Never Again King Power - Suvarnabhumi Ripoff

[MyFriend You]

This is a warning that the Duty Free at Big Swampy is way overpriced  -  three of us were travelling to Vietnam yesterday and each bought two bottles of Hennessey Cognac VSOP at 2950 baht ($89) - on arrival in Saigon, the duty free there was $71, exact same cognac - that's an $18 a bottle difference.  Wonder how many other "Duty Free" items are overpriced - Everything??.  

 

My lady friend bought me a watch at Paragon for my birthday, ($475 and I got $79 TVA back) the same watch in Swampy was $600 -  Color me 'King Power Never Again.

[petermik]

Well known for a long time.......pity you did not search on here before your purchased,could have saved you making this mistake

[ELVIS123456]

You can buy most things at King Power cheaper elsewhere in Thailand, and it is always cheaper in other countries. The whole shop/system is a ripoff targeting the Chinese tourists.  How else can you buy an EPL team? 

 

[bubba]

King Power Duty free may not be the cheapest Duty Free for alcohol, but it is always cheaper than buying in the city.

[Belzybob]

All 'duty free' airport shops are a rip off for alcohol, just that some are more a rip off than others.

[Laza 45]

Swampy... total rip off.. would never buy there... 

 

[bubba]

48 minutes ago, Belzybob said:

All 'duty free' airport shops are a rip off for alcohol, just that some are more a rip off than others.

So where, for example, can I purchase a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin in the city for less than the price I pay at duty free on arrival at Suvarnabhumi?

[Jonnapat]

This is the reason King Power owns Leicester city F C.

Plus the fact that they have a monopoly on everything sold at this and other airports. 

[ThaiWai]

49 minutes ago, bubba said:

So where, for example, can I purchase a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin in the city for less than the price I pay at duty free on arrival at Suvarnabhumi?

Duty free on arrival is not real right? Is that not defeating the entire concept of duty free shopping? Just asking. Never made sense to me how the tax could be evaded on a fully imported good and not be the same price as a liquor store (in the case of liquor for example) 

[bubba]

1 minute ago, ThaiWai said:

Duty free on arrival is not real right? Is that not defeating the entire concept of duty free shopping? Just asking. Never made sense to me how the tax could be evaded on a fully imported good and not be the same price as a liquor store (in the case of liquor for example) 

Yes, duty free on arrival is a reality in many airports.

[janpharma]

Swampy is a total rip-off and not only at duty free...

[OJAS]

50 minutes ago, Jonnapat said:

This is the reason King Power owns Leicester city F C.

Plus the fact that they have a monopoly on everything sold at this and other airports. 

Yep, Leicester City fans need to start patronising King Power in their droves if their team is to have any chance of being EPL champions again!

[bazza73]

2 hours ago, Belzybob said:

All 'duty free' airport shops are a rip off for alcohol, just that some are more a rip off than others.

Most are a rip-off for just about everything - alcohol, electronics etc. The online stores are killing them.

The only duty-free shop where alcohol is very much cheaper that I have seen is Norfolk Island, not exactly well-known to tourists.

[Jimmyjames120]

2 hours ago, Belzybob said:

All 'duty free' airport shops are a rip off for alcohol, just that some are more a rip off than others.

You've obviously never been through Italy, Germany, Istanbul and others, cheap as chips. Heathrow on the other hand an absolute rip off like Swampy 

[StevieAus]

1 hour ago, ThaiWai said:

Duty free on arrival is not real right? Is that not defeating the entire concept of duty free shopping? Just asking. Never made sense to me how the tax could be evaded on a fully imported good and not be the same price as a liquor store (in the case of liquor for example) 

The reason is that they are located before you go through Immigration and customs and therefore haven't technically entered the country and don't have to pay the tax

I wouldn't buy anything in Thailand but the savings on spirits certainly in Australia is quite considerable due to the high level of duty , regarding wine etc you can buy cheaper outside

[Namrevlis]

They claim to be duty free, which may be debatable but it sure isn't profit-free. So-called duty-free shops have been a ripoff for over 30 years. I've been traveling a lot since 1967 and it used to be a pleasure. No more. 

[wolf81]

I believe it's in most (every) country the same. It might be tax free, but the minimum price is just more than pretty much anywhere else in the country.

 

Here in The Netherlands on Schiphol tax free prices are crazy as well.

[sandy102uk]

It's not simply the duty free shops profiteering it's also the airport owners charging extremely high rents. 

[manarak]

11 hours ago, TunnelRat69 said:

This is a warning that the Duty Free at Big Swampy is way overpriced  -  three of us were travelling to Vietnam yesterday and each bought two bottles of Hennessey Cognac VSOP at 2950 baht ($89) - on arrival in Saigon, the duty free there was $71, exact same cognac - that's an $18 a bottle difference.  Wonder how many other "Duty Free" items are overpriced - Everything??.  

 

My lady friend bought me a watch at Paragon for my birthday, ($475 and I got $79 TVA back) the same watch in Swampy was $600 -  Color me 'King Power Never Again.

I guess you don't have much experience with traveling ?

[ThaiWai]

5 hours ago, bubba said:

Yes, duty free on arrival is a reality in many airports.

Comprehensive. Lots of information there.  Let me sort through it all and get back to you.

Edited September 21, 2017 by ThaiWai

[jacko45k]

I buy tobacco products there on exit as they are substantially cheaper than at European airports.  I recently bought some Bombay Sapphire at KL which seems to be cheaper than BKK. Anything else is a rip-off ie watches electronics, any airport. They are playing you for a mug while you are in spendy travel mode!

[bubba]

12 hours ago, ThaiWai said:

Comprehensive. Lots of information there.  Let me sort through it all and get back to you.

You asked:

 

Quote

Duty free on arrival is not real right? 

To which I replied:

 

Yes, duty free on arrival is a reality in many airports.

 

You're welcome.

[mtls2005]

Thailand applies many "taxes" (excise, import, alcohol, duty, etc.) on alcohol. "Duty" is just one component.

 

Duty Free prices in nearby countries like Cambodia, Vietnam are ~ 10 - 20 % less, so if you are able, it is better to purchase there before flying to BKK, keeping in mind any liquids restrictions if flying on from BKK, say to a domestic location.

 

Can't speak to the watch, need a bit more detail: exact make/model. Obviously being aware of prices, setting thresholds can lead to savvier buying habits - that probably goes without saying?

 

The Hennessy is ~ 21% less expensive at King Power/BKK (1 L/2,950 THB) vs. in town (700 mL/2,620 THB), so a reasonable savings if those are your only two options.

 

I wouldn't buy something like this in a market in Cambodia, unless you fancy "jake-leg". 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2017 by mtls2005

[tonray]

On 9/21/2017 at 5:50 PM, janpharma said:

Swampy is a total rip-off and not only at duty free...

Yeah...350 baht for a bowl of noodles.....45 baht on the street

[Ahab]

1000 ml of Glenfiddick, 18 years old was 2200 baht at the duty free in swampy. At Tops in Buriram a 750ml bottle of the same is 4200 baht. I think the swampy price is a deal, a very good deal.

[mtls2005]

22 hours ago, tonray said:

Yeah...350 baht for a bowl of noodles.....45 baht on the street

Magic Point Food Court (Floor 1, land-side, door #9-10) has (nearly) "local" prices.

 

21 hours ago, Ahab said:

1000 ml of Glenfiddick, 18 years old was 2200 baht at the duty free in swampy. At Tops in Buriram a 750ml bottle of the same is 4200 baht. I think the swampy price is a deal, a very good deal.

 

Yes, similar experience as well although believe the local volume is 700 mL? I've seen this for 3,800 THB/700 mL in some shops, and King Power has a Reserve Cask (1 L) for 2,450, while they do show the 18Y in their catalog (70 mL) for 2,800. Select Cask (1 L) is 1,950. The "Select" and "Reserve" are for "travel markets", like DF.

 

 

[JaiLai]

On 21/09/2017 at 10:34 AM, TunnelRat69 said:

This is a warning that the Duty Free at Big Swampy is way overpriced  -  three of us were travelling to Vietnam yesterday and each bought two bottles of Hennessey Cognac VSOP at 2950 baht ($89) - on arrival in Saigon, the duty free there was $71, exact same cognac - that's an $18 a bottle difference.  Wonder how many other "Duty Free" items are overpriced - Everything??.  

 

My lady friend bought me a watch at Paragon for my birthday, ($475 and I got $79 TVA back) the same watch in Swampy was $600 -  Color me 'King Power Never Again.

A lot of liquor in VN is counterfeit.

[MyFriend You]

11 hours ago, JaiLai said:

A lot of liquor in VN is counterfeit.

True, my lady was very sceptical, but this is in the Duty Free in the Airport.  I studied the labels, seals, boxes, wording, and compared them with the bottles we bought in BKK  -  exactly the same 'cept for the serial numbers on the seals.   I am confident these are the real deal, only tasting will tell.   Later Date.

[mtls2005]

I think you're fine in a duty free shop in a major int'l airport like SGN, HAN, VTE, PNH.

 

However, the stuff in a market is likely more suited for automobile coolant. I feel for the chaps who come back from the market with name-brand bottle that they got for $5, and rave about it...just before going blind.

[OJAS]

On 9/21/2017 at 6:11 PM, OJAS said:

Yep, Leicester City fans need to start patronising King Power in their droves if their team is to have any chance of being EPL champions again!

However, upon reflection, I am not now so sure that all the profits which King Power make from their BKK operation would necessarily end up in strengthening the Leicester City team. A sizeable chunk might well have found its way into the pockets of Claudio Raneiri and Craig Shakespeare by way of contractual compensation following their managerial sackings!