Thread: Things that drive you mad in Thailand part 86

Originally Posted by Hollow

A place that markets itself as a top tourist destination? A place that takes millions upon millions of Baht per year from tourists shouldn't try and an accomodate them in terms of language?

I think they are accommodated enough already. But most tourists aren't buying packets of spicy buffalo wing mix in the local supermarket.

I grew up with this dish at home but it's British. Arai na?

วงกลมของคนเลี้ยงแกะ

Originally Posted by natalie8

วงกลมของคนเลี้ยงแกะ

Sometimes for a quick fix I buy a few frozen meat pies from Foodland/Patters and plop some instant mash potato on top.

Originally Posted by Hollow

Really? Thailand? A place that markets itself as a top tourist destination? A place that takes millions upon millions of Baht per year from tourists shouldn't try and an accomodate them in terms of language? In any way? Or only in ways you deem fit?

we're talking about recipes and nutritional information for foods like chicken korma, italian dressing mix and instructions on how to warm up the package of frozen dim sum. not exactly hot items on the average tourist's map, are they?

Originally Posted by crew

we're talking about recipes and nutritional information for foods like chicken korma, italian dressing mix and instructions on how to warm up the package of frozen dim sum. not exactly hot items on the average tourist's map, are they?

They are for the long stay tourist who has gone the self-catering apartment route. Not everyone is here for five days in Bangkok including a trip to The River Kwai and The Crocodile Farm.

If I was the owner of let's say a packet sauce company and my products were on the supermarket shelves in Thailand, I would want those products to appeal to everyone and be accessible to everyone. If I knew that one person - regardless of their nationality - picked up my product out of idle curiosity, found out they couldn't read the instructions, so put the product back on the shelf (as I have done a number of times) - I would be miffed. In fact I would send my sales manager out to find out how many times this was possibly happening.

I.......agree.......with........tit.

Originally Posted by Thaitanium

I just had a deja vu...

No joke .. but I did too re Hollows post...

Originally Posted by Hollow

Really? hmm... it would almost be a good idea if all the worlds countries just decided on one language... Say an 'international language' that everyone could use to interact with each other. It would also mean that they wouldn't need to put multiple translations on products and services. Now all we need to do is decided on one...

I'm sure I've seen that or similar before ... Farangathai?

Spooky.

---Update---

Originally Posted by natalie8

but what about tourists?

Originally Posted by keekwai

Stuff the tourists.

Originally Posted by Bangkok Phil

They are for the long stay tourist who has gone the self-catering apartment route.

Pretty tiny demographic there. Stuff them too.

Originally Posted by Bangkok Phil

They are for the long stay tourist who has gone the self-catering apartment route. Not everyone is here for five days in Bangkok including a trip to The River Kwai and The Crocodile Farm.

of course, but what percentage of these folks are in our demographic?

and should one go to the manager at topps and ask why the labels are put on in such a way, any savvy manager would simply explain that the vast majority of their customers are thai, that space is limited and that the labels must be put somewhere. it goes back to an addage you often (rightfully repeat): you can't make everyone happy, take action and you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Originally Posted by Bangkok Phil

If I was the owner of let's say a packet sauce company and my products were on the supermarket shelves in Thailand, I would want those products to appeal to everyone and be accessible to everyone. If I knew that one person - regardless of their nationality - picked up my product out of idle curiosity, found out they couldn't read the instructions, so put the product back on the shelf (as I have done a number of times) - I would be miffed. In fact I would send my sales manager out to find out how many times this was possibly happening.

and that same savvy manager will bust out statistics on demographics. demographics that prove that while whitey thinks thailand ought to bend over backwards for him and her, the vast majority of customers are thai and their needs will be met before the needs of a minority demographic. their winning argument might be that they can stop putting the thai language label on the product in order to recapture some lost sales but that more sales will be lost because their thai customers are putting the items back down.

Originally Posted by crew

their winning argument might be that they can stop putting the thai language label on the product in order to recapture some lost sales but that more sales will be lost because their thai customers are putting the items back down.

It's not an argument I think because the Food and Drug Admistration require a label on all imported foodstuffs.

Originally Posted by Bangkok Phil

It's not an argument I think because the Food and Drug Admistration require a label on all imported foodstuffs.

In Health & Safety "unconscious" Thailand?

Originally Posted by Bangkok Phil

It's not an argument I think because the Food and Drug Admistration require a label on all imported foodstuffs.

well, i suppose that makes it even tougher.

perhaps the manufacturer needs to rethink his product packaging or the country in which s/he does business.