Tips For Getting Your Phone Fixed in Bangkok & Koh Chang
Having phone, camera or computer problems whilst on vacation can really screw up your trip. Nowadays, most people feel the need to be online or snapping photos almost continuously. It’s almost impossible to imagine life without our phone for more than a few hours.
Here’s what to do if you are visiting Koh Chang or in Bangkok, and you accidentally damage your phone or tablet. First, relax, Thailand is covered in phone repair shops. You’ll find one pretty much wherever you go. Local shops should be able to fix common problems such as cracked screens easily. But for more complicated repairs, especially to iPhones, you’re probably better off getting the phone fixed in Bangkok.
Water Damage – What to do if You Drop Your Phone in WaterBy far the most common accident tourists have is dropping their phone in water. And on an island, the water is usually the sea. But even a phone that has been submerged in salt water can be revived if you act quickly.
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Phone Repair on Koh Chang
There are a couple of good phone repair shops on Koh Chang. Both are based in the Klong Prao area. And both have experienced owners who can fix pretty much any broken phone – Android or Apple.
TS Mobile is located in the centre of Klong Prao village, opposite the Tesco Lotus minimart. The owner, Mr Tu has been fixing broken phones and electronic devices for many years. The shop stocks OEM and genuine replacement parts for major brands such as Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, iPhone, Huawei etc. Customers can fit repairs to their budget.
Simple repairs are surprisingly quick to do. Changing a cracked screen or replacing a battery in a sealed Android phone usually takes under 30 minutes. Phones which have been dropped in water will take time to dry out, so be prepared to leave it overnight whilst it is disassembled. If you damage your iPhone, be prepared for repairs to take longer. Apple doesn’t like their phones being repaired and so makes it much harder to swap out broken or damaged parts.
OG-IT is another good shop to try for fixing a damaged mobile phone, tablet or laptop. They are located in a roadside shophouse, just south of Singthong supermarket and the PTT gas station to the south of Klong Prao village. OG-IT provide repair services for cracked glass screen replacement, LCD replacement, Battery replacement, Water Damage repair, Motherboard repair services, Charging Port replacement and more.
As with TS Mobile, the guys can fix pretty much anything. And if they can’t fix it they have a wide range of refurbished and new phones for sale. Likewise if you break your Ipad or tablet. Or have issues with your laptop, they can usually fix it or at least identify the problem.
Both shops also sell a multitude of phone accessories. Everything from waterproof phone cases and bluetooth speakers to charging cables, screen protectors, phone cases and power banks.
Phone Repair in Bangkok
If you break your phone and need to get it repaired in Bangkok, the MBK Mall in the city centre is the place to go. More specifically the 4th Floor. This is home to dozens of phone shops. Most are small booths, so the atmosphere is like being in an indoor electronics market.
They sell and repair every make and model you have heard of. Plus many you never knew existed. (Many years ago I bought an ‘Iphone 3 Mini’ there. It was never released in the US or Europe, and you won’t find any mention of it on Apple fan sites. Partly because although it looked identical to an Apple iPhone it ran on Android, and partly because it was an obvious fake. But it worked as well as any cheap phone. )
The MBK Centre has 7 floors. Each floor specializes in different types of shop. The 4th floor, in particular Zones B & C is where you’ll find the phone shops. I can’t recommend any particular shop, simply because there are so many that offer identical services.
Therefore, it’s worth shopping around. The technicians who do the repairs will know enough English to explain the problems, the costs and time involved to fix it. But it’s best to spend a little time getting 2 or 3 opinions and seeing if they concur.
Stress Free MBK Phone Repair Tips
Research. Before finding somewhere to get your phone fixed, spend a little time on Google if the problem isn’t obvious. Some things are simple to see – for example a cracked screen. But if your phone won’t turn on, the battery drains very quickly or it won’t charge, there could be various reasons for this. If you have an idea of what needs to be done, it will also give you an idea of how severe the problem is and how expensive ( or not) it will be to fix or repair.
Back It Up. Assuming you can turn the phone on. Back up all your data before taking it to be repaired.
Think Market. If you’re buying clothes at a street market, you shop around and haggle with vendors. Do the same here. Shop around. At each booth, staff will aim to convince you to use their services. But shop around and also try to negotiate any prices for repairs and replacement parts that you are given.
Price and Time. Always confirm the total cost for repairs. And, possibly more importantly, how long it will take for your phone to be fixed. The price could be cheap, but then you find out that it will take a week to get your phone back. In which case, far better to look elsewhere for a same day repair service but at a slightly higher price.
Get a Receipt. Having decided on where to get the repair done, always get a written receipt that confirms that you have left your phone with the shop and the cost and completion date / time for the repairs.
Remember the Location. Mobile phone shops all look the same at the MBK centre. Either note down the booth number of the shop or take a photo. This will help you find it again easily when you return to pick up your working phone.
