Printing & Internet Cafes

[GoodHeart]

I've visited and used quite a few Internet cafes in Bangkok, and while there is quite a range of pricing to access the web at these cafes, I've found that for every one that offers to print documents the cost is always the same- Bt5/page.

To my mind, that's pretty pricey! All the more so, if you run over to Tesco and price out a packet of A4 paper- paper seems to be priced cheap here.

Since I have a lot of .pdf documents to print and don't want to purchase a printer just yet could anyone recommend some places in BKK that are able to print from a USB, or email acct. that charges less?

Edited May 2, 2005 by GoodHeart

[bino]

To my mind, that's pretty pricey!    All the more so, if you run over to Tesco and price out a packet of A4 paper- paper seems to be priced cheap here.

Do your PDF's require color printing? Whilst paper is relatively cheap, Ink cartridges are expensive here, and the shop does have to make something on the job.

Why not consider buying a printer? A reasonable color inkjet printer such as HP can be had for about 2000 baht. (400 pages @5 baht)

[johng]

Since I have a lot of .pdf documents to print and don't want to purchase a printer just yet could anyone recommend some places in BKK that are able to print from a USB, or email acct. that charges less?

Christ I thought I was tight...

Yes the paper is cheap the printer is quite cheap but ink is quite expensive , so is setting up the rest of an Internet Cafe and running it day in day out just waiting for the " big spender " to come in and print some PDF's

good luck in your search mate.

Edited May 2, 2005 by johng

[RDN]

Since I have a lot of .pdf documents to print and don't want to purchase a printer just yet could anyone recommend some places in BKK that are able to print from a USB, or email acct. that charges less?

Christ I thought I was tight.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sukhumvit soi 13, all the internet shops - 80 baht/page colour pictures.

[GoodHeart]

Oh, a bunch of wise guys, eh?

I think I'm being a bit misunderstood. What i mean is Bt5/page *is* expensive- in the grander scheme of things- when in the same town I compare that price to my getting a taxi ride for a couple of klicks for Bt35, or a freshly chilled coconut for BT10, a chilled slab of watermelon for Bt10, a motocy ride across the neighborhood for Bt15, or a scrumptious bowl of handmade won tons for Bt20.

I'm not looking to take advantage and I'm not being miserly. It's just that I'd like to print out a few hundred pages- at least. I'm also not interested in anything other than B&W prints. But I am aware of a whole counterfeit print cartridges cottage industry- that could keep many shops' overhead down. And, I am interested in not purchasing a printer because I don't want to lug it on the next impending move.

No, I mean to say the price just seems to be out of proportion to other costs here. Although, if no one can point me to a shop that does it below Bt5/page, I'll step up to the plate and pay the price and be done with it.

Edited May 2, 2005 by GoodHeart

[uhuh]

Oh, a bunch of wise guys, eh?

I think I'm being a bit misunderstood. What i mean is Bt5/page *is* expensive- in the grander scheme of things- when in the same town I compare that price to my getting a taxi ride for a couple of klicks for Bt35, or a freshly chilled coconut for BT10, a chilled slab of watermelon for Bt10, a motocy ride across the neighborhood for Bt15, or a scrumptious bowl of handmade won tons for Bt20.

I'm not looking to take advantage and I'm not being miserly. It's just that I'd like to print out a few hundred pages- at least. I'm also not interested in anything other than B&W prints. But I am aware of a whole counterfeit print cartridges cottage industry- that could keep many shops' overhead down. And, I am interested in not purchasing a printer because I don't want to lug it on the next impending move.

No, I mean to say the price just seems to be out of proportion to other costs here. Although, if no one can point me to a shop that does it below Bt5/page, I'll step up to the plate and pay the price and be done with it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

your best bet are the net cafes at Ramkhamhaeng, eg soi 29, soi 43/1, soi 53

many of them don't print and those that do will usually charge something like 5 B per page, but if you tell them it will be hundreds of pages they will probably give you a discount (and they have to buy some paper )

[waldwolf]

Most Internet Cafe's are small retail operations using "home" type equipment which is not designed for high volume, such as printing a book in pdf format. The IC's operators probably buy their ink and paper from the same stores you do, most likely paying the retail price.

Would think, cost wise, you'd be better off using one of the larger office supply stores who do volume copying/printing for businesses. They usually have laser machines which can produce two sided copies at the rate of 100+ pages (B&W) per minute and, in many cases, are capable of receiving/inputing the data to be printed, from various media including electronic transmission (ie: email).

If you print a lot of material, especially black & white, cost wise you'd be better off buying a laser printer vs. an ink-jet. Initial machine cost will be slightly more, but in the long run, the expendables (paper, toner, etc.) will be less and laser printers are considerably faster.

[bino]

This is decent advice. Most office supply stores such as Makro Office Center do have business / copy centers that are prepared for big jobs.

the expendables (paper, toner, etc.) will be less

Wouldn't an inkjet printer and a laser printer use the same amount of paper? A few hundred pages is a few hundred pages!

Sorry- couldn't help myself- had to be a wise guy!

[GoodHeart]

Ugh! Uh-huh Why did I have a feeling the tempation would be too great?

Well, we can wrap this thread up then, I came to the same conclusion during my morning shower meditation. Must be my never having been inside a Makro that caused me to not think of it first.

Maybe I ought to get down to a Makro first, but it does seem to me as though there's a void in the office suppliers/office service providors segment of the economy here.

[Firefoxx]

If you have a way of bringing the PDFs somewhere else, it's probably better to go to a print shop (a fairly modern one) and have them print it via laser. It would be more expensive than normal copying (don't expect 1 baht/page), but less than the internet cafes, which usually use inkjets.

Inkjets are a lot more expensive than lasers, consumables-wise. This includes toner/ink and paper cost per page. Remember that to get good results from inkjets, you need to use inkjet paper. For lasers, cheap copier paper will suffice.

[waldwolf]

.....

the expendables (paper, toner, etc.) will be less

Wouldn't an inkjet printer and a laser printer use the same amount of paper? A few hundred pages is a few hundred pages!....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As Firefoxx indicated, there is actually a difference between Laser and true Inkjet paper.

Inkjet paper is usually slightly more expensive than laser paper, due to the extra processing required at time of manufacture.

True inkjet paper is a polished paper specially treated to prevent "feathering", a condition wherein ink absorbed by the paper spreads out to nearby fibers before drying, giving letters and images a slightly blured or smeared look.

While laser printers can use most any paper, inkjet paper is not recommended, as its harder polished surface may prevent the toner from being permanently afixed to the paper. This becomes a critical point in those instances where 2-sided printing is done. Toner from the first side may melt off and damage the printer, while the second side is being printed.

There are so-called "Multifunction" papers available for use in either laser or inkjet printers, however, my experience is such papers do not work as well as the specifically designated types. True laser paper is cheaper and offers better print quality and stability, while in the case of inkjets, print quality is poorer.

cheers

Edited May 4, 2005 by waldwolf

[RDN]

^^^ You're a mine of information Waldwolf (and Firefoxx). Much appreciated!

[GoodHeart]

Well ^ I would strongly second RDN now that I've been back to read their contributions.

But, back to cost, I just this evening went with ThumbDrive in hand to the Office Depot on Rachadapisek ready to execute my 100+ pages of printing only to discover that they charged Bt10/page. I was livid. How can they be twice the price of the average Internet cafe?

Where do I try next?

[melus]

How can they be twice the price of the average Internet cafe?

Where do I try next?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Easy. They're Office Depot, and Bt10/page is a nice round figure. Anyway, there's a printing shop in the same complex you were in on the second floor towards Fortune Hotel which does tons of printing. I'm not sure if they're capable of printing from a thumb drive, but I'd guess they could as in addition to their two printers, they have a couple of computers set up. I am sure, however, they'd be cheaper than Office Depot.

[waldwolf]

GoodHeart - Was the Office Depot Bt10/page for one sheet of paper, printed on both sides (preferable if a book) or single-sided printing?

Negotation is the name of the game. There should be some competition down the street, around the corner or a few blocks away.

Then again, depending upon how many pages you need to print......borrowing/buying a used inkjet printer and some counterfeit cartridges could be another solution.

...or, ask the Internet Cafe what they would charge (per page) if you brougnt your own paper and ink.

cheers