Wondering if I'm the only one stuck with this problem. Every time I try to do something via e-mail with any Thai company, I never get a reply. I speak/write fluent Thai so I always write in Thai, but it doesn't seem to have any effect. So far:

 

1) I sent an e-mail to my Thai language school to ask them what additional programs they had, and they never replied. When I showed up, they seemed very happy to see me, but "mai loo" about the e-mail.

2) I inquired about registering to a flying school near Bangkok, and my initial request for registration documents (2 lines) got ignored.

3) Following the above, I asked another schol. I got an automatic acknowledgement, but they gracefully ignored my e-mail.

4) I sent a second message asking why they ignored me, and got the same silence.

5) I inquired about some new condo building in Bangkok, sent a message to the developer, and it went straight to the bin.

6) I got an automated e-mail about an incoming UPS shipment. When I sent them the item list by e-mail, they didn't give a damn. After 3 e-mails ignored, I had to show up in person at their call center.

 

My e-mail server is correctly configured and I have been using it for years. I only have this issue with Thai companies - am I doing something wrong, or is it customary to forward e-mails to the recycle bin?

The above are just a few examples, there are several other ones. I also heard about immigration e-mail addresses bouncing but haven't exprienced that yet.

I think they do check them every month or so and if you're lucky and sent one in the last few days you might get a reply.

 

If you sent a message on facebook or line I'm sure they would respond way faster.

Same here.

I have emailed several Thai companies to either enquire about buying something from them, or having some work done. In English, not Thai, but I never even got any replies.

stuck in the 1900's no idea about competition or  good  business practice, for many its "take it or leave it".......on a par with their customer service

Even if you want to buy a  condo or car they won't reply any email in english. Also the sales for those products can't even speak english, neither does the salesmanager. Also not for a new house from a huge developer, they just can't speak english.

I've had the same from True when asking for information about their products.

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It happens even with multi-national companies. You can be inquiring about making a large purchase and yet no response most of the time.

 

My theory is, someone sets up a nice company website & e-mail in Thai and English, but no-one in the company who can read English ever sees it, as it gets routinely deleted by the one lowly person in the company assigned to check. If they have a Facebook page, you have a better chance getting a response using that to communicate.

 

There's a whole untapped market waiting for someone who can convince Thai companies to set up a service portal to handle e-mail inquiries in both Thai and English.

Tesco, who must have a substantial amount of English speaking customers with money to spend are just as bad.

Even with their in-store advertisements, I'm surprised they don't have an English version of some of their promotions.  

Some of the big hotels reply very fast - I've had confirmations for meal reservations in under an hour. Others can take a day or two.

 

Ordinary businesses seem to either not reply at all or take forever to do so. There's no excuse for that: it's just plain laziness and I don't think it will every change.

 

On a more general basis, even if you do get a reply it is rarely complete or accurate. I suspect that most Thais simply cannot communicate effectively in any language.

Normal for Thailand. Absolute ignorance regarding business acumen.  I had a dispute that entailed me  writing via email to the other parties lawyers.  No response on 3 occasions. As it was regarding a debt I then used the services of a Thai debt collector. Strangely once these people visited the lawyers office I received payment immediately.

Pretty normal to have emails to businesses not answered here.

Try Facebook or line....for some reason they just don't like e-mail

Business acumen is something that is seriously lacking here.

E-MAILS AND FACEBOOK  messages get ignored here almost all the time.

Businesses here are still living/working in the mid 20th century, they have not yet grasped modern media.

Just now, colinneil said:

Business acumen is something that is seriously lacking here.

E-MAILS AND FACEBOOK  messages get ignored here almost all the time.

Businesses here are still living/working in the mid 20th century, they have not yet grasped modern media.

oh I think they have grasped modern media.  What they haven't grasped is good manners and professionalism. They are still in self denial about Thailand businesses being 1st class.  If there was fair competition here without so many restrictions on foreigners then you would almost certainly see a change - they would have to or they would fail.  However currently ignorance is bliss.

As mentioned hotels and restaurants are generally good about responding to reservations requests, but they realize this is how they get customers.  

 

Many other businesses, I think, set up a website and then don't consider who is suppose to respond to incoming emails and that they need to check the "Junk" folder of their email also because incoming emails are sometimes routed there.  That was the case when my husband and I had a small business in the U.S. and received emails from our website.  

 

Facebook messages definitely work better, esp if you post something that everyone in the world can see.

I always love when they phone and then hang up because English is spoken...