, then tried several combinations of lenses until I found the clearest ones. I don't recall them doing any cutting though.

Did you notice the assistant go out to purchase a pair for less than 100B from the street vendor down the road???

There's always gotta be one...

[elgordo38]

The first question places like Top Charon ask you

when you walk through ​the door is.

" do you know how to squeal like a pig?"

You're right, I should have known better.

I like when they do their annual promotion buy 1 get one free. They neglect to tell you that the free one is the frame only no lenses.

[elgordo38]

I know that it's possible because in Europe some shops sell them for $10, but are you really sure about the quality of the lenses (we don't care the frame).

What you can be sure is that they cost less than 50 thb to official optical shops and that they sell them 5000.

This is why you can see empty shops everywhere with 4 staff doing nothing but playing with their phones...

A retired Optometrist friend of mind told me that a pair of glasses was one of the highest profit items around the markup was well enough that he could retire early.

[mikebell]

I am looking for vari-focal, photo-chromatic lenses. I was quoted 23K in my usual shop in Tesco on Suk. I have been told it costs a quarter of this in UK?

I am going for a holiday there in August; do I wait or is there somewhere cheaper in the Pattaya area?

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I am looking for vari-focal, photo-chromatic lenses. I was quoted 23K in my usual shop in Tesco on Suk. I have been told it costs a quarter of this in UK?

I am going for a holiday there in August; do I wait or is there somewhere cheaper in the Pattaya area?

I just bought the same thing in Canada except for the vari-focal, which I know is a bit expensive. Superb quality glass with expensive surfacing to keep off grime (better than anything I've bought in Thailand before), photochromatic lenses for single vision (I am short-sighted), high quality designer frames and hard-case. Price under 10,000 baht.

After this experience, I'll never buy glasses in Thailand again, if it can be helped. BTW, this pair was a backup set. A Canadian friend will never buy in Thailand again either after similar quotes.

[thailandforumaddict]

It seems that some lenses are better quality if you have special requirements, otherwise for simple corrective lenses buying them other few thousand baht is a real scam !

[ROBINPATTAYA]

The blue & white sign people have 3-4 different lrvels of quality. An old GF of mine worked there & told me they charge for the most expensive & you get the cheapest quality.

"Come in sucker" is their method of sales.