Gadfly Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 I decided to remodel my condo kitchen a few months back because, well, the original kitchen provided by a built-in furniture guy was crap. Rather than using your local built-in furniture Thai guy, I went to an upscale kitchen store that sold European fixtures and appliances. I met with the German manager, who did a good job explaining why their products were much better than local stuff. I am not going to mention names, and this isnâ??t a complaint about the place (what happened was not really the fault of management and they put things right), but rather an illustration of, well, pure Thai chutzpah. I am not sure how else to describe it. I paid several hundred thousand Baht for some good granite for the counter and appliances. Fortunately, I saved a sample of the granite I had contracted to buy. Around the same time work started on my kitchen, one of my neighbours, a Chinese-Thai guy who was never at all friendly, started talking to me about the construction. At first, I expected a complaint, but he was extra friendly. I noticed that he also talked to the workers at my condo, but always out of my ear-shot after he discovered that, yes, I can speak and understand a bit of Thai. My neighbour started work on his house at the same time worked started on my house. And it seemed as though he had hired the workers from the same place where I had purchased my kitchen to moonlight. I wasn't happy about this, but didn't think much about it. When the kitchen counter came in, it didn't look right. I questioned the workers, and they claimed it was exactly what I agreed to purchase. It didn't look right, and parts of it started to flake off. The appliances didn't look right. Even though I tried to keep it as low key as possible, they seemed overly defensive. Just a few questions, and they walked off the site in a huff. I called the German manager, and he came over. Within one minute he said "this isn't our stuff". He took pictures. He said he would make thing right, and I mentioned the moonlighting. Two days later, my neighbour complained that I was making problems for him. "How?" I asked. He said I complained about the moonlighting. I mentioned the moonlighting after I got the fake stuff, but I never tried to cause problems for him. I should have. I found one week later that the stuff I had ordered and paid for was in his condo. I saw a few MiB at his place yesterday. He is furious. This, of course, is all my fault even though I never once accused my neighbor of anything (but I wonder what the German manager said?) A new crew is in my kitchen now putting in the stuff I actually ordered. I am not exactly sure what arrangements my "friendly" neighbour made with the crew originally working on my place, but its pretty obvious to me what happened. Now I am the 'bad guy'. One of our neighbours (westernized wealthy Thai), tried to mediate, saying I didn't understand Thai culture. She hadn't been provided the full story. When I explained what happened, she said I should have had the neighbor arrested. She seemed annoyed I wasn't taking this further. I said that was between him and the kitchen store, and as I had been put right (thanks to the German manager and no thanks to the Thai staff) I didn't plan to do anything further. But I am sure that won't stop my neighbor from painting me as the bad guy. Fortunately, he was never popular here to begin with. And, I hear that the kitchen store, did not get any of their stuff back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 A new crew is in my kitchen now putting in the stuff I actually ordered. I am not exactly sure what arrangements my "friendly" neighbour made with the crew originally working on my place, but its pretty obvious to me what happened. Now I am the 'bad guy'. Bit of a mess mate ..hope it all ends up ok.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi, Un-fucking-believable, while at the same time not unexpected I saw where this was headed as soon as you mentioned him getting very friendly with the kitchen guys. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted November 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 The stuff I actually ordered and paid for is in the kitchen now. I took today off to make sure things went right, and the German manager came by just now to make things are done right. He also did something I have never seen a Thai in a similiar position do: he apologized. They're not done finishing the installation, but it is going much faster than the first time (I guess sizing is a problem with fakes.) So far it looks great. I am not about the venture over to my neighbor's place and peek at his kitchen, but I've heard that it doesn't look right because it doesn't fit. When I originally had the kitchen designed, the designer and a technition came over several times to measure the area to make sure everything was cut to fit right - for my place. I guess this never crossed my neighbor's mind. Amazing f-- Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drogon Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 I am not the least suprised. The manager apologized? He is a German who didn't forget the basics of customer service... Sad but all things end up well. Talked to my girlfriend about that and she is not suprised at all now if you want a good news -> she is convinced that your neighbour has never been a good guy in this building and so one day he will need help and will not find it because other Thais know he is a bad man... TIT :grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioman Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 Outstanding stuff. Just hope the company brings a case against the twat. It's hard enough getting a decent job done here in the first place never mind when some bozo steams in and tries to nick your kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 Is the word "shame" in the thai vocabulary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 IMO it is a case of very lousy management and supervising! they do not have their staff under control at all! in a well managed company, where people are under supervision, staff would not dare to go for such a clumsy scam, even under the influence of your tricky neighbour. i would push the company to go after your neighbour and the supervisor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted November 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 Samak - I agree, but if I push the company, and the company goes after the neighbor, I could have problems. I don't know much about him, other than he is generally unfriendly and drives a 7 series BMW. Even though I absolutely agree that they should manage the local staff better, they have accepted responsibility and I know - from my own personal experience - how hard it can be to manage local staff. My other Thai neighbors are siding with me now (a bit embarrassed), and I am not sure how they would react if I turned this intos something bigger. Also, an apology does make a difference. Finally, knowing that there is no way the granite and modules that were specifically designed for my kitchen will look right in his place does give me a smile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 Thieving Thai, probably with a big smile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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