I went to the KingPower complex on Rang Nam road to buy some egg rolls for a friend from HK who requested them. While there, I saw a Panasonic video camera discounted 30% as it was the last and display unit. For both items, my total purchase exceeded the 5,000 baht minimum level necessary for the 7% VAT refund upon taking items out of country. So my total purchases of 6,100 baht qualified for a 406 baht refund. Upon departing at Suwanna, I went thru the paperwork process at Customs/Revenue office before check-in. And when I went up to the VAT refund window after check-in, the guy in the window put out 306 baht, there being a 100 baht service fee.

But then, when I asked for the original sales receipt for the video camera back, he said no, the receipt has to stay with the VAT application form. I explained to him that I need "my" receipt back in case I had to make a warranty claim on the camera, and the warranty conditions expressly state that the "original" sales receipt must be shown when making the claim. The VAT guy said, nope, no receipt turned in, no money.

So I told him to forget the VAT refund, and just give me back my receipt. They are potentially worth more than the 306 baht of the VAT refund.

So the moral is: when you purchase anything qualifying for the VAT refund, plus any potential warranty claim requiring an original sales receipt, make sure you make the retailer provide you with two original sales receipts.

I'm surprised no one has encountered this problem before. Plus I just don't understand why the tax office needs the original sales receipt. They can check it and then marked it so that it can't be used again.

Still got receipts from 2 months ago, did you get picked up for shop lifting in KP too?

While in the KingPower duty free shopping complex, I walked into the Cartier section to look at men's wallets, and the wallets, costing 10,000 baht up, are openly displayed on shelves. Yet in the 2 - 3 minutes that I was in the Cartier section (which are in sectioned off rooms), there was not one salesman/lady around. I thought how easy might it be to just drop one of the wallets on display into a shopping bag and walk out, but then I thought this must be a set up and there are probably video cameras trained on this specific area. So I gave up on any thought of a life of crime.

In Hong Kong, even in a showroom with several salesladies, small items like wallets and accessories are usually displayed in a drawer under glass, sometimes even in a locked drawer.

I thought how easy might it be to just drop one of the wallets on display into a shopping bag and walk out

Now why didn't I think of that?? Hmm, I think I am having a parallel universe experience

Simon

King Power: hub of Thai law enforcement entrapment