Pattaya and the drive to work.....

Well yet again; sitting behind a selection of half-cast scooters and trucks i really had the oppertunity to look around at what was on my road on the way to work. Wow. Does it bustle in the mornings. Little ladies coming out of their shop houses to clean the pavements infront; the little old gentleman sitting on the street side with his sewing machine helping re-button boys shirts for school and little girls skirts. A woman preparing to give alms to a monk; where she takes off her shoes and gets down on her knees and he looks over her with such compassion. The fruit venders are so colourful; they always wear these brightly coloured tops and their carts are filled to the brim with any kind of thai fruit one can imagine....they really are like a hive of bee's when getting ready. The Cuttle-Fish scooter whips around corners to make sure everyone see's and smells him.....
Masses of retro-coloured-jacket-wearing street cleaners amble around picking up the remains of what was the Loy Krathong Festival Last night. Millions of banana leaves and bright yellow candles line the road and the river banks. The Wind is a bit insane this morning.....so not only is everyone busteling but they readilty pinning down their wares and fruit and foods to make sure nothing blows off....its just so facinating to watch. So intriguing and so;different.....

THE DISASTER THAT IS BUDGET RENT A CAR
Well; since the very begining; i decided to rent a car; Just easier with Insurance and what not and everyone warned me about renting for the smaller companies because the Insurance was not legit. So thinking about it i decided to give Budget Rentals a call....WHAT A DIASTER. From day one.
I already emailed them in December to book a car. K. Foam was dealing with the rental. She somehow went missing and when arriving in Pattaya; ready to sort the car out....she and the budget location had disapeared! K. Tassanee then took over the reservation and booking details.

1. They come in to deliver the car...WITH NO CAR! Oh sorry i thought we explained it would be here the 17th....(um no....)
2. They suddenly now want a deposit although the site claims.....NO DEPOSITS....
3. I then unfortunately have two incidents in thew car. One a scooter collided into my boot and 2nd; some moron scratched the side with a broken bottle. Now being smarter than that; i took photo's of the car when it left to be repaired. I was told that the repairs would take 1 week. (I had a translator on hand as when i called the "number to call" in an emergency NO ONE spoke ENGLISH! Although....again....on the site and i QUOTE:

Budget offers a 24 hour emergency multi lingual assistance service in conjunction with International SOS, an international emergency and roadside assistance organization. In An Emergency Call (02) 205 7801 Upon calling, professional emergency specialists will ensure appropriate assistance is arranged by the quickest means to meet the customers' requirements (including ambulance evacuation to the nearest center of medical excellence). Thai, English, Japanese and German speakers are available 24 hours per day (and other languages can be catered for at short notice as required)..

So took images of the car. The car was then returned not 1 week but 1 Month Later.....and all they fixed was the scraches along the side! BUT When i got it back....(this is the best) there are about 5 NEW scratches down the other side and the Scooter crash ws not fixed! So what where they doing with the car for 1 month if not fixing it! When i pointed out the scratches to the guy who delivered the car...again not speaking english.....he says in broken thai/english that i had scratched the car. LUCKILY i took photo proof!
4. I get the car back. They have taken the Brackets for the GPS out?
5. They called me 30 mins before delivering the car to tell me they would be delivering it. Now unlike many of the holiday makers in thailand; i actually WORK during the day and this was at 10:45....NOT lunch time or lunch break. So i go down stairs and the guy says once we done with everything...ok you give 1000 Baht? So i ask for what? And he says...fuel. its half. So now i must pay for a FULL tank? when to fill it up would be apromiately 300 baht?? Um again....NO
6. So i then arrange to meet with the Lady from budget to discuss this issue. She cancelled on me twice. The second time she didnt even let me know. She just didnt pitch up. So no; after all this i decided to with-hold their payment until this is rectified. So while doing that i change my account over to a Thai accout. I request the account details....hahaha....again....something that doesnt work. They INSIST that the account details given are correct. Funny. They are not. Not only did i attempt a cash deposit about 5 times but 2 different bank's internet transfers; the account keeps comming back as non existant. When i tell them this...." No im wrong....its the correct account" EVEN after sending proof! Isnt the customer always right??
7. So i get this call....from budget. The conversation goes as follows.
Nicola “Nicola speaking hello”
Budget Employee 1: “Yes; Is that Khun Nicola”
Nicola “yes”
Budget Employee 1: “Yes; Is that Khun Nicola”
Nicola “yes; can I help you?”
Budget Employee 1: “English Ka?”
Nicola “yes”
Budget Employee 1: “This Khun Nicola Right?”
Nicola “yes; who is speaking can I help you?”
Budget Employee 1: “Budget; please hold”
Nicola “ok”

Budget Employee 2: “Can I help you?”
Nicola “You called me?”
Budget Employee 2: “Oh; you not call.
Nicola “No.You called me?”
Budget Employee 2: “Oh. Sorry”

8. Now i have an emergency at work and after sending 3 emails WITH delivery reports; i get moaned at by the Budget Lady that i didnt let her know? No. Unacceptable. Absolutely Unacceptable.
9. So i call the manager now to see if they recived my emails.....
Conversation as follows
Nicola "Please could i speak to the manager"
EMPLOYEE 1: "Who speak"
Nicola: "This is Nicola; i would like to speak to the manager"
Employee 1: "Please hold"
Nicola:.........................waiting......................
...........................
............................
Employee 1: "Who speaking"
Nicola: "Nicola i call for the manager"
Employee 1: "What you want"
Nicola: "To speak to the manager"
Employee 1: "Please hold"
Nicola: ....................................
.................................
.................................
.................................
Employee 2: "Hello"
Nicola: "yes im on hold to speak to manager"
Employee 2: "No manager"
Phone is put down
a. rude. b. explains the lack of service
10. So i think bugger this. So i go to the website to get the customer services number to complain....OBVIOUSLY you cannot click on the customer services link! Ridiculous!
http://www.budget.co.th/Contact_Us.aspx

So yes. In essence the budget rental service is not really service at all...its a head ache! With serious issues! I refuse to speak to them on the telephone because they either DONT understand or they DONT speak english and this is just unacceptiable for an international company!! So i am only responding to emails because that whay i know if they have understood or not and then i have proof of what they have said or not!

Bunch of useless gits.