Cheap Faulty Goods
Had an electric water kettle from Tesco that was 6 months old.
Shorted out and caught fire.
Smelled what I thought was an electrical fire smoke, but didn't see any.
After a couple of minutes did a walkaround; opened the kitchen door and found the blaze....directly beneath the wood cabinets.
Looked around for something plastic....Spatula to the rescue!
Used it to yank the cord out of the outlet and then transfer everything to the sink.
So, three things malfunctioned here…..the electric kettle, the smoke detector (battery was new) and the breaker to the kitchen.
Good thing I was home, or it may have put the whole condoplex up in smoke.
P.S., I always keep the new one unplugged until needed now.
Shorted out and caught fire.
Smelled what I thought was an electrical fire smoke, but didn't see any.
After a couple of minutes did a walkaround; opened the kitchen door and found the blaze....directly beneath the wood cabinets.
Looked around for something plastic....Spatula to the rescue!
Used it to yank the cord out of the outlet and then transfer everything to the sink.
So, three things malfunctioned here…..the electric kettle, the smoke detector (battery was new) and the breaker to the kitchen.
Good thing I was home, or it may have put the whole condoplex up in smoke.
P.S., I always keep the new one unplugged until needed now.
When Chuck Norris does a push up, he isn't pushing himself up, he is pushing the earth down.
- margaretcarnes
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Faulty Thai Goods
It's the same anywhere now IMO. I had a rice cooker in LOS which served well for over 5 years with no probs, and wasn't expensive, and might still be going. Also a second hand TV which wouldn't die.
Fans were variable in terms of reliability, regardless of cost. Wall mounted fans broke down maybe more often than free standing, but the main problem is a little plastic cog inside them which wears. You can pay more for a fan and still have the plastic cog problem!
Good quality cutlery in LOS is difficult to find, and too expensive IMO. Either take western cutlery with you or buy cheap and expect to replace it often.
Clothing made in LOS can last for years, or fall to bits in a week. Luck of the draw.
Tools can be good. We had a quite servicable electric drill from the Grand market which was VFM.
Here in the UK now its pretty much the same. You can get plenty of cheap tools etc from places like Lidl. End up with a load of drill bits for example, half of which you will never use, but at less cost than just one the right size from another shop. Same applies to packs of batteries from Poundland. Sets of brushes so cheap it is hardly worth buying brush cleaner for them. Sets of cutting blades. It costs less to use them, dump them and buy more than to get 'quality' versions.
Kettles here can be so cheap - 6 or 7 pounds - that people would rather buy them and replace when needed than invest in a 30 quid model, which might not last anyway.
What I find odd about all this is the amount of surplus plastic and metals going into landfill as a result.
Fans were variable in terms of reliability, regardless of cost. Wall mounted fans broke down maybe more often than free standing, but the main problem is a little plastic cog inside them which wears. You can pay more for a fan and still have the plastic cog problem!
Good quality cutlery in LOS is difficult to find, and too expensive IMO. Either take western cutlery with you or buy cheap and expect to replace it often.
Clothing made in LOS can last for years, or fall to bits in a week. Luck of the draw.
Tools can be good. We had a quite servicable electric drill from the Grand market which was VFM.
Here in the UK now its pretty much the same. You can get plenty of cheap tools etc from places like Lidl. End up with a load of drill bits for example, half of which you will never use, but at less cost than just one the right size from another shop. Same applies to packs of batteries from Poundland. Sets of brushes so cheap it is hardly worth buying brush cleaner for them. Sets of cutting blades. It costs less to use them, dump them and buy more than to get 'quality' versions.
Kettles here can be so cheap - 6 or 7 pounds - that people would rather buy them and replace when needed than invest in a 30 quid model, which might not last anyway.
What I find odd about all this is the amount of surplus plastic and metals going into landfill as a result.
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- sandman67
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This all sounds like the Sam Vimes Unified Boots Theory from Diskworld....rich people actually spend less on stuff because they are rich and can afford decent kit. Poor mugs get the second rate stuff that needs replacing regularly, and so spend more in reality than the rich do. Thus also keeping them poor (and ill shod). Vimes uses his crappy work boots as an example hence Unified Boots Theory.
kettles are a bane of my life here. The only one that works for more than a week is one of the sodding useless thai water warmers. All the others give up after a few brews

kettles are a bane of my life here. The only one that works for more than a week is one of the sodding useless thai water warmers. All the others give up after a few brews


"Science flew men to the moon. Religion flew men into buildings."
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
Those Thai water boilers are not so useless as mine is still making tea after six years.
The only thing I bought here which was really useless was a foot pump for the car. I bought the only one I could find which was very cheap, but the first time I used it I attached it to the tyre and on the very first pump the valve stuck open so the pressure from the tyre literally blew it apart.
It looked like something from a Tom and Jerry cartoon and I couldn't stop laughing for ten minutes, I didn't even take it back to the shop as I wouldn't know where to start trying to explain why the thing is in so many bits.
The only thing I bought here which was really useless was a foot pump for the car. I bought the only one I could find which was very cheap, but the first time I used it I attached it to the tyre and on the very first pump the valve stuck open so the pressure from the tyre literally blew it apart.
It looked like something from a Tom and Jerry cartoon and I couldn't stop laughing for ten minutes, I didn't even take it back to the shop as I wouldn't know where to start trying to explain why the thing is in so many bits.
- Khundon1975
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- stgrhe
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This morning my coffee machine, Electrolux made in Thailand, broke down after 13 months. It makes me wonder whether products made here are designed to last for the warranty period plus only. Next time I go to Bangkok I will buy a Lavazza if I can find one.
I am so pizzed of with the crappy quality of the Thai made products.
I am so pizzed of with the crappy quality of the Thai made products.
If my memory serves me well there is an ad on the wall in the German restaurant "All in Hua Hin", 12/1 Srasong Rd., Hua Hin, 77110, Tel: 032-530084 for European-made coffee machines, and Lavazza may well be one of them. So a visit to "All in Hua Hin" may solve your coffee machine problems.stgrhe wrote:This morning my coffee machine, Electrolux made in Thailand, broke down after 13 months. It makes me wonder whether products made here are designed to last for the warranty period plus only. Next time I go to Bangkok I will buy a Lavazza if I can find one.
I am so pizzed of with the crappy quality of the Thai made products.

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- stgrhe
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Thanks, I will have a look.Lung Per wrote:If my memory serves me well there is an ad on the wall in the German restaurant "All in Hua Hin", 12/1 Srasong Rd., Hua Hin, 77110, Tel: 032-530084 for European-made coffee machines, and Lavazza may well be one of them. So a visit to "All in Hua Hin" may solve your coffee machine problems.stgrhe wrote:This morning my coffee machine, Electrolux made in Thailand, broke down after 13 months. It makes me wonder whether products made here are designed to last for the warranty period plus only. Next time I go to Bangkok I will buy a Lavazza if I can find one.
I am so pizzed of with the crappy quality of the Thai made products.
Correct, they (on Soi 94) have many different machines that are of very high quality. I have one of the brand they sell (restaurant style espresso/cappachino/coffee machine with built in grinder) and it makes a great cup, but be prepared to empty your wallet.Coffee machines?
Look no further than Bon Cafe

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- Khundon1975
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Agreed Richardrichard wrote:Coffee machines?
Look no further than Bon Cafe![]()

We bought one of their fully automatic machines for about Baht35k, it did everything except drink the stuff for you.
Plus they sell a good range of fresh coffee beans as well.

I've lost my mind and I am making no effort to find it.