negreanu

So my 2000USD laptop will be declared as worth 500USD on the customs Fedex form and I get to pay the import tax and save on overall cost. Sounds like win win all around?

The dearth of cheap end laptops in Thailand's malls these days has driven me elsewhere.

Of course that assumes customs always accepts the end item value quoted by the customer, a quote which is probably on the low side most of the time due to the customer's desire to mininize the customs fee and willingness to take a chance on lower insurance coverage if the item is damaged/lost. I wonder how often customs actually opens boxes to verify the declared value. It's a crap shoot I expect.

I have never had anything opened by Thai Customs in 5 years to give you some idea. You have to be sensible tho obviously if the goods description is Sony Laptop and the value is $200. It raise an eyebrow or 2.

May I ask what model you are looking for?

It might be cheaper and quicker to get Air Asia to Singapore, Hong Kong or Taipei from BKK and pick it up there.

The danger being in the very unlikely event that fedex lose or it gets damaged you will only be able to claim the customs declared value. never happened to me but it could.

Why not just get a 80GB drive and use that for the boot drive and games. Keep photos, Movies, Music etc. on a normal drive.

Never buy anything in Thailand that costs more than 300 baht, and I mean anything.

em. Why?

of course if you use shipito.com and put the value customs declaration of say US$500 you will be charged a percentage of US$500.

Does anyone know what the Thai customs rate is, say for a laptop? 10%, 15%, 30%, etc.

Depends how they feel on the day usually

I am assuming that if you order a machine online and it has a problem you can just take it into any authorised Apple reseller and they will fix it under the warranty?

Yes Apple warranty is worldwide any service centre worldwide will repair it under warranty. That is another plus about Apple Computers over some of the other cheaper brands.

DVD to ipad: Handbrake

Its great to have options such as shipito.com, they give good discount but the delivery a little longer than what i expected, i just did a quick calculation through their site and 5*5*5 package to Bangkok takes 15 to 25 days for $5.65 where fedex delivers the same package for $25.00 3 to 5 business days.

But as i said its always good to have options.

The fedex delivery time from shipito is the normal Fedex delivery time if you choose priority or economy Fedex. The delivery time is exactly the same as if you used fedex direct.

I always get my items by Fedex Priority from shipito and most times 3 or 4 days for delivery depending on the day of the week for dispatch.

the catch is the high tax rates in thailand.

i own a shipping company in Miami-USA there for i ship most of my electronic from back home. i have been shipping laptops, various gadgets all the time using my own shipping company with low rates but the taxes here in thailand killing me.

For example, i just got my self a new laptop purchased from amazon, laptop cost me 800.00 shipping is about $65.00. that laptop in thailand is currently selling for 48.000 baht roughly $1500.00. the tax i paid on the unit was 9000 baht. so roughly bringing the laptop from usa cost me in total of $800.00+$65.00+$282.00=$1147.00 "with international warranty" at the end i saved about $300.00.

I dont know if it was worthed but i can say for big ticket items i dont mind shipping but for something under $500.00 you are not saving that much money unless you ship things that are not heavy and low tax in thailand such as clothing, books etc.

You can always use ups or fedex but their shipping rates are extremely high and they are not really helpful when it comes to save you on the taxes.

Shipito.com is fine. They have 60% discounted rates on fedex. 100% reliable and YOU declare the customs value before the item is sent.

I have had Laptops ($3000) Tax paid 300 (My choice), Computer Components, Blu-Ray Movies, Coffee machines all shipped here to BKK using them it really is incredibly professional organisation highly recommended and keeps the fedex rates ultra low and also the customs rate ultra low.

I use them perhaps 2-3 times a month every month for the last year or so never any issues.

Why does everyone not use them. No idea they probably have not thought of the opportunities it brings. Also Entropay Visa card and REAL mastercard opens up other doors as well. www.entropay.com

Address issues with credit card:

Use Entropay.com

Amazon to shipito.com -> Thailand. Cheap shipping and cheap customs and obviously no restrictions with what u can order.

You buy the 9k device and then put your own 3G sim card in it from True etc and then pay the normal monthly subscription to them?

You missed out the bit about having to download it first and all the other aggravating Apple bits.

You have obviously never used it. Movies are ready to view in in about 2-3 mins on a average Thailand internet connection of 2mb (30secs for me on True 16mb) after you select rent or buy.

You do not need to wait until the TV Show or movie downloads. So its almost Instantly viewable. Also of course hundreds of FREE video podcasts and access to Youtube and internet radio

The Apple TV interface is very easy and good to use - nothing aggravating about using Apple TV.

Try it before you comment at least then your in a position to comment when you understand how it works

Slingbox hosting services are available. Google has loads listed.

Problem I see with the UK hosted slingbox is that the bandwidth to thailand is pretty poor and the latency. I have never tried it mind you but I would imagine a US based host (West cost LA or SF) would give better performance.

For example right now getting 1.5-2.5mb too London or Manchester on True 16mb Premium but 15.5mb to LA and SF. Maybe 2.5mb is adequate for Slingbox onto large screen tv??

True has a history of lying to its customers, it has got many people to upgrade for sporting events before only to just show one game then pull the feed. My local Pub 'The Crossbar' in Bangkok has got a slingbox installed from the UK for the world cup with BBC or ITV commentary so i'll be heading down there for the England games.

Thai internet depending

Are they broadcasting in 480p ot 720p?

Custom order normally adds around 24hours-48hours before shipping. You can expect a custom order to arrive in thailand within 5-7 days.

Earlier this year, Lower Suk, True 8mb, intl down avg 3 and up avg .3. Problem was with TRUE and my VOIP, the bustards cut it at 4 min and 12 sec every call. I had many friends in the building, and tried it on other companies, never an issue, but when I tried it on any true connections, 4min and 12 sec later, cut. I also tried it on a TRUE connection about 4km away, and again, 4 min and 12 sec, my ADSL connection cut. Beyond reasonable doubt in my opinion that TRUE was cutting my connection to the net 4:12 when using my VOIP. I found true support in English simply disgusting as well when trying to rectify this. I honestly don't know if there is a better option though. Note, domestic was often 9mb down on the 8mb package.

Strange. Never had any VOIP cut on true and also Video calls never cut.

I give up. You boys are obviously not clever enough to work out the maths above

I can see your point if you use chefxp that will give you enough after a few weeks for another bottle of Chang after your teaching is finished for the day in cheap charlies or the cathouse

Interestingly enough True are now offering a 3G Micro Sim on their website. However strangely enough they are not offering a unlimited data plan with it as they do with the iphone. Gotta be some Thai logic in that somewhere.

thanks! are you a poker player too?

I can honestly say True have really got their act together over the last 12 months and in my opinion they are the best provider in Thailand just now.

If your stuck with TOT line I would go with 4mb CSLOXINFO SME package very stable and you get the bandwidth you pay for 100% but the cost around 6000THB per month after negotiation.

Would not recommend their non SME packages due to high contention ratio and bandwidth shaping. SME does not have any of that.

I have 1-2 call unlimited for THB 999. Tried to switch to True a two months ago, but they said it was only in combination with an iphone from them

(which i do not have).

Anybody knows if this has changed?

Not just for iphone you can buy the sim and number with this package.

Apple TV per movie:

24hour Rental HD 720p 180baht

Buy 720p 450baht or less

TV Episodes 70baht or less if you buy the complete season

and no fumbling about with disks

Shove it through a Upscaling Home Theatre or TV and it makes perfect sense for rental/buying HD Content when in Thailand.