Pantip Plaza (it Mall)

[omwpattaya]

Im heading over to Thailand for a few months and need to use a Laptop whilst im there. I don't have one here in the UK as i use a tower so need to buy one. Question is are the Laptops much cheaper in Pantip?

I would be looking for something like a Sony Vaio.

Cheers

[The Skipper]

I bought a laptop at Global Solutions, room 417 Pantip Plaza.

Happy with their service too.

[marcortez]

From what I saw in February 2007, the prices are not all that much lower in Thailand, if at all.

They are all imported for the Thailand market from the various Asian manufactures.

I paid $1300 USD equivilent for a Benq model. I really like the model I did buy and it's not sold in the USA.

Acer seems to have the lowest prices depending on the model. The Sony your looking at is at the top end of the pricing spectrum.

Many of the various shops that sell computers are owned by the same person/company.

Meaning that Joes computer shop is the same as Janes computer shop.

Consequently, it is difficult to bargain prices with the "I will shop around".....you shop around at the same owners other store.

Also from what I experienced, is that the bargaining is VERY limited on the advertised prices.

I had a heck of a time just getting the shop to throw in a CAT 5 network cable.

They would not budge on the asking price....not even 200 baht!!!

Perhaps my negotiation skills need to be honed.

The IT mall on Ratchapisek road is smaller but the prices seem about the same as Pantip.

If you do buy in Thailand, make sure you get a PP10 VAT refund form so you can get the VAT taxes paid, refunded to you when you leave Thailand with the computer. The computer has to leave Thailand within 60 days for the refund to be issued. If your staying beyond the 60 day point, forget the VAT refund.

Some of these vendors will try and tell you that the VAT is included in the price. No way. Insist on a PP10 VAT refund form fully filled out.

Some may, or may not, display a "Tourist VAT refund" placard. Ask for it.

Take your passport as a copy will need to be made.

[Beavis and Butthead]

Laptops are a ripoff in Thailand compared to the US. I bought one for $1300 there and saw it in US for $1000. Needless to say, never again will I buy one here or any other related item. Digicam, same thing. We're talking 30% higher here and in case of digicam, shit quality. There is a myth out there that such items are cheaper here, nothing could be further from the truth. I could go on about other such myths about food, clothing and just about everything sold here

[ProThaiExpat]

One of the basics to understand about pricing in Thailand is the influence of Japanese manufacturers who control the sale price of their products through their dealers, a practice outlawed in the U.S. and elsewhere. Termed "fair trade practices" by the manufacturers, it is just the opposite. That is why you see "premiums" offered to induce sales rather than reductions in price.

Thus in a highly competitive retail market such as Los Angeles, one can buy most products cheaper than anywhere in the world, even where the product is manufactured.

The principle of volume sales based on competitive price is just unknown in Thailand as far as I know. For some reason, paying full price, up until recently at least, had a certain cache for Japanese and I have seen them willingly pay full price in Japan as well as everywhere in the world. There are some discounters flourishing in Japan in recent years, but I haven't been there to monitor that activity.

One of the blessings of the internet is you can get a general feel for the range of prices on any product around the world and then use that information to see how low the prices on that product are in your local marketplace.

Most internet shoppers find that while prices may be cheaper in other countries, by the time you add shipping, handling and customs, you right back to the local price.