Shop assistants......man!

[VincentD]

Just to let you know Barry, the March is quite a nice little run around car, especially considering the cost of a new one. We bought one a while back, and have been very happy with it. Done about 60,000 km's already.

Thanks for that Takiap - good to hear.
Do you know anything about the Nissan Almera? Same engine as the March but the size of the Toyota Vios - only 60 kg heavier and 40k baht more?
Was also thinking the Honda Brio could be a good buy - only a wee bit more expensive that the March!?

Barry
the wife just got the Almera, I had a quick drive round the neighbourhood. It isn't bad, quite spacious for it's size. Her sister got the March, which is a little smaller but a cute runaround.
Note that they both got that 'perk' discount for being a first-time buyer. The sister got a further discount as the March was the test-drive car.
One feature I didn't like was the 'start-stop' function that turns off the engine if you stop moving for more than 30 seconds (I think). At least on the Almera you can turn it off.

Honda Brio looks okay but the tail lights seem a little low in my opinion. The Jazz is a much better car if you want a Honda.

I personally traded sideways and got the Nissan X-trail (old model - it has electronic 4WD) as I expect to go places at times that are not entirely suitable for a sedan.

Right. Errr....
Back to topic...

[crazy88]

Glad to hear it is not just me

Favourite one that sticks out was trying to buy a bed in HP after a few uncomfortable nights on the couch.

Found a lovely comfortable mattress, clearly marked @ 17k and a base @ 12k. Bear in mind I am with a Thai national with a high level of education fluent in English and capable of communicating in "Mutant" "Retard" and several other dialects necessary to get the job done without being condescending or irate which is an admirable skill I have yet to master.

"Can I take these now? Yes

"Ok I will take them now please"

Calculator comes out and types 43k for the pair.

I question it. 4 more staff arrive and **** about with the calculator which eventually reads 48k. By this time I am lying on the bed laughing because otherwise I would have been joining Nereus at the monkey house. Ask for the calculator and confirmation from a supervisor, who had arrived by then, that the mattress was 17k and the base 12k. Confirmed (It was clearly labelled ) " So that will be 29k then. I will give my address and a map at the desk. Thank you" More calculator shenanigins coming up with yet another figure which escapes me. So I do something logical. "Can I have the mattress please?" Yes " How much?" Get a look as if am stupid and it,s 17k. " I will take it. Now how much is the base?" 12k "I will take them both please" Calculator out again with yet another figure so I ask what is 17+12? 54 apparently, followed by 38, followed by me asking for the calculator and showing them how to add up on it. You would of thought I had just invented a craft capable of interstellar travel and demonstrated it to prehistoric man

Crazy 88

[Vital Spark]

Thank you for giving me a chuckle.

It's maddening when it happens to you (and it's happened a few times to me), but it's such fun to read.

VS

[margaretcarnes]

Glad to hear it is not just me

Favourite one that sticks out was trying to buy a bed in HP after a few uncomfortable nights on the couch.

Found a lovely comfortable mattress, clearly marked @ 17k and a base @ 12k. Bear in mind I am with a Thai national with a high level of education fluent in English and capable of communicating in "Mutant" "Retard" and several other dialects necessary to get the job done without being condescending or irate which is an admirable skill I have yet to master.

"Can I take these now? Yes

"Ok I will take them now please"

Calculator comes out and types 43k for the pair.

I question it. 4 more staff arrive and **** about with the calculator which eventually reads 48k. By this time I am lying on the bed laughing because otherwise I would have been joining Nereus at the monkey house. Ask for the calculator and confirmation from a supervisor, who had arrived by then, that the mattress was 17k and the base 12k. Confirmed (It was clearly labelled ) " So that will be 29k then. I will give my address and a map at the desk. Thank you" More calculator shenanigins coming up with yet another figure which escapes me. So I do something logical. "Can I have the mattress please?" Yes " How much?" Get a look as if am stupid and it,s 17k. " I will take it. Now how much is the base?" 12k "I will take them both please" Calculator out again with yet another figure so I ask what is 17+12? 54 apparently, followed by 38, followed by me asking for the calculator and showing them how to add up on it. You would of thought I had just invented a craft capable of interstellar travel and demonstrated it to prehistoric man

Crazy 88

Again - it ain't just in Thailand. Last weekend my computer guy came round to suss out a deal for me on broadband/gas/electric as a package deal through a UK outfit called Utility Warehouse, for who he is an agent.
Cut a long story short I did a very brief questionnaire on annual essential outgoings. Food - clothes -travel kind of thing. I started to add up the total in my head - it wasn't too difficult and just needed to multiply by 12 at the end and deduct 10%. I was offered a calculator..... Needless to say I am not too impressed by the sales technique of these reps. The other UK company I find has the worst customer relations attitude is Staples (office and computer supplies) whose staff insist on the Americna pronunciation of 'router' and say it as a joinery tool. Then expect sensible customers to know what they are talking about.

[Takiap]

Just to let you know Barry, the March is quite a nice little run around car, especially considering the cost of a new one. We bought one a while back, and have been very happy with it. Done about 60,000 km's already.

Thanks for that Takiap - good to hear.
Do you know anything about the Nissan Almera? Same engine as the March but the size of the Toyota Vios - only 60 kg heavier and 40k baht more?
Was also thinking the Honda Brio could be a good buy - only a wee bit more expensive that the March!?

Barry
the wife just got the Almera, I had a quick drive round the neighbourhood. It isn't bad, quite spacious for it's size. Her sister got the March, which is a little smaller but a cute runaround.
Note that they both got that 'perk' discount for being a first-time buyer. The sister got a further discount as the March was the test-drive car.
One feature I didn't like was the 'start-stop' function that turns off the engine if you stop moving for more than 30 seconds (I think). At least on the Almera you can turn it off.

Honda Brio looks okay but the tail lights seem a little low in my opinion. The Jazz is a much better car if you want a Honda.

I personally traded sideways and got the Nissan X-trail (old model - it has electronic 4WD) as I expect to go places at times that are not entirely suitable for a sedan.

Right. Errr....
Back to topic...

She must have got the top of the range model.......lol. Ours doesn't have that feature at all. Generally though, I quite like the March, but that's probably because can't afford a Hummer......lol.

[Takiap]

Thank you for giving me a chuckle.

It's maddening when it happens to you (and it's happened a few times to me), but it's such fun to read.

VS

You can just imagine the long discussion they had about the calculator afterwards.

[margaretcarnes]

The calculator thing is an ongoing problem I'm afraid. Sure there is no excuse for not being able to do simple addition on them - but the sad truth is that Thai people - on the whole - simply cannot grasp the concepts of multiplication and division. Therefore they cannot translate those concepts to a calculator. It is quite simply magic.
I have tried in the past to explain the purpose of the multiplication key. Written it out longhand as you do - 2 + 2 + 2 = 6. There are 3 x 2's. therefore 3 x 2 = 6. It just doesn't register at all. We go back to the education system I'm afraid. And if the education is lacking there is no way a person can see when the calculators' answer simply has to be wrong.

[Nereus]

="margaretcarnes".................... whose staff insist on the Americna pronunciation of 'router' and say it as a joinery tool. Then expect sensible customers to know what they are talking about.

And just what makes you think that "router" is an "Americna" pronunciation? The "rooter" that I suppose you are referring to, has a much different connotation in many other countries, most of which are quite rude!
How people get "oo" out of a word that has "ou" in it escapes me!

[zingerhk]

Why are the ladies here so nice, and the men so lazy? Sorry, it does seem that way!!

[Pleng]

="margaretcarnes".................... whose staff insist on the Americna pronunciation of 'router' and say it as a joinery tool. Then expect sensible customers to know what they are talking about.

And just what makes you think that "router" is an "Americna" pronunciation?

Possibly because it's the way American's pronounce it???

The "rooter" that I suppose you are referring to, has a much different connotation in many other countries, most of which are quite rude!

To root, may be. We have that in England too. But "rooter", is that really considered rude in other countries. "He is a proper rooter". Nope, I don't buy it.

How people get "oo" out of a word that has "ou" in it escapes me!

Since when has this language been phonetic? I'd hate to imagine how you pronounce soup, group, acoustic, or any other ou words that are normally pronounced with oo.

[Nereus]

="margaretcarnes".................... whose staff insist on the Americna pronunciation of 'router' and say it as a joinery tool. Then expect sensible customers to know what they are talking about.

And just what makes you think that "router" is an "Americna" pronunciation?

Possibly because it's the way American's pronounce it???

The "rooter" that I suppose you are referring to, has a much different connotation in many other countries, most of which are quite rude!

To root, may be. We have that in England too. But "rooter", is that really considered rude in other countries. "He is a proper rooter". Nope, I don't buy it.
How people get "oo" out of a word that has "ou" in it escapes me!

[/quote]
Since when has this language been phonetic? I'd hate to imagine how you pronounce soup, group, acoustic, or any other ou words that are normally pronounced with oo.[/quote]


Well, I am not going to get into an argument with you over it, since you are such as expert in the English language.
We have another expression in Australia that might fit you: "wanker"!

[Pleng]

Wow. You're nice.