Bring Flat Screen Plasma Tv To Thailand

[Nepal4me]

I have checked the prices of plasma flat screen TVs in Bangkok and find they are quite expensive. The 42" versions are from 160,000 baht to 250,000. In the US at Costco or other bulk stores they are as low as US$2,000 (or ~80,000 baht). Could somebody advise on what duty implications are bringing in a TV from Singapore or the US?

BTW, the TV's will work on 120v or 240v as well as selectable from PAL and NTSC.

Or any other gems of wisdom to do with getting a good flat screen plasma TV in Thailand?

[linglop]

I have checked the prices of plasma flat screen TVs in Bangkok and find they are quite expensive.  The 42" versions are from 160,000 baht to 250,000.  In the US at Costco or other bulk stores they are as low as US$2,000 (or ~80,000 baht).  Could somebody advise on what duty implications are bringing in a TV from Singapore or the US? 

BTW, the TV's will work on 120v or 240v as well as selectable from PAL and NTSC. 

Or any other gems of wisdom to do with getting a good flat screen plasma TV in Thailand?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You will find that both the singapore and usa tv will be incompatible with the tv system in thailand. both may use or be capable of using the PAL system but there are a number of variations of that system, particularly as regarding the audio signal. Check out "TV systems" in your search engine.

[lopburi3]

As said the switch between PAL and NTSC will likely only change the color and not the tuner. So it can be used as a monitor with external source but not over the air or cable use without an external tuner. However believe Singapore is the same PAL BG system as Thailand so that should work here.

I would not be keen on getting such an item through Customs myself and from reports would not even consider buying current short life plasma screens at these prices when better systems are likely to be available in a very short time. But I am only a recent convert to LCD for computer so probably behind the times.

[NarrLing]

I would suggest one with world multi system to get around the tuning and voltage problems. Multi system TV's I've bought in the past have worked in a variety of countries without problems.

Customs charges in Thailand will be a different matter.

NL

Edited March 6, 2005 by NarrLing

[LivinLOS]

Driven over the Malay border is a low risk excersize but quite a chore for a BKK resident (Being more southern I was thinking about it)..

However with at least one 42 inch flat panel being sold at 99k baht I would just play the waiting game for a few months and see what happens to prices here.. Phuket stores seem to be stuck with old stock and low volume sales so the price discounting is hard to keep up with.. but the price movement generally within the industry is in one direction only..

Look on ebay.. 42 inchers going at sub 1k.. I wonder if you could get it under declared and simply handle some shipping and import duty costs ??

Thailand is a variant of PAL but this can be solved with multi region TV's (most but check), using an external STB (UBC boiX) and audio can always be routed through a 5.1 reciever so you only use the display (how I do it with my projection setup anyway)..

[Greer]

Yes, Thailand and Singapore use the PAL B system as noted above. A multi-standard system should solve the problem if you want to receive terrestrial broadcasts (direct from channel 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11).

I am not sure what they have done with the stereo audio recently - they used to use a German system that was not in common usage elsewhere, so it may be worth checking that side of it for the terrestrial channels.

Having said that, you don't mention if you have a UBC set top box, and if that is the case, and you always view tv via UBC, even for the local channels, then the best option is to connect the large screen direct using the video and audio outputs on the UBC box - if you do this, then the only thing to worry about is that the new tv is PAL compatible and will work on 230V 50Hz mains, which, if purchased in Singapore, it will.

Regarding the Plasma or LCD issue...most of the people I know in the broadcast industry wouldn't go near a plasma at the moment, as they exhibit a condition known as "burn-in" where any stationary image component that is above a certain luminance (brightness) can burn into the display and will remain there even when you are watching a different signal...a typical example is the channel logo. The burn-in happens over a period of time, but once it is there, it is permanent.

LCD's do not have this problem, but they are a bit more expensive...and as others have said, the technology is still not particularly wonderful, and image colour is not guaranteed to be absolutley correct - that is why, in the broadcast industry, we still use CRT monitors (a normal "old" style tube screen) for colour-critical applications (these monitors are referred to as Grade 1 and are incredibly expensive) - but this is getting off the subject...

Sony have LCD projection units in the Wega range (I know they have both 40" and 60") and the image quality, clarity, and brightness is really excellent, it doesn't look like a projection device at all - maybe see if they have them locally (try a local Sony shop for example in Emporium in Sukhumvit if you are in BKK).

You need to check with Customs about duty rates.

Unless you are absolutely desperate, I am sure that waiting a bit longer will help(maybe see how things are going later this year). Don't rush in as yet - prices will come down, and technology will improve - by all means check out emerging plasma technology, but seriously consider the LCD options.

[The_Moog]

Biggest problem in my opinion is that they are so fragile.

You have to have 2 people to wall-mount a plasma. Becuase if they bend - even a little bit, you have a problem.

I wouldn't take the chance of freighting it at my own risk - + you won't be able to hand-carry if you fly.

[dclaryjr]

Biggest problem in my opinion is that they are so fragile.

You have to have 2 people to wall-mount a plasma. Becuase if they bend - even a little bit, you have a problem.

I wouldn't take the chance of freighting it at my own risk - + you won't be able to hand-carry if you fly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For the moment I think the best bang for the buck (or baht) is DLP projection. But this is a field where technology is on the fast track and the quality per $/baht is going to keep getting better.

[konangrit]

Biggest problem in my opinion is that they are so fragile.

You have to have 2 people to wall-mount a plasma. Becuase if they bend - even a little bit, you have a problem.

I wouldn't take the chance of freighting it at my own risk - + you won't be able to hand-carry if you fly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agree, high risk of it breaking in transit.

[spacebass]

Bringing virtually anything through Thai Customs especially something as apparently valuable as a plasma TV will provoke a very big potential duty problem.

Forget what Thai Customs might tell you on the telephone.

If you ship via a method that is likely to deliver it such as Fed Ex, UPS etc if customs demand a huge amount of duty they will just pay it and give you the bill end of story.

Especially if it is addressed to a farang name.

Forget it.

Edited March 7, 2005 by spacebass