Looking for advice please.

My wifes nephew has just started studying at university in Thailand and has promised him a Laptop to assist him in his studys.

Our problem is whether to purchase one in the UK for him & send it to him although he will have to purchase a Thai/English keyboard or give him the money to buy a Laptop in Thailand. We are told that even basic Laptops are expensive to buy in Thailand, thirty thousand baht ?

Does anyone know of a reputable retailer in Thailand to purchase a average spec Laptop for a student or advise on the best way to buy/send one over ?

Thanks

If you send one there will be IMPORT duty to be paid. You can get a good spec laptop like a Compaq for around 15k baht from any Tesco or Big C supermarket here in Thailand. There are also IT places like Panthip Plaza that will have dozens to choose from.

If you want to check up on them have him send you the model numbers etc, I would advise buy one here in Thailand, and there is absolutely no need to be paying 30k baht for a student laptop (IMHO)

Here's a link that will give you an idea about Pantip :

http://www.thebangko...p_plaza_bangkok

This will show you Big C Supermarket laptops as an indication of what I have mentioned:

http://www.bigc.co.t...ochure/id/2302/

I have a Compaq laptop I bought in Tesco and its been excellent and hasnt missed a beat in the last two years and I use it everyday, cost me 14k baht.

Hope this helps.

Edited December 5, 201015 yr by CharlieH

If you send one there will be IMPORT duty to be paid. You can get a good spec laptop like a Compaq for around 15k baht from any Tesco or Big C supermarket here in Thailand. There are also IT places like Panthip Plaza that will have dozens to choose from.

If you want to check up on them have him send you the model numbers etc, I would advise buy one here in Thailand, and there is absolutely no need to be paying 30k baht for a student laptop (IMHO)

Here's a link that will give you an idea about Pantip :

http://www.thebangko...p_plaza_bangkok

This will show you Big C Supermarket laptops as an indication of what I have mentioned:

http://www.bigc.co.t...ochure/id/2302/

I have a Compaq laptop I bought in Tesco and its been excellent and hasnt missed a beat in the last two years and I use it everyday, cost me 14k baht.

Hope this helps.

This was a great help, thanks.

Are you sure that the Laptop would " assist him in his studys"? Many students spend far more time on facebook and farmville than studying.

Martin

Are you sure that the Laptop would " assist him in his studys"? Many students spend far more time on facebook and farmville than studying.

Martin

True that

And if you want to make sure that your money goes to a computer and not anything else, you could pay for it online and have it shipped to him. This is one of our partner sites: http://www.invadeit.co.th/category/notebooks-laptops/sort/price/asc/

I work at a University in Bangkok, and the freshies get one upon registration.

Actually just bought one from the Uni (HP 5102) for under 10000baht

To be fair.. it depends on his/her field of study.

A liberal arts major could probably get by with an inexpensive netbook.. while an engineering or graphic arts student would really benefit from a powerful computer.

And don't forget the cost of programs.. I know everyone thinks all Thai's by pirated software, but there are real benefits to using legit/supported software which is actually required for a class. Software can often cost more than the machine, CAD software for instance.

I'm up on this as one son just went through a heavy math program (AP Calculus teacher) and another is starting an aeronautical engineering degree program next year. The first required a moderately powerful laptop and student versions of several mathcad programs, the second will require much more.