I'm ending my 4 year association with Tragedy of Thailand (TOT) and starting a new relationship with 3BB.
I have done this after a deteriorating service from TOT over the past few months. I have not received an account for 2 months and, as I have been disputing the amounts that I owe due to increasing breakdowns in service, I required these accounts to work out how much I owed (OK - it's only 21 baht per day but when one's trying to do some work at home or contact someone internationally, the damage in frustration is more than 21 baht).
I kept a record of the breakdowns in service provided by TOT (I assume the true record is much more extensive as I only recorded those instances that directly affected me, mainly afternoons and evenings). I complained to the TOT call centre repeatedly about disruptions to service. These complaints were answered in various ways:
1. When I was asked to identify myself, I did so and was then informed that as I was not the subscriber they would not deal with me. When I informed TOT that I was the one who paid the bills, the call was finished.
2. When I complained that I paid for 24 hour service but did not receive it, the female call centre receiver asked that if I bought a shirt, did I expect to wear it for 24 hours!!!! I answered that I usually had a number of shirts so I could wear another one while the first one was washed. I asked the receiver if her analogy meant that I had to have a number of subscriptions to TOT so that one could be washed while I used another one. I congratulated her on her level of English but said her level of logic was sadly lacking.
3. When I complained directly after 2 above, I was greeted by a male call centre receiver and I asked to speak directly to the supervisor. The receiver said that he would deal with the complaint. I said I wanted to talk to the supervisor as I had just explained everything to the previous receiver and I did not wish to explain it again to this call receiver. Long pause...silence... receiver returned and said he would deal with the complaint. I repeated my request for the supervisor and was then informed that the supervisor was on holiday!!!!! I put the phone down.
4. After a few moments, I decided to try again. This time my phone had been cut off!!!!!! That's one way to deal with complaints.
I went into the TOT office last week and showed them my list of service breakdowns and complaints. The lady very efficiently checked on her computer and she had a complete record of breakdowns in service, where and when I had paid my bills over the past 4 years, and probably would have been able to tell me what colour underpants I had on when I paid the bills. I informed her that I was not paying for the instances of breakdown that I had records of (she didn't offer to give me a full list of breakdowns) and she calculated my refund. I told her I was terminating my association with TOT, she calculated what I owed, and I left.
I had been reluctant to finish with TOT as I was not sure of the extensiveness of the coverage of 3BB in a semi-rural area. 3BB promptly visited my home and assured me that they would provide a free connection. I was impressed by the promptness of their visit and, despite the fact that I (as a non-Thai) was required to pay 6 months in advance (an offer I initially protested about and asked the 3BB personnel to make a complaint about this discriminatory policy to their company - fat chance of that!) I agreed to the deal and signed the contract.
Early this week, 3BB installed their service.
Fingers crossed.....