Sending A Laptop On To Thailand

[RoastLamb]

Hi guys,

Not sure if this is the right section.

I'm moving to Thailand for the winter and will be bringing my laptop with me, but I'm going to do a bit of backpacking between here and there so I want to send my laptop on ahead.

I know someone there who will pick it up for me so I was just wondering how I would go about this, how long it might take, how much it would cost and especially how reliable the service would be?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

[garyh]

If you send it ahead you will most likely get stunk with a large fee for duty. Find a way to bring it with you will be much cheaper, I sent a computer before that was not worth a huge amount and my wife had to pay 5000 Baht.

[RoastLamb]

If you send it ahead you will most likely get stunk with a large fee for duty. Find a way to bring it with you will be much cheaper, I sent a computer before that was not worth a huge amount and my wife had to pay 5000 Baht.

That doesn't sound very promising. It would almost be cheaper to buy a brand new computer. I don't understand the concept of paying duty, what is it for? Is there no way around it?

[TEFLMike]

Computers are not competitively priced in Thailand. If anything, they are more expensive, like for like.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

If you send it ahead you will most likely get stunk with a large fee for duty. Find a way to bring it with you will be much cheaper, I sent a computer before that was not worth a huge amount and my wife had to pay 5000 Baht.

That doesn't sound very promising. It would almost be cheaper to buy a brand new computer. I don't understand the concept of paying duty, what is it for? Is there no way around it?

Carry it with you.

[RoastLamb]

If you send it ahead you will most likely get stunk with a large fee for duty. Find a way to bring it with you will be much cheaper, I sent a computer before that was not worth a huge amount and my wife had to pay 5000 Baht.

That doesn't sound very promising. It would almost be cheaper to buy a brand new computer. I don't understand the concept of paying duty, what is it for? Is there no way around it?

Carry it with you.

Thing is I wanted to do some quite adventurous backpacking. Possible overlanding it all the way to Thailand. In such a scenario I don't really want to be lumbered with a laptop. I'd rather have next to nothing, and therefore next to nothing to lose.

[Spee]

I'm moving to Thailand for the winter and will be bringing my laptop with me, but I'm going to do a bit of backpacking between here and there so I want to send my laptop on ahead.

Most modern laptops weigh about the same as a change of clothes, but obviously cost quite a bit more, no to mention the value of the data. I would suggest shipping a couple of days worth of clothes (obviously your older and lesser valued clothes, but still those you would wear out on the trail). This would allow you extra weight and volume to hand carry your laptop and you can then mix and match your personal cargo when you get in country. Also, you are less likely to have someone pilfer your clothes compared to your laptop. I can't speak for your situation, but a big part of my personal and professional life is on my laptop. It doesn't leave my sight.

[RoastLamb]

...a big part of my personal and professional life is on my laptop. It doesn't leave my sight.

This is why I didn't want to take it on the road. Figured it would be safer packing it off on a plane direct into the safe hands of my friend in Thailand than it would being checked in and out of a multitude of cheap hotels and left by the bedside as I went off to explore. Hmmm, this is going to be a bigger problem than I anticipated.

[garyh]

...a big part of my personal and professional life is on my laptop. It doesn't leave my sight.

This is why I didn't want to take it on the road. Figured it would be safer packing it off on a plane direct into the safe hands of my friend in Thailand than it would being checked in and out of a multitude of cheap hotels and left by the bedside as I went off to explore. Hmmm, this is going to be a bigger problem than I anticipated.

Do you know anybody traveling to Thailand who can take it for you, that way you dont pay the duty. If you post it then they get you.

[str8sin]

probably inappropriate to ask here, but does anyone take an extra laptop or cell phone to Thailand just to sell when they go? I have a friend who takes two laptop and two I-phones each time he goes to Vietnam, just to sell. He says it pays for his airfare.

[garyh]

probably inappropriate to ask here, but does anyone take an extra laptop or cell phone to Thailand just to sell when they go? I have a friend who takes two laptop and two I-phones each time he goes to Vietnam, just to sell. He says it pays for his airfare.

You may raise some eyebrows with 2 computers, with 1 they are happy so long as it looks secondhand.

[pattaya_girl]

When i came to live here 8 years ago, I sent over quite a lot of my own personal electrical goods, and was told that they could not be new items, I had to scratch them and make them look second hand beofre I packed them up.

When the items arrived at Bangkok, they were indeed checked and I had to sign a form saying that I had brought them for my own use and I had no intention of selling them.

What a palarva !!!

[longstebe]

Thailand has about...... erm a million internet cafe's.

Leave it at home.

[jackdanielsesq]

Duh?!

BR>Jack

[denboy]

Hi guys,

Not sure if this is the right section.

I'm moving to Thailand for the winter and will be bringing my laptop with me, but I'm going to do a bit of backpacking between here and there so I want to send my laptop on ahead.

I know someone there who will pick it up for me so I was just wondering how I would go about this, how long it might take, how much it would cost and especially how reliable the service would be?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Unless you are going to use your laptop for internet banking etc, I cannot for the life of me understand why you want to lug a laptop halfway around the world.

Surely it is much easier and simpler excercise to buy a memory stick and back up your laptop info. I find this a much easier solution when travelling abroad. Thailand has an abundance of internet shops, so no problem.

Have a good adventure,

[RoastLamb]

There's a few of reasons why I need my laptop over an internet cafe, not least because I am a keen music producer. I couldn't enjoy life without this hobby and all the software required is on my laptop. The other reasons are more to do with finances and probably best left unspoken.

So it seems that it is certainly possible to send it over, but it would need to be clearly 2nd hand - no problem there. My laptop has more scratches than a locked up catflap. I might leave it at home until I'm actually in Thailand, then I'll have someone from home send it over, that way I can be there to pick it up in person and deal with any problems that might arise.

But the most important question remains unanswered and that is the question of cost. I'm going to have a search around the internet to see if I can find anything on this but if anyone else has anything to add it would still be most appreciated.

Duh?!

BR>Jack

I don't understand this post. What does it mean?

[mahtin]

Duh?!

BR>Jack

I don't understand this post. What does it mean?

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[jackdanielsesq]

I couldnt find a crack pipe gif for the OP

BR>Jack

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Edited June 16, 2009 by jackdanielsesq