Cell Phone Questions

[artbottomup]

I'm thinking about buying a Motorola V3 RIZR Unlocked phone (quad band) & a LG Chocolate (tri band) phone for use in Thailand. The cost for the RIZR is about $230 & the Chocolate around $300 USA. Any thoughts on:

1. Cheaper to buy in Thailand say at MBK in Bangkok? What do these phone cost in Thailand?

2. Any problems with tri band phones working?

3. Is it possible to take the Chocolate phone to a BKK vendor & have them install Thai characters for menu viewing? This would make it easier for my Thai wife to use.

4. Other phones you'd suggest?

Thanks much...

[lomatopo]

I'm thinking about buying a Motorola V3 RIZR Unlocked phone (quad band) & a LG Chocolate (tri band) phone for use in Thailand. The cost for the RIZR is about $230 & the Chocolate around $300 USA. Any thoughts on:

1. Cheaper to buy in Thailand say at MBK in Bangkok? What do these phone cost in Thailand?

2. Any problems with tri band phones working?

3. Is it possible to take the Chocolate phone to a BKK vendor & have them install Thai characters for menu viewing? This would make it easier for my Thai wife to use.

4. Other phones you'd suggest?

Thanks much...

You can check retail pricing at the Jaymart website, figuring that a counter shop on the 4th floor at MBK is likely to be 10 - 20% less. So compare those prices to e-Bay prices using the curency conversion rate which applies to your situation.

It looks like the LG phone is ~ $280 USD on E-Bay (all in, New, in box), and 9,500 (Jaymart, figure 8,500 THB at a counter shop).

You can do the math/research on the Motorola phone. There are several V3 RAZR models.

In general I'd recommend buying the phone where you/wife will be using it the most.

As long as the phone support GSM 900/1800 then it will work here in Thailand.

Any counter shop should be able to update the phone for Thai menues and replace the keypad with one that has Thai characters.

It is challenging to recommend a phone without understanding your requirements.

[peter991]

Much cheaper to buy in Thailand. You can get a nice new, unlocked camera mobile phone from 4000 baht upwards. Try JJ weekend markets.

All those phones have a Thai phone charger (no need for an adapter when you plug it into the mains to charge) and Thai / English keypad and Thai / English menu.

Save you money - buy in Thailand.

Peter

[Crossy]

If you want the Thai firmware buy in Thailand.

You may pay more for the phone you want, but 'twill be less hassle and you won't invalidate the warranty by replacing the keypad and firmware.

[artbottomup]

Thanks everyone for your valuable input. My wife & I will be living up northeast in That Phanom so it makes sense from what you're all saying to buy the phones in Bangkok. Once again, as we say in Hawaii, mahalo!!!