Buying The Very Latest Hardware. Is It Available In Thailand?

[OldMike]

I'm considering moving to Chiang Mai. I'd like to learn a little about what computer technologies are available as computing is my main hobby.

Where I live I'm easily able to buy the latest computer hardware. All the new products like Seagate Barracuda XT 2TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6Gb/s and the new Asus motherboards that support a 6Gb/s Sata drives. I can buy the latest memory products and the price is reasonable.

Can someone give me some advice about what technologies are available in Thailand. Are these products (some are even made in Thailand) available in the shops? How does the price of hardware in Thailand compare with that in the UK or in USA?

Thanks,

[dave_boo]

You do know that there's no way a platter based drive could come close to the 3Gb/s threshold that is from the old standard?

But to answer your question; there's not much chance of you purchasing any thing that's 'latest & greatest' up north (at least in Nakhon Sawan and surrounding areas). They can get it for you, but they bring it up from Bangkok. Prices aren't extrobiantly beyond what you'd pay from say newegg...

Funny thing is though, Seagate has a factory off of Theparak Rd. in Samut Prakarn, but their drives aren't any cheaper in LOS.

[RubbaJohnny]

There is a smal version of the Panthip Plaza on 3 floors at lower Southern end of the night market

There are a couple more PC centres inside Airport Plaza and near NW corner of the moat.

There also a couple of Mac dealers and a training centre.I am not competent to know what is the latest and as you can never catch up seems a matter of buying what you need.

Prices for some items are lower in Oz and USA from my experience but a long way to return

Despite recent highy publicized raids it is hard to find GENUINE SOFTWARE and the mispellings on the wrappersare agive away

Good luck as theres lots to do offline in c mai

[TongueThaied]

First, I am not "techie," nor do I like to shop. When I buy, it is nice to get the latest and greatest so it doesn't become obsolete quite so fast. I live in the middle of the country -- a long ways to BKK or CM. FOR ME, getting decent tech stuff here at a decent price is a pain in the a$$.

In the US, I liked shopping on the Internet. You can peruse, compare, read reviews, then order at one of the most competitive prices in the world and it comes to your door. I have been several times to Panthip Plaza in BKK. Thai people get real excited about it as the place to go. A lot of stuff. If it is imported, IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IN THE US. There is also a lot of counterfeit, not only software, but hardware, too. Some of it is so well copied I cannot tell the fake. I only find out when buy, it turns out to be junk, then I learn it was counterfeit. Nowadays, I just order what I want off the Internet for delivery to a friend in the US. When he gets enough, I have him ship it by post office, International Priority. I have never lost anything ahave had no problems with Thai customs (do not use UPS or FedEx!!!). I have compared prices and have always saved money.

All of my wireless stuff has come from overseas at almost half the price I would have to pay here (even the stuff that is made here goes to the US, then gets shipped back by my friend!!! Go figure.). Most recently, I bought several USB port expanders here, name brands. I mean, how can you have a problem with those? They all died within 2 months. I finally got frustrated, gave up and ordered a brand name from the US that is not even available here and have had no problems since.

So my advice to you is to bring everything you can think of with you. People are going to disagree with me, but when you want specialized stuff or you simply know what you want and you want what you want, they have a bunch of junk here. That's been my experience. And remember, I hate to shop in stores. If you like walking around for hours looking at rows and rows of the same sh!t, trying to figure out what is genuine and what is not overpriced, maybe you will like buying this stuff here. But if you want what you want, you want the best price, and you want it now, this isn't the place.

[Crushdepth]

A lot of stuff. If it is imported, IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IN THE US

Ironically, a lot of stuff made in Thailand is still more expensive than it is in the US, eg. some of the Canon digital SLRs.