Questions About Technology Products In Thailand

[cwkid]

Hello

I am moving to Thailand from the UK and I'm a bit of a gadget fiend.

I'm trying to work out what to take with me and what to buy out in Thailand etc.

I am going to get ADSL installed in the house (In the sticks in a village up North), I have already checked availablity and should be able to get ADSL installed through TT&T, so my first purchase will be an ADSL wireless router probably a Netgear as I like those.

Where is the best place to buy a router in BKK ?

I am also thinking about bringing over my Vista Media Center PC Tower with me, I guess I would pack it in a hard suite case and hope

for the best at the airport. Has anyone else brought over their computer tower this way?

I also have an Acer laptop to bring with me and a Sony PSP, Microsoft Zune MP3 player and a Digital Camera, 2 mobile phones etc.

If I brought my PC Tower from the UK, I will be buying a few terabyte Sata 2 Hard disk drives to upgrade it. I've been to that place called Computer City in BKK once before is that the best place for PC parts?

I am thinking of buying another XBOX 360 in BKK probably an Elite with the HDMI port.

Where's the best place to purchase games consoles.?

Also would an XBOX 360 bought in Thailand work in the UK with UK games if I was to bring it back or would I have to get it chipped?

Also thinking about buying a LCD HDTV, probably a smallish one 28" - 32".

How do prices for such goods in Thailand compare to the UK? I'd probably buy an LG or Samsung TV.

Cheers.

Edited March 17, 2008 by cwkid

[Prasert]

Thailand is never the first with new technology, since nothing is designed or produced here (well, some electronic stuff is assembled here).

Lots of brand new gadgets are not on the market here yet, or still expensive if you find a shop that sells it.

On the other hand, Thai are fond of electronic gadgets, so as soon as it becomes popular, prices drop rapidly and every shop sells the stuff.

Places for computer stuff, mobile phones, etc: Pantip and Fortune in Bangkok

[cwkid]

Thailand is never the first with new technology, since nothing is designed or produced here (well, some electronic stuff is assembled here).

Lots of brand new gadgets are not on the market here yet, or still expensive if you find a shop that sells it.

On the other hand, Thai are fond of electronic gadgets, so as soon as it becomes popular, prices drop rapidly and every shop sells the stuff.

Places for computer stuff, mobile phones, etc: Pantip and Fortune in Bangkok

Thanks for the reply, I think Pantip is the place I went to before, looking at some pictures of it on Google seems familiar.

I guess the other option might be to buy some stuff from Hong Kong or Singapore via eBay and have it shipped in to Thailand.

As long as I can get a decent games console and an ADSL connection I'd be happy.

[Prasert]

... and an ADSL connection I'd be happy.

Some really serious advice for you.

First, read lots of topics in this section of TV regarding ADSL issues.

Second: get rid of your adsl connection you have back home and switch back to the good-old-56k modem and use that until you are in Thailand. Only this way you will be very happy with your Thai ADSL connection!

[cwkid]

... and an ADSL connection I'd be happy.

Some really serious advice for you.

First, read lots of topics in this section of TV regarding ADSL issues.

Second: get rid of your adsl connection you have back home and switch back to the good-old-56k modem and use that until you are in Thailand. Only this way you will be very happy with your Thai ADSL connection!

Well I guessed ADSL in Thailand would be crappy compared to my 4MB Cable broadband in the UK.

512K connection is what I thought I could expect in Thailand? Can't cope with something like dial-up speed

[LivinLOS]

It will claim to be 512 sure...

Upcountry.. in the sticks.. Expect 100 - 200kbps as a norm..

[haybilly]

... and an ADSL connection I'd be happy.

Some really serious advice for you.

First, read lots of topics in this section of TV regarding ADSL issues.

Second: get rid of your adsl connection you have back home and switch back to the good-old-56k modem and use that until you are in Thailand. Only this way you will be very happy with your Thai ADSL connection!

Well I guessed ADSL in Thailand would be crappy compared to my 4MB Cable broadband in the UK.

512K connection is what I thought I could expect in Thailand? Can't cope with something like dial-up speed

With regard your enquiry about where to purchase your ADSL router--unless you have a specific type requirement they are usually provided by TOT, TT&T--that's how mine came--but I've been told that, for the particular SAT TV system that I am about to install I will need a 2 or more port Router and this is not supplied by TOT, so looks like I'll be shopping for 2 , or more likely 4 port jobby. I agree about the ADSL speeds--they vary wildly from day to day-usually sitting around 150 - 200 Kbps.

[quiksilva]

Speeds also depend on you are downloading from. For example, when grabbing podcasts from Itunes over my adsl connection for TOT , I regularly get over 1000kb/s - albeit on a 512/2000 Kbps (up/down) package. Torrents etc tend to be much slower. Newsgroups though are much quicker. It all depends.

[Fun2Fun]

PM me if you need a wireless adsl router, I have a Belkin N-Class 2 less than 2 month old available for sale in BKK.

(Also have some other adsl modems, multifunction printer/scanners etc. for sale)

[meadish_sweetball]

If you plan on bringing a computer, make sure you take any hard disks separately.

The best option would be to buy new hard disks here as they don't travel too well.

Thirdly, earthed/grounded outlets in the house (NOT standard here, you may have to arrange it yourself), a surge protection power strip and a decent brand UPS is essential here due to power fluctuations, brownouts and blackouts. Otherwise you may end up frying your equipment.

[Steve2UK]

Thanks for the reply, I think Pantip is the place I went to before, looking at some pictures of it on Google seems familiar.

I guess the other option might be to buy some stuff from Hong Kong or Singapore via eBay and have it shipped in to Thailand.

As long as I can get a decent games console and an ADSL connection I'd be happy.

Pour yourself a stiff drink and do a search on here for "customs duty", "import tax" etc. The first few results (depressingly enough) will persuade you that shipping anything like that into Thailand can attract very creative taxing and other activities from the wonderful Thai Customs Service.............

In terms of pricing the other items you mentioned, check out some of the online shopping links pinned at the top of the the sub-forum page - should give you an idea about most of them. As has been said, once a given bit of tech does get going in Thailand, the prices do drop. Good LCD TV's etc can be got for a good price.