Just couldnt believe it...
Yesterday went for a tyre repair to Kosol Tyres on the way to Cha am.. just past the airport but before the tunnel on the left hand side..
They speak good English, very professional - a lot of high tech equipment.. we explained the problem - a slow puncture.. asked to sit down brought us a free drink.. waited at least 20mins whilst they did the repair and checked all the other tyres... was summoned to the pay desk where we were told 'FREE service'.. Had to ask them to repeat it 3 times, was in shock, thanked them very much and left feeling very confused. Still kept checking in the rear view mirror that we hadnt got it wrong and was being chased for the money!!
Have only used this garage once before (last year) for 2 new tyres.. but would highly recommend them..
Just thought that with all the bad publicity on the threads would like to share some good news..
Nice to see a bit of forward thinking. Give an 80 baht repair for free and a cold drink. Guess where you will be buying your next set of tyres. if you do something good something good it wlll come back to you. A philosophy not just to Buddhism.
When I first moved to Hua Hin I borrowed a friend truck and ran out of fuel. I had no idea which direction to walk to find a flop shop and eventually found a set of shacks full of plant machinery manned by a guy asleep in a hammock. I woke him up and tried to buy a bottle of fuel. I did not seem to be getting anywhere as my Thai skills were learned in a different dialect. Frustrated I decided, with a polite wai, to try the other direction, cursing myself for leaving the phone at home. When I got back to the truck there were 2 guys there with a drum of fuel. They gave me a few litres and pointed towards a road where I found a fuel station. They would not take any money so I went back to the yard. Still would not take money. At the time I had no idea who these guys were. Tops out it was the local PYB and his deputy. A bottle of whisky later and for 5 years now I and many friends have been using the families services for gardens, renting plant machinery, shopping at their shop, laundry, and eating at the daughters restaurant. Guess the philosophy works.
There are the good ones for sure. One time on the way back from Ranong our minibus had a blow out. Driver immediately pulled up outside what seemed to be a tyre repair place (had he timed it well or what?) but it was pretty late and no-one was up.
No problem - the owner was awoken and changed the wheel. I don't remember a price being mentioned at all - although the driver no doubt gave the guy a few baht.
Maybe we should have a thread devoted to the 'nice' stories - they do exist
they also have another branch about 30k down the road going to BKK. not only are they the best in Thailand they provide a level of service that i never experienced in the U.K. as for price,don't even bother with the competition they are unbeatable. an added plus, they are very nice people to deal with. what a refreshing change.
miked
The tyre repair thing seems to be well adopted here in Thailand. BQuik provide the same service too. Agree with the comments above, nice stories are easy to find here, and certainly exceed those from my home country.
I foolishly spent all my cash and had not a penny when leaving Thailand some years ago. I didn't have the 500 baht departure tax and no amount of pleading could get me through the gate. The lady told me to see my airline (EVA).
I told my tale of woe at the counter but the airline could do nothing. Three or four EVA staff were listening and one VERY pretty young woman stepped up and asked if she could check my passport. She came back with a photocopy and handed me 500 baht. She explained it was her own money and hoped I would repay it. Wai jai!
She took a chance and lent a total stranger a largish sum considering her salary was probably about 7-8000/month.
I got home and couldn't get Thai baht so I sent her US$20 (about 800THB at the time) with a thank you.
Her husband e-mailed me with thanks and I told him his wife had a big heart. I found her at the airport next visit and thanked her again in person.
poosmate wrote:Not to put a damper on the free tyre repair but it is a balanced business strategy to sell tyres.
Yes, we are all well aware of that. We're just saying the strategy works, and yet so many businesses and individuals in Thailand fail to realize it.
For example, I have lived in this house for almost five years, and yet when a regular vendor comes down the road, he still tries to charge me 250 baht for a broom which costs 45 baht everywhere else. Try ti rip me off once, add you'll never get my business. Treat me nice and play fair, and you'll always get my business. Obviously the tyre repair place is aware of this line of thinking. After all, it's not rocket science.
Don't try to impress me with your manner of dress cos a monkey himself is a monkey no less - cold fact
I don't like this strategy because most of the time they just want to take a lot of your money by selling other services.
For the story, a thai guy who is a "captain" for speed boats wanted to help me for free, then i decided to give him 300 bahts per day for his help, then after a week i didn't needed him anymore, he told me that we can be friends and go fishing, he proposed his services, 500 bahts per day for captain, i told him i didn't needed any captain as i can drive my boat alone, he understood and came 4 or 5 times without asking money.
Then he started asking for free food, free drink and the last time he wanted 500 bahts for captain services... he told me exactly this "You know my job is to be a captain for farang, you should pay me 500 bahts anytime i go with you", i wanted to kick his face as i took him with me just because i was pitty for him to stay alone at the marina. Then we bought some ice for the fishes in a shop, the woman said it was free because we needed just a little, that thai guy though i didn't understand what he was saying but he said : "You don't see the farang with me ? He can pay you". Then i had to pay for the free ice...
What a good friend... a guy who wanted to help me for free endeed by trying to rip me off, even if it was little money i will never go with him again. The last time i went fishing alone he run from his home for go with me and i told him that i wanted to go alone, he wasn't happy at all. He lost a friend for a few bats, now he can go fishing from the pier.
When we first came to Thailand we lived in Bangkok (that was when Sukhumvit Soi.22 was a nice place to live). We made friends with some local shopkeepers, who took us under their wing and taught us so much about Thai culture and customs. We went on fabulous trips with them and didn’t have to pay for anything, ‘When we come to England, you pay!’ was their reply when we tried to chip in. Knowing full well that they would probably never go to England with us. When we go back to see them, usually once a year, we’re treated like long-lost friends and they refuse to let us pay for anything.
The same happens when we pop down to see our ex. landlady in Ban Tungkham (west of Hua Hin), and a small shop/restaurant halfway between our old house and the university. After the usual pleasantries of ‘Sabai dee?’, ‘Kit teung maak’ (we miss you), etc., we get presented with as many beers as we require and leave not having to pay a baht.
We both feel slightly embarrassed about our freebies, but to push the payment issue would involve more embarrassment on their side.
There are many other times when things have gone wrong: a tree falling on the house, dogs going awol, the car refusing to start (the list is endless), when Thais have helped and refused any kind of payment or reward.
A farang friend one said to us , ‘The trouble with the Thais is that they’ve always got their hands out.’ I tend to agree with him, but in our case it’s usually in our favour.
VS
"Properly trained, man can be a dog's best friend"
, let's get back to all the bad things 
