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-   -   Merchant Complaint in Bangkok (https://www.fodors.com/community/asia/merchant-complaint-in-bangkok-686034/)

Guenmai Mar 8th, 2007 06:50 AM

Merchant Complaint in Bangkok
 
Whom does one write to to file a complaint against a merchant? Does the complaint just go to the Tourist Authority of Thailand? I've never before had to deal with this situation in Bangkok. Happy Travels!

MichaelBKK Mar 8th, 2007 04:15 PM

If you think you've been ripped off, you best contact the tourist police. Their local number is 1155 (toll free).

rhkkmk Mar 8th, 2007 04:33 PM

what has happened?? has one of the "children" spoken to you in a bad way???

Guenmai Mar 8th, 2007 04:59 PM

Thanks, Michael...but I'm back in California now. I am owed a 5,000 baht,deposit refund by a merchant who was not able to produce a custom item that I was to have made. I was called, by the merchant, while still in BK to say that she couldn't get the materials for the item,although she had said she could. I was told I would be refunded the deposit. I was across town at my apartment building, in bed with a knee injury, so on the day of the call it was impossible for me to go all the way back to the shop. I was told that I need not come in and that she would do the refund to my credit card.

A few days later, I actually went across town to the store since I had to pick up some items in the same building from another merchant. I went by the shop and asked about the refund and was told that the bank had been called and that all had been taken care of. I'm used to getting a credit-refund receipt from stores, but there was none since my credit card had supposedly been credited without having to use my credit card to do it.

Well, there has been no credit made to my account. I contacted my credit card company last week about the matter and I have to try to resolve it first. I have recently sent an e-mail...day before yesterday...to the store, but have heard nothing. So, the credit card company is giving me until this weekend to try to resolve it myself before they step in and try.

If it doesn't get resolved, I will most likely be back in Bangkok in summer and will drop by the place with a couple of Thai friends.I have all of the documentation. This once happened in Paris, 15 years ago, when I was sold a defective watch and the company didn't want to replace it since it was an expensive watch. I tried to resolve it by letters, but to no avail. So, I showed up at the store a year later with a couple of French friends as translators. I was on vacation. By the time I finished, I just happened to end up with the same salesperson who had sold me the defective watch.By the time my friends finished translating what I was saying, I ended up with a brand new watch which I'm wearing right now and wear daily and have had no further problems with. Happy Travels!

Guenmai Mar 8th, 2007 05:03 PM

Correction...delete..."By the time I finished". I missed this in the editing. Happy Travels!

lcuy Mar 8th, 2007 06:20 PM

Hi Guen...Care to share the name, or are you waiting till it is finalized? When I hear something like this from you, I know its something to pay attention to the details...

Lucy

PS: Put me down as a definite for the GTG!

Guenmai Mar 8th, 2007 06:49 PM

Great Lucy...can't wait to see you again! We'll have a ball!
As for the merchant, I'll wait and see where my case goes before I post the info. But, I'll say that the merchant is in a reputable shopping building. I've not had this happen before. Happy Travels!

Hanuman Mar 8th, 2007 07:17 PM

Guen,

I can assist if you want. Please email me at [email protected] with all the information and the relevant telephone number. I will tell our company lawyer to give them a call and see what happen.

hawaiiantraveler Mar 8th, 2007 08:07 PM

oooooooo i would not want to be that merchant if Guen does not have her money back by the time she gets back to bkk or much sooner!

Hopefully it's just a misunderstanding and will be resolved amicably, for their sake. :)

Aloha!

rhkkmk Mar 9th, 2007 05:57 AM

remember theo. roosevelt? that is guen...something about a 'big stick'.,...

simpsonc510 Mar 9th, 2007 06:53 AM

guenmai
I hope you get this resolved. Sorry to hear that you have had a problem.

Good luck with it!
Carol

Guenmai Mar 12th, 2007 09:51 AM

Thanks Hanuman...I'll keep in touch! AmExp has taken over the situation right now. I'll see what they can do. As of Friday morning, I have booked a ticket back to BK for my one-week vacation, but not until the end of summer. My best friend is going to BK in a few weeks, but I don't really want to ask her to go all the way over to the river area to try to take care of this. So, I'll sit tight, wait and see what happens and then keep your e-mail address. Thanks again. Happy Travels!

simpsonc510 Mar 12th, 2007 12:54 PM

I have many friends in Bangkok. I always remember to bring chocolates for my female friends. The male friends like it if I can bring a bottle of wine. Obviously, a limited number of bottles will fit in my checked bag!! But the boxes of chocolates always are a hit.

simpsonc510 Mar 12th, 2007 12:54 PM

oops.... wrong thread

Guenmai Mar 12th, 2007 04:54 PM

Carol...I think that maybe a few of those gift bottles of wine might have arrived empty? Bless your heart. I hope you've found your way to the right thread. Smiles. Happy Travels!

Guenmai May 14th, 2007 07:10 PM

So as of last week, my complaint has finally been resolved. I sent an e-mail letter to the store in Bangkok and they never answered me back, so I had to get more aggressive with the situation. I sent all of the info to AmExp/Optima and stayed in contact with them and plead my case. They contacted the merchant which took a very long time. AmExp/Optima sent a letter to me to inform me that I have, so to speak, won my case. This battle has been going on since February. So folks keep your paperwork in order. I had all of mine in order and copies of the contact e-mails that I'd sent to the merchant to try to resolve this matter. In-order paperwork saved me $143. I'm SO glad that I won't have to round up my Thai posse and go to that store to straighten the situation out when I get back to BK this summer. Smiles.Happy Travels!

simpsonc510 May 15th, 2007 06:25 AM

So are you going to give us all "fair warning" about this mechant that tried to bilk you? (name, location, any hints?)
Carol

Guenmai May 15th, 2007 04:53 PM

Carol...I'll e-mail you the name. Let's just say that it's a custom handbag store in the Orient Place Shopping Arcade..the white colonial building, one street behind the Oriental. Happy Travels!


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