B is for Beginning of the End

One of my friends who works in Bhutan has asked me several times to send him a brand new cellphone from Bangkok. I did it a month ago. He was happy that I bought him the right brand that he described. 

But sadly, it has started to give a problem notwithstanding even a month. I have been instructed to send it back so that I can reach the same shop. We still had one year warranty period whereby we can exercise our right to ask for either a replacement or reparation.  

I took the same phone to the same shop located in MBK, a giant electronic shopping mall in the heart of Bangkok city. I handed over the phone and described the problems to the owner. He hastily said that I can return to the shop after 20 minutes during which he can inspect and detect the problem.

As prescribed, I exactly turned up at his shop after 20 minutes. He asked me to come after another 30 minutes. I said OK, in a hope that he might repair the cellphone or at least tell me why it showed a ‘RAMPDUMP’ sign and got switched off.

So after 30 minutes, I reported to his shop where he told me that the phone will now work well. The problems have been solved and they would not appear again. Should there be any problem, I was instructed to return and he would be glad to help me any time again.

I was contented. I called my friend that I will keep his cellphone here for a few weeks to see whether it gives the same problem. But the situation of the cellphone has never improved. The problem resulted in that same evening.

I could not leave for the city to admit the problem because I had regular classes for almost a week. But today, I made a point to address it.

This time the man seemed to have felt irritated after seeing my face again. I could smell it from the tone of his voice.     

He told me that he need almost 10 days to send it to the Samsung store and see if they can replace with a new one. I agreed with his alternative in solving the problem.

The repeated sign shown in my friend's cellphone

But I asked him, what if the store doesn’t have? Can he replace me with the same brand but of higher or similar cost?  

He told me that if Samsung fails to replace with a new one then, I might have to take the other model of the same brand with a higher price.

I asked him the price and he told me that it was 8900 Baht. Thinking that I need to add only around 1000 baht (because I have paid 7900 Baht last time) I told him to give me the new phone without letting me to wait for 10days which was still not very certain.

The man was adamant. He angrily said that the price of the mobile phone which I have bought last time has gone down drastically as low as 5900 Baht. So if I want to exchange for new, I should have to pay him additional 5900 Bhat.

I inquired him on why should I pay 5900 Baht for the mobile which I have warranty?

He was not guilty and hesitant to cloud me with a reason that the price has gone down and no one would be willingly to buy at the same price. I gave him so many justifications of what warranty means in actuality but to no avail.

I finally resorted to keep the cellphone and return after 10days. I knew arguing with such fools will make me one.

Now the situation grows worse and I can predict that it might end up having no replacement or using the old.     

Generally, Thai people are often considered warm, polite, understanding and considerate. But after encountering so many incidences repeatedly, I learned that “Not all the eggs are always white”.

Life is terrible and turning worse gradually. 

"What appears to be the end may be a new beginning" -Anonymous