Firestick or Android Box?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Bear in mind that since last year it's illegal to import any streaming devices into the country without a licence. Although the risk of getting caught may be negligible, customs could make an issue of it... in that regard it might be better to get something locally through Lazada or similar. 

 

There's also the difference between sending something in the mail or via courier vs discreetly carrying it in one's airplane luggage.

 

Since that govt. pronouncement was made, I've heard very little further on the subject, other than that it seems to have reduced the volume of devices available for sale at local online retailers.

 

I know one thing... these days... if I was going to send one to Thailand, I'd absolutely send it via regular airmail and have it delivered by ThaiPost -- which typically gets very little Customs hassle -- vs. having it sent by private courier like DHL or FedEx, where Customs is almost certain to get involved.

 

[pmarlin]

I inquired about the firestick and this was the reply I got.

After I investigate your email.

About this shipment is Fire TV stick  due to restricted items has control by Thai NBTC (National broadcasting Telecommunication Commission) .

So if you want to import to Thailand you have to contact them for require import license ,First

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, pmarlin said:

I inquired about the firestick and this was the reply I got.

After I investigate your email.

About this shipment is Fire TV stick  due to restricted items has control by Thai NBTC (National broadcasting Telecommunication Commission) .

So if you want to import to Thailand you have to contact them for require import license ,First

 

 

 

You inquired to WHO??? And WHY???

[Mattd]

1 hour ago, pmarlin said:

So if you want to import to Thailand you have to contact them for require import license ,First

I ordered mine when I was last in the UK, Amazon will not ship one to here and I certainly wouldn't be asking the authorities here anything, NBTC are an absolute nightmare to deal with.

[janclaes47]

1 hour ago, pmarlin said:

I inquired about the firestick and this was the reply I got.

After I investigate your email.

About this shipment is Fire TV stick  due to restricted items has control by Thai NBTC (National broadcasting Telecommunication Commission) .

So if you want to import to Thailand you have to contact them for require import license ,First

 

 

Yes an import license has to be applied for before the item is shipped.

 

It are 6 or 7 documents that have to be completed with the serial number and MAC address and other nonsense of the device, as well as lot of details from the seller and the buyer.

 

So virtually impossible to complete

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I think the answer is, not to complete anything.

 

If you go asking for trouble, trouble's going to find you.

 

If you simply go quietly about your business and avoid obvious points of trouble all thru the process, you'll likely emerge with no trouble.

 

[janclaes47]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I think the answer is, not to complete anything.

 

If you go asking for trouble, trouble's going to find you.

 

If you simply go quietly about your business and avoid obvious points of trouble all thru the process, you'll likely emerge with no trouble.

 

That's always the best, but once the items have reached Thai soil a license can not be issued any more.

 

I had 2 shipments last September that were confiscated by one the express couriers.

 

The could not release without a license, which according to NBTC could not be issued any more, but the courier would "help" me with 2 contacts that could get it through customs.

 

The first contact asked only 4 times the value of the goods to help me.

 

The second contact was much nicer and asked only twice the value. This took about 3 weeks.

 

I then sent the courier company an email in which I declared that I was no longer interested in the goods, and that they could put them where the sun doesn't shine.

 

About a month later the delivery guy delivers the first shipment at my doorstep, no questions or moneys asked, and a few days later his colleague arrived with the second shipment.

 

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

I had 2 shipments last September that were confiscated by one the express couriers.

 

 

That's exactly why I said above,... avoid obvious points of trouble.

 

[StevieAus]

20 hours ago, pmarlin said:

I inquired about the firestick and this was the reply I got.

After I investigate your email.

About this shipment is Fire TV stick  due to restricted items has control by Thai NBTC (National broadcasting Telecommunication Commission) .

So if you want to import to Thailand you have to contact them for require import license ,First

 

 

That may well be the case however they are available in Bangkok I ordered one recently for a friend if you contact me direct I will provide you the details.

[janclaes47]

19 hours ago, SamReg777 said:

I'm here with the same issue. My android box is getting rather old and the firmware not really compatible with the latest builds. Should I get a firestick or android box and what are the advantages? Having read much info, I came to a conclusion that Firestick with Kodi installed would better meet my needs. 

Firestick is only 1Gb RAM, needs an adapter if you want to use LAN, and is produced by Amazon.

 

The first 2 spec I probably don't need to explain the negatives, but being it owned by Amazon is the biggest drawback.

 

They can render your firestick renderless by blocking Kodi and 3rd party apps, at any time in the future.

 

Look at Roku or the AIS Playbox for an example that it can and will happen.

[StevieAus]

On 9/12/2018 at 6:05 PM, SamReg777 said:

I'm here with the same issue. My android box is getting rather old and the firmware not really compatible with the latest builds. Should I get a firestick or android box and what are the advantages? Having read much info, I came to a conclusion that Firestick with Kodi installed would better meet my needs. 

That’s what I and a few expat friends have been using and to date no problem

Sure something could change in the future as it did with the Thai Expat TV that was closed down but good for a few years while it lasted

For what I paid for the firestick has been good value and if I couldn’t use it tomorrow would not be out of pocket.