Why are Thai Made products usually (not always) of low quality

[Farang99]

I used to think Thai products were poorly made until I started buying some of the stuff imported from China.

Try telling that to the electricity authority. As soon as the rain starts we get main fuses on the street blowing and a power cut pretty well every day. And it has only been raining for 5 days so far, with four power cuts, ranging from a couple of hours to (yesterday) 6 hours. All because they buy cheap Chinese equipment.

[spidermike007]

It really depends. A lot of the cars and trucks you see on the roads here, are manufactured here. Granted, they do use alot of part clusters made in Japan. But, the same applies to Honda motorbikes, which are of such high quality, they are exported to the US. Same with Mitsubishi, Hitachi, LG, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, Pioneer, etc. Most of their products that are sold here, are made here. So, the quality depends on the factory, the management team, the quality controls, etc. Some of the products made here are as good as those made elsewhere. Some are crap. You just have to be discriminating, and check the products carefully. And buy from places that back up their products with good service. I have taken many, many products back to Home Pro. They always seem to honor the service, and if they do not I just move up the chain of management, until they do.

[masuk]

One trap I fell into was expecting the safety features on a Japanese model car to be the same here as in Australia.

I bought a new Suzuki Swift, same model as in Australia, and same price.

Instead of up to seven air bags, it had one (1).

The lack of a heater was not often a problem, but on a cool, rainy night with passengers aboard, it sure would have been hand to keep the windscreen clear.

I didn't dare to see what other safety features might have been deleted.

[sanukjim]

It goes with the old saying "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".

[Lannig]

I've bought jeans, t-shirts and shorts as good quality as anywhere, lasted me years, bought a seiko in '95 in Krabi, still going strong, on the other hand I've bought some crap. Bought a holdall once, unpacked it, held the handles and shook it to shape it out and a handle came off, same sort of thing with a couple of rucksacks. That's just how it is, TiT!

What is it with Thai bags ?

In Northern Vietnam you can buy copy north face and other outdoor brands and they are amazing quality, close to the quality of the real thing. ( I know they make the real thing there, but which may have something to do with it )

But come to Thailand, the material splits next to the Zips and pressure areas like the straps.

Again, a case of "choose carefully". I use a lot of small rucksacks too and carry them all the time, everywhere.

Yes, most of those you can buy on markets and in small shops are crap but I've used a few for years and years before they started to deteriorate since I've found a shop in the small commercial centre next to Zeer Rangsit that sells really good stuff (lots of choice too).

Not surprisingly, they're more expensive (~500B+) and look nothing like copies of western brands.

JJ Mall next to Jatujak in Bangkok has such shops selling quality local stuff too.

Had some luck with bags sold at BigC as well.

Edited May 23, 2016 by Lannig

[Bcgardener]

It really depends. A lot of the cars and trucks you see on the roads here, are manufactured here. Granted, they do use alot of part clusters made in Japan. But, the same applies to Honda motorbikes, which are of such high quality, they are exported to the US. Same with Mitsubishi, Hitachi, LG, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, Pioneer, etc. Most of their products that are sold here, are made here. So, the quality depends on the factory, the management team, the quality controls, etc. Some of the products made here are as good as those made elsewhere. Some are crap. You just have to be discriminating, and check the products carefully. And buy from places that back up their products with good service. I have taken many, many products back to Home Pro. They always seem to honor the service, and if they do not I just move up the chain of management, until they do.

You back up my opinion that the Thai workforce is capable of producing quality products as we do in our factory. One thing in common with your examples above and our factory. Foreign management.

[rijit]

You answered your own question, to maximize profit. You may be one of the odd ones out, but if it's made in the PRC or here, steer clear.

Actually buying products from China does not always mean poor quality,it depends if it is branded or not.

Most of the major corporations including the likes of Apple have their products made in China to high specifications and quality control.

The same can be said for the manufacturing of cars in Thailand with big brands such as Toyota.

After Apple and Toyota the quality story ends like drops off of a cliff. I have a Samsung frig micro and TV Acer and HP computer and that is where the quality store ends abruptly.

Been using sennheisser headphones since the late 70's NEVER had problems with them, theyve broke. But mainly TBH down to me , im hard on them but build and product ALWAYS of a high standard. So wedged out Bought some on ear and over ear momentums, excellent sound as per norm, but I've had to change them 6 times??? And maybe 8 9 leads Totally shocked,, after all this as you can imagine i know the guys a little so why the prob guys? , oh even guys in shops now telling me sennheisser have build quality issue? Without so much as saying it, they blame changing production from Germany to China and surprisingly Ireland. After 50 years of reputation building its gone in 2 ?? years.. Long way back for them now.

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My Sennheisser 650's were made in Germany, bought in 2014 - I think you bought copies made in China.

No, always buy direct from amazon not little co's using amazon as a sales platform

Pay a little more but avoids copies.

Not sure if the whole range is made in China and Ireland but certainly the momentums were

,as the technical guys at sennheisser told me so.

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[Jonathon]

Most of the cheap rubbish here, as with the RoW, comes from China. Even the Thais complain about it but, as ever, profit rules over quality.

[zaZa9]

To the OP: how certain are you that the product was made in Thailand?

Lot of that stuff is made in China.

And yes: the whole world imports from China.

Many western households would look quite empty without made in China products.

BUT: for exporting to western countries there is quality assurance/standards.

To Thailand they seem to be able to export every kind of crap.

If it's dirt cheap you can bet it is from China and be broken within days or months.

I could list so many wasted purchased.

Today I checked the loose toilet seat.

Originally fixed with screws and nuts from the package.

COMPLETELY RUSTED, no way to unscrew. Cheap rusting iron!

Fortunately found a way to "tear" them out by breaking the plastic(?) flat washers.

Otherwise I would have needed a saw or angle grinder (which I don't have).

You will not find iron that doesn't rust, cheap or otherwise.

What you really mean is that the rust protection was inadequate. That is par for the course here, electroplating is just far too thin. I have some kitchen wirework where the chrome plating has virtually washed off.

At the end of the day you cannot expect western standards for Thai prices. I would have paid 4-5 times the price for similar products in the UK.

The pet hate for me is not in the rusting , its the work involved in trying to remove the rusted fitting to replace it ( knowing you better inspect the new one every 6 months and REPLACE it before it welds itself in situ.)

I have had my biggest DIY problems with Thai yard taps ( or c0cks or fawcets).

These horrible little cheapies with a red handle oxidize and crumble yearly.

You go to remove one with a shifter , and invariably it crumbles ...leaving most of its thread inside the wall and clogging the brass thread inside the blue plastic !

Now you have to try and wedge something in it to turn it out , it wont turn , you tap it with a hammer ... and the blue plastic cracks and now you have a leak inside the wall.

Aarghh !

Its not my house , or I would have brought quality brass ones from back home over by now.

If "time is money" why is it that so many products nowadays seem intended to make you poor?

Its not just here.

My brother is an electrician in Australia and he refuses to install a lot of ceiling fans.

Hes obliged by law to return to take down and refit faulty fans , and says half of the cheaper ones fail inside a year , and he gets no payment to take them down and put up another shop replacement.

[chilli42]

The answer would be too complex for a post here. Certainly it's not Thai workers. We have factories in Thailand that ship products globally. The product quality is exceptional. That said, we pay employees well, train them well, give them the right tools to work with, right work process and engage/reward them in programs to improve quality and reduce cost. if I had to venture a guess I would lay the blame at the feet of those managing the company and specifically those managing the manufacturing process mixed in with a healthy dose of corruption.

[HelenGreene]

I think they are using low quality raw materials.

[falang khinok]

Poor quality control I guess..

..exchange it

[PETERTHEEATER]

The overriding issue for everything for many Thais is "cheap" always trying to save money, make do and mend but to extremes

I found this during my working life in the Middle East especially with hand tools. I asked one shop owner why he didn't stock good quality imported tools and he told me that the price would be too high and the local demand was for cheap short-life tools. Since most high volume demand was from foreign contractors in country it told me that they would buy tools with enough serviceability to do the contracted task and on completion would be discarded.

[aronp1]

If a country's trying to join the global economy in traded goods, and it's late to the party, it's going to be difficult. Even Adam Smith thought there was a case for import controls to defend small domestic manufacturers in the early stages as they tried to become established. When you've a comparative advantage in absolutely nothing you've got a problem. People forget just how recently it was that there was a general expectation that nearly everything you bought would be rubbish. In the UK it was the 1980's before you could expect to buy something and basically expect it to work. So if you buy a 250 baht rice cooker and have it go bang on the second use the process whereby you take it back to Tesco, and they send it back to the wholesaler, who then sends it back to the manufacturer, and all of them shielded by import controls......well, that - pretty much - is what every country has to do to get a grip of the Japanese idea of total quality management.

Don't mean to be picky, but TQM was an American concept, but first used by Japan.

[Deli]

The products reflect the mentality of the people...

[Mudcrab]

As do a lot of these posts.

Try going to a decent factory in China....world class.

[Briggsy]

1. Ask any Thai manufacturer / wholesaler / retailer and they will tell you the same. The Thai market is all about price. Good quality is all fine and dandy but it won't shift.

2. Consumer protection law. Try getting a refund in Thailand either from the retailer or the manufacturer. It is like getting blood out of a stone. In developed countries, consumer protection laws are enforced and retailers and manufacturers have to comply if goods are shoddy.

[ozyjon]

Did the packaging say China ?

Maybe seconds, not fit for export, remain in

Thailand and sold there.

[mikiea]

The overriding issue for everything for many Thais is "cheap" always trying to save money, make do and mend but to extremes

it is true, always trying to save money , how else can they afford to take care of their son's ? it seems Thai yut hood ranges into the high 20's .anywhere else in the world this is not acceptable , but here it is the norm . big knifes , x box's , leo , and a shiny motorcycle all trade marks of Thai yut's .

[passingas]

Not sure about answers to the original question, but...remember...both Isuzu and Toyota are all put together, right here in LOS. And as far as that goes...I am beyond, way impressed. However....anything else that isn't made from bamboo, then be aware of it. pg

[Crossy]

the best was i met a "master potter" in the states who gave me a handmade cup for coffee...and it had a hole in the bottom...

Hold it the other way up then the hole is in the top

[sandyf]

The answer would be too complex for a post here. Certainly it's not Thai workers. We have factories in Thailand that ship products globally. The product quality is exceptional. That said, we pay employees well, train them well, give them the right tools to work with, right work process and engage/reward them in programs to improve quality and reduce cost. if I had to venture a guess I would lay the blame at the feet of those managing the company and specifically those managing the manufacturing process mixed in with a healthy dose of corruption.

Manufacturing for export is a different ball game to the domestic market. Most major economies would insist on certain standards being met before the product was allowed in.

The domestic market is something else and I often wonder if the low cost policy is aimed at protecting jobs. If many products were made to last a lot longer than they do now, a large chunk of the labour force would become redundant and that wouldn't sit well with the government.

Plastic products are a prime example, they do not use plasticiser so after about 18 months everything becomes brittle and breaks up ensuring a continuous demand.

We use old paint pots for buckets and some of those were in use before I came here 8 years ago, and still no sign of deterioration. It is not that the quality is unavailable.

[fasteddie]

I've bought jeans, t-shirts and shorts as good quality as anywhere, lasted me years, bought a seiko in '95 in Krabi, still going strong, on the other hand I've bought some crap. Bought a holdall once, unpacked it, held the handles and shook it to shape it out and a handle came off, same sort of thing with a couple of rucksacks. That's just how it is, TiT!

I've just remembered, I've fitted a YSS shock to my vfr and I'm well happy with it.

YSS DEFINITELY have two quality's. Export and Thai (Asian)

Could be, bought mine in the UK and it's fine, just no remote adjuster.

[Langsuan Man]

You have to read the packaging really carefully. I bought a handy device for tightening large plastic pipe fittings and it had an Australian kangaroo logo on the "blister" pack but after several uses the rubber banding broke. Upon further examination of the packaging I discovered, in tiny lettering, Made in China under license for the OZ company

[Fookhaht]

They are made and priced according to what the market will bear.

A Thai rep for a major Korean phone manufacturer conceded to me that most Asian major electronics manufacturers have "A" "B" and "C" levels of quality for identical models. The "B" levels are destined for Thailand.


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