Complaint laid against timeshare firm

PHUKET TOWN: A Swedish couple, Signar and Margaretha Hall, today delivered a letter to Songpol Kornkaew, Chief of Administration of the Phuket Provincial Grievances Office, complaining about timeshare company VCI, which has offices in the Fisherman Way Business Center on Chao Fa East Rd. Mrs Hall told the Gazette, “Early last year we signed a contract for three years, starting this year, with Gerhard Tinney, Director of VCI [which at that time was] at Land & Houses Park. We paid a total of 42,000 Swedish krona [about 214,000 baht]. In the contract it stated that we would receive a membership number and a discount card.” They went home to Sweden, she explained, and waited for five months without hearing from VCI. They tried to contact the company by telephone, fax and email but were unable to get a response. At the end of January they visited the VCI offices, Mrs Hall said, but Mr Tinney was not there. A member of staff – whom Mrs Hall called Mr Ben – assured them, however, that the membership details and other paperwork would be sent to them within two weeks. “But we still have not received them. We have called Mr Ben many times but we have received only excuses,” she said. K. Songpol said, “We will check on this matter as soon as possible and ask a director or representative of VCI to investigate.” The Gazette called VCI but was told that Mr Tinney was ill and that no one else could comment on the matter.