Searching for quality in Thailand

[jvs]

The longer i am here the easier it is to find stuff.

When i moved here(Hua hin) it was almost impossible to find any chioce of anything!!Some exceptions of course.

To buy a washing machine you had to go to Bangkok and building materials were in short supply.

I do not know how long the op has lived here but things have changed a lot for the better.

Most of my tools i bought here but some Honda products i can not find here yet.

My stereo equipment is the only thing i really imported,it is old but classic and sounds sweet.

Learning the language helps a lot and i buy at markets and small shops.

Sure there is room for improvement but what country is ideal?Not that i would want to live there.

[RLAretired]

2 minutes ago, upu2 said:

you want high quality at cheap price.

 

Wrong. I can and always expect to pay the price of quality.

[RLAretired]

41 minutes ago, jvs said:

The longer i am here the easier it is to find stuff.

 

What sources or methods have been most useful to find quality products here?

[ThomasThBKK]

1 hour ago, RLAretired said:

 

Please, @ThomasThBKK, this is NOT a winge/complain thread.  Countless complaints everywhere on Thai Visa.  Here I'm hoping to tease out positive methods, sources, brands, or any other ideas that are solutions to the problem.

Ok, well you won't find high end in Thailand for a small Dollar, the whole thing is based on mediocracy.

 

The moment u accept that everything gets easier, you want High End Audio for example, there's tons of it, it's just a bit more pricey and there's no way around it if you don't import it yourself.

What i am saying is - you have to either do it yourself or pay a high price.

 

Amarin Plaza has a bunch of Medi-End stores like HIFILover, good quality mainstream systems, got my JBL LS50W there, the successor of the the famous LS50: https://www.hifilover.com/all-product/active-stereo-speaker/kef-ls50-wireless-glosswhite-copper.html

 

The official importer from what i know is Sound Republic: http://sound-republic.com/articles/promotion/bluetooth-speaker-kef/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_Lz9gbaJ5AIVmYRwCh38AAfdEAAYASAAEgIIO_D_BwE

 

They also have good Headphone shops with Audeze, Sennheiser etc. in Amarin Plaza - forgot the name.

 

Fortune Town is full with HiFi Shops, the biggest one beeing Piyanas: 

 

 

Fortune Town also has everything you could imagine when it comes to other Electronic components, parts and especially Computers.

 

 

Then theres Siam Paragon if you want FOCAL, NAIM, MICROMEGA, TCHERNOV - so the good french brands: http://www.chhomemedias.com/

Bought my Headphones there FOCAL UTOPIA: http://www.chhomemedias.com/products/69-utopia 

and HEADPHONE DAC NAIM DAC V1: http://www.chhomemedias.com/products/84-dac_v1

 

There's also McIntosh and co in Siam: https://kssons.com/

 

Emquartier and co have also good Hifi stores - it's possible to get good stuff here, if you are willing to pay.

Same applies for clothes and everything else.

[Tayaout]

1 hour ago, recom273 said:

Just a casual observation, are all brand names that you have bought, the same thing quality that you get in the states or UK?

 

I have ordered some things, tools, electrical goods, they only seemed available in asia, on research they don’t seem to be available outside, which makes me think me think they are of lower quality, old designs, when you research some serial numbers they appear only in India and Thailand. 

 

Not complaining, I just think that it’s not always good to rely on big name brands.

The tools seems the real deal but can't tell for sure since they don't have many years of use yet.

 

The knifes are imported from France and Switzerland. I bought also some Felco pruner, gardena hose and tools. Everything is imported but it come with a price.

 

However it's much better than the tools I bought from China. Most of the tools from China broke in a matter of days (except Total that seems good price for value).

Edited August 17, 2019 by Tayaout

[sipi]

"Quality" and "Thailand" in the same sentence. 5555

[wgdanson]

1 hour ago, RLAretired said:

 

Cables: lots every year, because quality I can find is so poor.

Do you have any good sources here???

 

 

invadeIT sell Belkin cables. But surely your printer cable is plugged into your PC and never moved. No?

[JimmyJ]

Is there a problem purchasing computers in Thailand?

How do prices compare to the US?

[Tayaout]

3 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Is there a problem purchasing computers in Thailand?

How do prices compare to the US?

It's a lot more expensive. 

[RLAretired]

4 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

invadeIT sell Belkin cables. But surely your printer cable is plugged into your PC and never moved. No?

Thank you, @wgdanson, I just looked at their web site.

invadeIT looks like a useful source for quality products.

 

 

(This thread is about finding quality in Thailand, not about PCs and printers.  Cables of all kinds are a frequent need.)

 

[White Christmas13]

Thailand has good quality girls

[RLAretired]

8 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Is there a problem purchasing computers in Thailand?

How do prices compare to the US?

 

@JimmyJ's post is far OFF TOPIC for this thread.  The topic here is finding quality, not comparing prices.

[RLAretired]

3 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

Thailand has good quality girls

 

Ignore +1

[55Jay]

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Ironically, every trip to the USA I bring back USB cellphone chargers and cables, sunglasses, wallets, shoes, underwear. 

Us too.  All manner of clothes, removable/portable hard drives, thumbdrives - bought a new laptop this last trip for a great price.  Wife gets to add 1 or 2 new higher end handbags/purses to her collection for far less than buying here, with less concern about counterfeits.

 

[wgdanson]

17 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

The tools seems the real deal but can't tell for sure since they don't have many years of use yet.

 

The knifes are imported from France and Switzerland. I bought also some Felco pruner, gardena hose and tools. Everything is imported but it come with a price.

 

However it's much better than the tools I bought from China. Most of the tools from China broke in a matter of days (except Total that seems good price for value).

Even good old British quality 'Stanley' tools are now made in China. As are iPhones, most electronic musical instruments, almost everything.

[RLAretired]

Just now, 55Jay said:

concern about counterfeits.

 

 

Ah, good point.  I didn't think about "counterfeits" when I wrote the OP about looking for quality.  But that is certainly a factor.  Thanks @55Jay for mentioning that.

[Tayaout]

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

Even good old British quality 'Stanley' tools are now made in China. As are iPhones, most electronic musical instruments, almost everything.

I agree but quality control seems to differ from noname Chinese brand. 

[RLAretired]

2 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Even good old British quality 'Stanley' tools are now made in China.

 

Sorry, @wgdanson, but all of us here already know that.  You are "preaching to the choir".  If you have any useful ways to find good quality products and services here in Thailand, I encourage you to post on this topic.

[RLAretired]

2 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

quality control seems to differ from noname Chinese brand. 

So, @Tayaout, what methods do you use to determine the good quality items or brands?

[wgdanson]

12 minutes ago, RLAretired said:

 

Sorry, @wgdanson, but all of us here already know that.  You are "preaching to the choir".  If you have any useful ways to find good quality products and services here in Thailand, I encourage you to post on this topic.

Sorry for my un-useful information. 

 

Whatever anyone says, seems like Mr RLA (retired) has another question, or smart arse answer.

Edited August 17, 2019 by wgdanson

[Tayaout]

15 minutes ago, RLAretired said:

So, @Tayaout, what methods do you use to determine the good quality items or brands?

Unfortunately, I get also burned sometimes. I usually check for brand name, price and reviews. I'm careful about the wording and the things that seems purposely misleading.

 

Some things like bees keeping material and bulk food are better quality when sourced from Thailand (I would never buy food from China anyway). There is quality in Thailand but it require more research. Google is your friend. 

 

I forgot to mention for quality food online there is paleorobbie.com, cheesequintessence.com and many other. 

Edited August 17, 2019 by Tayaout

[LivinLOS]

2 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

In our "high end" condo there are 4 condos per floor (small building), 50% of these have simply 180 degree inverted/mirrored electricy switches depending on which site of the building you are - but obviously doors always hang on the same side. 

You have to open a door, go around the door and switch on the light, it was so annoying we changed condos within the building. It's just hilarious .... the small things that make you facepalm all day.

In my Phuket villa I had a german electrician come in and rewire all light switches one way round for consistency.. Laughable to some but its just like an out of line picture frame, it had to be fixed !! 

 

My current cheap Thai house up north you enter the bedroom, theres 3 different light switches, all not wired right, and the on suite bathroom switch is the wrong side of the bathroom door.. Its these kind of things that are like a daily reminder that your living surrounded by people who cant see the most simplistic problems. 

 

Most of my time I am a very happy person, but these examples are never in isolation a large thing, individually they are petty, but together they are just examples of the bigger overall picture which causes a daily low key gnashing of teeth and winds me up. 

'Soft close' cabinet doors and doors, lights plus and switches place in dumb places, etc etc etc.. Its all about logic and forethought. Planning or consistency seems non existent. 

[RLAretired]

4 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

I forgot to mention for qualities food online there is paleorobbie.com, cheesequintessence.com and many other. 

Please list more so we can tease out the quality.

Thank you.

[55Jay]

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

Even good old British quality 'Stanley' tools are now made in China. As are iPhones, most electronic musical instruments, almost everything.

I don't know for sure, maybe you or somebody does, but I recall reading that products made in low wage labor countries aren't always the same standard.  Believe the example I was reading referred to hard drives/electronics gear made in the Seagate factory up in Korat, and that products intended for US/EU markets have a higher QC/QA standard, while the same product, same name, sold on a shelf in Thailand, might not.

 

If there's truth to that, wonder if it holds true for these long standing "good" brand names, like Stanley, despite being made by slaves in China.  Apple seems to sell their stuff for a premium.

[LivinLOS]

2 hours ago, kokesaat said:

Toyota Tiger, Toyota Vigo, another Vigo, now a Revo.......all as good as anything I could buy in the US for the money....the REVO is exceptional

Sure, I also drive a vigo here.. But in the west its a merc or beemer for a daily and maybe a toy sportscar for the wife / weekends or a hairdresser range rover.

 

Thats the thing.. To replicate just the cars of the west (say 7 series beemer and a SLK for the missus) would be 6 - 7 million baht, for cars I could have in the uk for 1 - 1.5 mil. How many 30b bowls of rice do I need to eat to make that balance out ?? 

[RLAretired]

3 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

In my Phuket villa I had a german electrician come in and rewire all light switches one way round for consistency.. Laughable to some but its just like an out of line picture frame, it had to be fixed !! 

 

My current cheap Thai house up north you enter the bedroom, theres 3 different light switches, all not wired right, and the on suite bathroom switch is the wrong side of the bathroom door.. Its these kind of things that are like a daily reminder that your living surrounded by people who cant see the most simplistic problems. 

 

Most of my time I am a very happy person, but these examples are never in isolation a large thing, individually they are petty, but together they are just examples of the bigger overall picture which causes a daily low key gnashing of teeth and winds me up. 

'Soft close' cabinet doors and doors, lights plus and switches place in dumb places, etc etc etc.. Its all about logic and forethought. Planning or consistency seems non existent. 

 

Sorry, @LivinLOS, but the topic here is not your personal angst.   This topic is looking for positive and productive ways to find quality in Thailand.  If you have any thoughts ON THAT TOPIC, please post again.

[LivinLOS]

2 hours ago, upu2 said:

Sounds like, and I may be wrong, you want high quality at cheap price. If I am right you are not going to get it. There are plenty of places selling high quality goods but you have to be prepared to pay the price that goes with that

But why does it need to be 3 4 or more times as expensive ?? 

 

Not about cheap at cheap.. Just normal global western pricing ?? 

[RLAretired]

2 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

hard drives/electronics gear made in the Seagate factory up in Korat, and that products intended for US/EU markets have a higher QC/QA standard, while the same product, same name, sold on a shelf in Thailand, might not.

 

Maybe so.  How do you determine the quality ???

[LivinLOS]

31 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

Thailand has good quality girls

Cheap.. Not always quality... 

 

Same applies.. Just meets expat pocket books. 

[RLAretired]

3 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

But why does it need to be 3 4 or more times as expensive ?? 

 

Not about cheap at cheap.. Just normal global western pricing ?? 

 

Clearly, @LivinLOS, you don't fly first class or eat at 5-star restaurants.  Its easy to complain about why aren't things cheaper.  This thread is NOT about cheaper, it is about better quality.

Edited August 17, 2019 by RLAretired