Beware of Counterfeit CD/VCD Selling at Boun Wat (Temple)
I think when we’re buying things at Wat (temple), during Boun Wat; our guard are low because we just wouldn’t expect people to sell counterfeit goods.
I’m sharing this experience with you, fell like we’ve been ribbed off, this is not to point my finger at anyone in particular but if I’ve known this, it wouldn’t have happened to my sisters and I, so I certainly don’t want this to happen to any of you.
I’m a huge fan of Dan and Beam and when I saw their new CD, I purchased one at Wat Lao Buddhavong for $10, which was a bit pricey because I can purchase on line for a lot cheaper, and my GI Joe sister, and second sister each purchased over $100 worth of CDs and VCDs, which the vendor gave them some discount.
There were two vendors that were selling musics, they were at the very end, and I had noticed that one vendor was only there on Saturday, but the other one stayed for both Saturday and Sunday.
When I got my CD home, I was surprised to learn that it was a counterfeit CD, it looked so real on the outside until I opened and of course it’s obvious to me then, the quality of the music was awful. I called my second sister and she confirmed that hers’ were fake also, but my GI Joe sister didn’t have a chance to look at hers yet at the time, she has many.
I normally would look for the authenticity of the CD by the seal on the outside package if I were to purchase at a Lao or Thai store, but since it was at Wat (Temple), I just didn’t think that anyone would dare do anything like this. My GI Joe sister said that this vendor, husband and wife in their mid 50s’, can speak Lao, but both look Chinese, they’d go to Lao, Hmong, or Thai fair, and any type of Boun at Wat (temple), she had seen them all the time but never bought anything from them until now.
It’s a shame that I didn’t think to take a picture of them, but I got their fake CDs/VCDs, and the husband’s stomach if that’d prove anything. As you can see he looks very healthy, and what appears to be Jatukarm Ramathep lucky charm hanging on his neck, must be the money pouring in edition, and no wonder I was so blind.
I wouldn’t mind one bit if they told me that it was fake, but for me to pay a full price and not getting the real McCoy really bug the heck out of me. Please be on the look out.
Funny story. You
even got a picture to go with it. You can see his tank top and his huge pimping
style necklace. All of which makes me want to run the opposite
direction.
If you could hear the CD errors then he's gone too far. I
don't know, maybe he'd converted them to MP3s then snuggle them out on a few 8GB
memory stick, which he sticks it in God knows where, I assume. Then he sells you
the reborn MP3s.
Before I buy anything from an outdoors-market I make it
a habit to look at the seller. If they look fair then they might have the real
thing, but I expect an inferior product anyway so I just stay away.
Thanks for sharing your story Ginger. It is bot hien laka phang as my mother often said to us when we made mistakes.
You live and learn and then can pass on this lesson which will be less expensive for others out there that are taking the time to read the posting.
There are others out there that will take advantage of good and hard working people with quick get rich scam like this. Being in our comfort zone also means we are more at risk. Being Asians like us also make it more easy for the deception to take place.
I wonder if these two will come back next year or are they going to be hitting another town. We need to spread the words about this type of people. They have committed crimes and went away with rewards.
Hi Sim, I didn’t know the story was funny and I think you ruin his image. I didn’t know your part of the town they called them pimp, I think he is trying to give off the image of ‘Ah Siah’ (rich man), he even has thin long hair combing over trying to cover his bald spot. I think if I have their photos, I wouldn’t post it on the internet unless if I ask them for permission first, what would I say, ‘excuse me, I’m writing an article about fake cd, would you mind me putting your face on my article at Laoplanet.net.’ Do you recon that would go well, if you think so maybe I would try that next year.
Hi Darly, all these vendors would come back every year. My GI Joe sister knew her name, but then again it could be her selling name just like my pen name. This is the most that I’ll do is to warn others, I know better not to buy from them again next year. I bought fake CDs before in NYC and the store would sell it at a deep discount, but both parties know it. As I got older, I realize that I’m supporting the wrong doer and ripping off from the real artist so I quit buying them. I usually order mine online and if order a lot, I can get it for $5 per cd.
Oh, I fail to mention this earlier, not all vendors at Wat Boun sell fake CD, there's one across from this vendor that my oldest sister bought cds from and he kept stressing that his wer real CD, but wouldn't say anything else. And Sim is right, he does look credible and that's why my oldest sister purchased her CDs from him and not the pimpy looking one.
Thanks for sharing this story with us Ginger. Your sister really went on a spending spree there. A few years ago I bought a CD just because it was so cheap (in Little Saigon, LA). The sound was so bad, I couldn't stand to listen to it ever. That was a $5 lesson for me.
Hi Salat, it was so funny when my oldest bought the original CDs from the Good vendor at a full price, and my second sister and GI Joe sisters bought the fake CDs from the Pimpy vendor (name given by Sim), and got a discount, they told me that they kind of feel sorry for my oldest sister because she didn’t get any discount and feel like she got ribbed off, look who is sorry now. I thought it was funny, but she didn’t think it was, mine was a $10 lesson.
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