Dear readers,
Here is my story about Top Charoen Optical in Chiang Mai. I noticed that my vision was getting worse so we went to the optician around the corner to have my eyes measured. Top Charoen Optical, Lampoon Road, Chiang Mai. It turned out that stronger glasses were needed. Ordered the best quality progressive lenses (vari focus) available. Deposit TBH 6.500.
When the glasses were delivered, there was a problem: Near and far vision was good, but the intermediate distances were not. The computer screen was in the shape of a semicircle, and the table was no longer level, but tilted at 30 degrees or something. We were assured that this took some getting used to for the eyes and that everything would be fine. If not, we could come back and the problem would be solved. The rest pays TBH 15.521
Warranty was 14 days and it didn't get better, so we returned within those 14 days. Because we had to go to NL urgently because of a funeral, we agreed that we would come back to this at the beginning of February. No problem. They knew us.
In NL we had the eyes measured at our own optician to be sure and it turned out that 1 eye needed a slightly different strength. Optician neatly wrote down the desired strengths, etc. on his card. When we return to Chiang Mai we return to our friendly ladies. No problem. The glass will be replaced according to the prescription of “our doctor”. But no result. Same problem. Proposal: We will return the glasses and replace both lenses. Result: Same problem.
We thought it was enough and demanded our money back. Then the problems started. There are four girls in that shop. An optometrist, an optician, a girl for bringing the glasses of fruit juice and another who also did something every now and then. Two girls spoke a little English, but then suddenly a lot less. So a colleague from another store was brought in. He spoke good English and suggested that they wanted to replace the glasses one more time and promised: NOT GOOD, MONEY BACK.
Okay. We'll give them one more chance. And again no improvement. So just money back. Not so. The teacher we had made the appointment with was no longer available and they did not want to give her name. Another colleague was brought in who also spoke good English. Not so. We stood in front of five beautiful girls in a row who were gawking at us sweetly, but none of them could decide or do anything. We then went to get a good Thai knowledge. He managed to get them to call their boss for the umpteenth time, but he kept his leg stiff and the only thing that could be done was to replace the glasses. So that doesn't work. In addition, we traveled home the next day. And they knew that. So we go home. TBH 1 poorer and no glasses. Now also starting to doubt whether those glasses have actually been replaced.
We will be back in Chiang Mai in October. What are your experiences and even better: What can we do to get my money back?
Regards,
Gerard
When I see the heat peeps, who work in eyewear shops, immaculately dressed in corporate clothing and with make-up done to perfection, I don't get the impression that they know anything about anything other than make-up. Last year I bought my new glasses at Het Huis in the Netherlands. At least professionals work there.
With variofocus lenses, as with all glasses, not only the correct strength is important, but also - and especially - the transition between the distance part and the reading part. Many mistakes are made with that and I wouldn't be surprised if that also went wrong in your case. Such glasses with the right strengths but a transition not specifically adapted to your eyes can then turn out badly. Has also happened to me in NL with glasses from one of the well-known chains, the glasses were remade 2x before everything was okay.
Something like this happened to me the first week.
Finally an eye measurement instead of reading glasses in NL. Where you only made an estimate on the market whether you could read the newspaper.
Of course at a Top store with those beautifully made dolls it is nice to have that done while enjoying a glass of orange juice.
With a beautiful smile with radiant eyes and snow-white teeth, Khun Mo and her size 36 persuaded me to buy an expensive frame that later turned out to be the eye of many ladyboys.
After a few hours the windows were ready to be used .
It took some getting used to as I was told.
I knew that .
Very soon I knew the way to that guy on the market who has been making me happy for years for 75 Thb with his quality that I sometimes have to tighten a screw.
I have two in case the screw accidentally falls on the floor.
It dies from those stores of TOP CHAROEN OPTICAL. In Patatya it looks like a kind of 7/11. Everywhere nicely dressed ladies well made up. Stores, you never see no customer. There is also one in my village, of course right next to an existing eyewear store. Never no customer and three ladies inside.
The only thing I do is buy my lens solution there (check the expiration date carefully. When the time comes, I order new lenses there. I have monthly lenses. A package contains lenses for 6 months. Always my brand, what I for more than 12 years. Bausch&Lomp. My eyesight has not deteriorated in years. The last time she wanted to sell me another brand, of course, I did not respond. What do you expect from shops without customers with good-looking
ladies without customers. What would their salary be? Would they work there with a training that fits an optician?
My advice. Just go to an ophthalmologist in Thailand and have everything measured.
Go to such a store with that information. All they do is order what the doctor prescribes.
J. Jordan.
Hallo,
I had the same problem….in Belgium
Unfortunately, the Belgian optician was not that flexible….:-( His computer program could not be wrong..
I then went to an eye specialist, who came to a completely different concept of glass strength. He pointed out to me that there were people who could not adapt at all to the progressive lenses, and had to stick to separate glasses.
Since then I go to the "Hans", and once a year for a check-up with the eye specialist.
This has been going on for 10 years now….and had to adjust the glasses twice.
Dirk
It's been a while since I needed new lenses in Thailand. Never had problems. However, I would think about involving the police, but first announce it in advance. Maybe the threat already helps.
I had the same problem in Khon Buri. Fortunately, it could be fixed after the 3rd time adjusting glasses because I still had glasses with the same lenses and it was only a spare copy. Since then I only buy my glasses in Europe.
All Top Charoen stores here are franchise stores, so they pay a fee for the name and they have to buy the products from Top Charoen head office.
So giving money back costs them money and they don't do that. From my own experience I find the quality and service of independent opticians, so those who have their own store and stock much better and often cheaper.
But those girls at Top Charoen look hot, so that's what you pay for.
I have bought at least 3 glasses for a good price from the same eyewear store without a problem. I still have the glasses and the service was perfect. I bought three glasses for the price of glasses in the Netherlands. At the optician in the Netherlands, the same has also happened with the strength, so it is not only in Thailand where it happens. Not everything in the Netherlands is more perfect.
I've been here for about 8 months now and had problems with my reading glasses, I had sat on them.
Actually, it was also necessary for me to have my eye strength measured again, but I have already heard from various (farang) sides that this is not done properly here.
When they wanted to measure my eyes, they also looked at the thickness of my own glasses, and NOT at my eyes.
The lenses here are usually made of plastic and optically a lot worse than what we are used to in Europe, especially for double focus lenses!
I could have my glasses repaired by an old man for 20 bht, sometimes you have to be a bit persistent in this country, luckily we Dutch people usually have no problems with that.
Sorry, but you went for the price or the glasses?
Need reading glasses myself, but nowhere as much ignorance as encountered here.
They even wanted to provide my lazy eye with a jam jar glass pffft
They do say very nice girls who look great, but no, go look elsewhere for glasses.
One experience with Top Charoen was enough for me. A bad frame and wrong lenses, come back three times and more misery.
I once had a similar experience in the Netherlands with Hans Anders, who made the glasses ANDERS.
Top Charoen is also much too expensive. All those unemployed hours of the make-up dolls must also be paid. In addition, there are sometimes 3 branches within a 5-minute walk.
I prefer not to go to an eyewear shop in a tourist town, but to places where almost only Thais come. They take their time and are very precise.
Just a lousy chain of pretty girls who don't know English.
They can't tell the difference between + or - yet.
I also had one made for 20 baht and luckily lost it on the way from Phuket and now have 1 of 199 baht.
This one works well, so no longer to Stop Charoen and not recommend it to anyone.
I think the same can happen to you in the Netherlands. My wife and I have both had glasses fitted in Bangkok by a Thai otician for several years and have enjoyed wearing them for several years. I don't know if it was Top Charoen, but it was a chain store. My wife then bought new glasses from another store in Thailand, because we were not near the first store at the time. Fine again. You can be unlucky anywhere. And ask Hans Anders or Het Huis for your money back? Then they are not cheering.
What was that article called a few weeks ago? In Thailand cheap is expensive?? Something like that. I do not understand why you buy glasses in Thailand for more than 20.000 Baht while you can buy them for the same price in the Netherlands. Especially if you don't live in Thailand. Anyway, everyone should know that, but glasses for that price and then from a store that I don't know, I wouldn't do that in the Netherlands either.
I have bought glasses twice, over 8 years. The first one broke off and after six weeks. They said I did it myself. I got furious and said I wasn't going out until there was an agreement. Finally they went to get someone and this person suggested giving 500 bat and everything would be fine. I said 3000 and had it written down.
I ordered my next glasses in Phuket town (where no tourists come) I can still use them after 4 years, but my eyes have changed again. Charoen I will definitely not go again.
I have already had bad experience at Charoen twice and then went to Phuket Town and will never go to the Charoen shops again
Have not bought glasses in the Netherlands for at least 20 years, but always in Thailand at Top Charoen. Also for my wife and two sons who are now 30 and 32. Even when we lived in Singapore, we always bought the glasses (for the growing sons too) in Thailand. And always at the same Top Charoen store in Bangkok. Not only nice looking girls there but also very skilled. Incidentally, it is not that difficult to get a lens prescription with the computer-controlled eye measuring devices that is neatly printed out for the lens technician. You have to operate the device seriously, of course, and listen carefully to the feedback from the patient. Usually ready within two or three days. No cylinders myself, but I do have varifocus, excellent lenses from the Japanese brand Hoya. Female also varifocus. Sons only farsighted. B&L, Essilor or Zeiss. Sons nowadays wear contact lenses, which they buy in the Netherlands via the internet. As far as I'm concerned, all compliments for the glasses in Thailand, and I estimate less than 1/3 of the NL price. After-sales service also perfect for loose or missing screws. I must have been lucky to have found a good franchisee in BKK? Located in the extension of Soi 4 Sukhumvit.
I have a good experience with purchasing glasses. I passed Huahin last year with a satisfactory result. No down payment, so butter with the fish, total costs Bath400
have the same experience with a top charoen store in Pattaya, paid more than 30.000 bht for photochromic varifocus lenses. Couldn't get used to it, and it took a long time before I could estimate distances again. But after 8 moons the photochromic foil already started to peel, and the visibility became even worse.
Back to the store, but there was no guarantee, was able to buy new glasses, again over 30.000 bht.
Then I contacted my NL supplier, and he provided excellent glasses for my next visit to NL, and also a lot cheaper!!!
I have also bought reading glasses with sun protection from this store several times. Last year in Cha-am, however, I could not pay with my visa at checkout, although I asked in advance. They only accept cash baths….
Some people like me can't get used to vario focus, so that's not top charoen's fault. I bought vario focus glasses in the Netherlands and after complaining a few times, after 3 months of trying, I returned them to the store in the Netherlands, which is a guarantee so I get a new single lens for free.
When I was still living in Thailand and my glasses got wear and tear there, that was also bad luck for me. Huge price differences, incidentally, where you buy your glasses in Thailand.
Dear,
I also went to such an optician in chang mai a few years ago,
but am very satisfied with it. I don't remember the name
Regards, Jenny
Dear eyeglass buyer. If you want to get MONEY back in Thailand you have to possess the skill of hans kazan (famous magician).
I have already had to deal with this at different levels. In bangkok hospital I had to extend my visa. of course they did. cost 3000 bath for the
effort and the photo????in the end we cycled to the immigration ourselves and everything was fine. when we came back to the hospital we immediately got the MONEY
back. at least that's what we thought. after a lot of work and a lot of lost time we succeeded and we still felt a bit (a lot) hans kazan.
Dutch people watch out with every down payment anywhere. because getting MONEY back in thailand from anyone is and remains a magic trick.
good luck everyone.
I'm not following you right.
Why do you first give the hospital 3000 Bath and then go yourself?
The comparison with Hans Kazan escapes me completely. One of Andre Van Duyn's characters, on the other hand...
Bought me glasses two months ago at charoen in san sai (chiang mai)
+ a second pair of sunglasses for my girl.
Friendly service and glass of fruit juice everything ok.
after two weeks a small piece of glass between the frame had jumped off, after all, back to charoen had a warranty card
This turned out to be of no use, they claimed high and low that my glasses had fallen and I'm sure that wasn't the case.
I would certainly not buy glasses from charoen again (with charoen it is only about money)
greetings to all readers