August 28th, and a minor milestone day for Apple customers in Thailand. Along with the rest of the world, we can buy the latest iteration of the operating system, Snow Leopard. And today is the day when the iPhone 3GS becomes available. Or not.

True is the company responsible for the world’s worst cable TV service; they also have the contract for bringing the iPhone into Thailand. I ordered mine three weeks ago, and the order contained strict instructions that I had to collect my phone on the 28th or else I would forfeit my deposit. Sadly there was nothing in the contract that said that all employees of True would commit ritual suicide should they fail to deliver the phone on that date. Because, of course, they have failed.

The idea of the pre-order was so they could order sufficient phones from Apple. They received orders for 10,000 phones, Apple sent them 3,500. Someone cocked up. True are blaming Apple; but then what else would they do? But I would be OK because I ordered on the first day so would get one of the first phones. Nope. Applying a “first come, first served” approach was a logistical challenge too far; so all the phones are going to Bangkok and the rest of us have to wait for “sometime in September”. A very nice man from True called me up yesterday evening to tell me the news I already knew. In an earlier life I would have melted the phone to his ear; last night I just said it was OK and I would wait. I have been here too long.

Never mind, we can have the minor buzz associated with the launch of a new Apple product. Apple store decked out with special displays, free T-shirts, that sort of thing. Just to be sure I popped into iStudio to confirm they would be selling Snow Leopard on the 28th, along with the rest of the world. The young man I spoke to was initially too occupied investigating his nose with his finger and wiping the findings against a 17″ unibody aluminium Macbook Pro 2.8 GHz (not that he would have known the specification). Finally he turned to me and languidly explained that they had to wait for it to come from Singapore and it might take a week or more, so he really didn’t know when it would be available, and why was I bothering asking (I inferred that last bit). Then he turned away and his finger headed for his other nostril.

If you are an Apple dealer you have a competitor, the Apple on-line store; where the same products can be bought for the same price and with free shipping. So you have to work a little harder to make your customers feel they are welcome in your shop and it is worth their effort to come and buy from you. Just like iStudio doesn’t. So I ordered from the Apple on-line store on Wednesday, Snow Leopard shipped by courier yesterday, and it should arrive today. A shame I can’t buy an iPhone the same way.