Korea King advertising banned

[webfact]

Korea King advertising banned
By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- THE Consumer Protection Board on Wednesday banned advertising for the Korea King frying pan, saying that commercials overstated the quality of the pan relative to its price.

 

Veeraphong Boonyophas, chairman of a committee under the Direct Selling and Direct Marketing Act, said the committee had adopted a resolution demanding the immediate cessation of Korea King advertising.

 

He said the committee found the advertised price of Bt15,000 to Bt18,000 to be a “fake original price” since the pan was never sold at those prices after sharp discounts were introduced. 

 

The advertisement gave consumers an incorrect impression about the price and quality of the pan, Veeraphong said, adding that it was an unfair trading practice that damaged the public interest, justifying the advertising ban.

 

The board is also investigating the quality of the pan, with the results expected to be publicised soon, he said. Advertising claimed that the pan had an eight-layer coating, but an initial investigation found that its “gold series” had a five-layer coating and the “diamond series” had only a two-layer coating, Veeraphong said.  

 

The board had already put a statement on its website, saying it was looking into Korea King advertising. 

 

Wizard Solution Co registered the direct-sales business in January 2016 and imported the Korea King brand pan with a stated retail price of Bt15,000. 

 

In October, Wizard Solution informed the Consumer Protection Board that the Korean manufacturer wanted to set a standard price of Bt15,000, but Wizard Solution offered consumers a promotion of “buy one, get one free” at the price of Bt3,300, according to the board’s statement. 

 

The wholesale price of imported Korea King pans ranged from Bt286 in 2015 to Bt358 as of January, according to a Customs Department document obtained by the board. 

 

The company hired TV celebrity Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda as the face of the Korea King advertising campaign. Wizard Solution’s ad spending was among the top three in Thailand last year. 

 

Chaiyuth Kamkhun, deputy director-general of the Customs Department, said the tariff on imported pans from South Korea had been waived due to the free trade agreement between Asean and South Korea. He said several hundred thousand pans were imported from South Korea each year.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30315534

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-18

[kannot]

why not investigate the state of the roads instead and do something "actually"  useful

[canuckamuck]

Actually false advertising is a pretty big problem here. I am happy to see some action. Although I am sure it is more do to a dispute with the owners of the company, or money not getting to right spots, rather than a measure to protect the consumer. But who knows, once in and a while things are what they appear to be..

 

[trogers]

Wow...cost at less than Bt400 and retail price at Bt15,000. Beats the iPhone hands down...

[ezzra]

15,000 baht for a frying pan? in Thailand? is this another scam in the making

we will get to hear about how millions were lost?.....

[DrTuner]

For a pan to be Thai-proof it has to have at least 5000 coatings. 

[BangkokNicky]

what a load of pots and pans .. i will let myself out the door thanks and good morning .. 

[geronimo]

Its a lesson learned for the presenter, Woody, who really ought to research the product (and method) before lending himself to the campaign.

[jaltsc]

"The advertisement gave consumers an incorrect impression about the price and quality ..."

 

Just like the Ski Jet hustlers at resort areas, who continue to operate with no government inquiries. 

[dcnx]

So what, it's over priced.

 

Don't buy it, problem solved.

[tonray]

However, I did the like the girls in the short skirts hawking them at the Mall

[geronimo]

I do admire young Woody, especially when he says that the normal price is 18,000 baht, and he manages to keep a straight face!!!!

[geronimo]

He could write a book, "The rise and Fall of the Korean Frying Pan", and if you call within the next 5 minutes, you can have 3 books for the price of 1!

Edited May 18, 2017 by geronimo

[geronimo]

To be fair, Woody is a very good presenter, our TV is always on and I would have to endure the "Korean King" ads daily, and he put so much feeling into his performance, my wife had to stop me buying one on 3 separate occasions!

[trogers]

37 minutes ago, geronimo said:

Its a lesson learned for the presenter, Woody, who really ought to research the product (and method) before lending himself to the campaign.

Needs integrity to learn the lesson, or else, money is the measure.

[madmitch]

One ad pulled, plenty to go, like already white faced models advertising skin-whitening products.

[meatboy]

anyone who believes a pan cost 420gbp.or 18,000bht.is deluded.

there are plenty doing the rounds,one ad.was 13,000bht.yours for only 2,800bht.plus a free gift.

quick the phones ringing already.

[jobin]

Had nothing to do with the price or quality of the fry pan.  But everything to do with the sacrosanct Thai word 'KING'.   He chap with the fry pan is damn lucky he is not in the slammer for 'lese majeste'. 

[fruitman]

59 minutes ago, meatboy said:

anyone who believes a pan cost 420gbp.or 18,000bht.is deluded.

there are plenty doing the rounds,one ad.was 13,000bht.yours for only 2,800bht.plus a free gift.

quick the phones ringing already.

In the malls you'll find pans from German brands who really cost around 18K baht.

[Beats56]

His ad was still on tv last night.

I would never buy one at those prices.

I do like a good pan with a heavy bottom to prevent burning. Zebra makes good heavy pans.

 

[kannot]

2 hours ago, tonray said:

However, I did the like the girls in the short skirts hawking them at the Mall

both probably for sale

[geronimo]

1 minute ago, kannot said:

both probably for sale

and you might get an extra one thrown in!

[hkt83100]

4 hours ago, trogers said:

Wow...cost at less than Bt400 and retail price at Bt15,000. Beats the iPhone hands down...

And much more useful! Did you ever try to fry an egg on an iPhone?

[scorecard]

4 hours ago, trogers said:

Wow...cost at less than Bt400 and retail price at Bt15,000. Beats the iPhone hands down...

 

This doesn't rank as a high profit margin.

 

It does rank as a highly immoral profit margin.

 

Bring on price controls which stop folks being ripped off.

 

This reminds me of several debates / discussions with both my bachelor and masters students in marketing and in business ethics courses. So many of them refuse to accept that 'rip off the customer, is immoral'. If I can trick the customer into paying a price that is pure rip off, why not?

 

And this is not only Thailand.

[LOS1]

Received one of these pans (diamond series) as a Christmas present. As to quality.... I've used it since this past Jan. and  it is now the only pan I use. A truly non-stick pan. Time will tell how it holds up. 

[Morch]

So, if someone was to advertise, say....submarines, maybe? Would the same logic apply?

[Fulwell53]

6 hours ago, kannot said:

why not investigate the state of the roads instead and do something "actually"  useful

????

[Fulwell53]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

 

This doesn't rank as a high profit margin.

 

It does rank as a highly immoral profit margin.

 

Bring on price controls which stop folks being ripped off.

 

This reminds me of several debates / discussions with both my bachelor and masters students in marketing and in business ethics courses. So many of them refuse to accept that 'rip off the customer, is immoral'. If I can trick the customer into paying a price that is pure rip off, why not?

 

And this is not only Thailand.

Marketing and ethics in the same sentence???

Nah I'm not having that.

 

[Jonmarleesco]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He said the committee found the advertised price of Bt15,000 to Bt18,000 to be a “fake original price” since the pan was never sold at those prices after sharp discounts were introduced. 

Typical Thai retail strategy. Perhaps the CPB needs to get out more.

[robertson468]

My Wife bought two of these at 1,300 baht each (one for her Friend), so it's interesting how the price zoomed up........mega inflation!  Be interesting to know if this in fact was a scam at the 16,000 to 18,000 baht price or just some Korean Manufacturer or Thai Importer thinking he could get away with it, or both!