Camera Prices In Thailand. What Can We Do?

[TheScribe]

Last week I decided to buy myself a new dSLR. In the old days I had a 35mm Pentax Spotmatic, used it till it wore out. Then I tried APS and was disappointed, and recently I have been using a Nikon Coolpix P5000.

After a bit of research, I decided a Nikon D3100 might suit me. Went to Big Camera in Chiang Mai Airport Plaza. They didn't have any in stock, should be coming next year. Their brochure show it priced at 24,990 Baht with the 18-55 zoom.

After checking out a few UK and European websites, its clear that this price is up to 20% higher than elsewhere. Check it out at amazon.co.uk. Its £438.40 with free delivery and in stock now. That's about 20,605 Baht with an exchange rate of 47. Even with the sky-high Swiss Franc, the mail order website www.pcp.ch comes in at about 22,000 Baht, delivery in 2 days.

Of course this also applies to most other electronic and computer kit in Thailand, but it certainly wasn't like this 3 or 4 years ago.

Why should this be? The rising Baht is one reason, but not enough. Thai importers and wholesalers have to buy in USD like every one else. Also, Thailand is in the World Trade Organisation, and cannot (legally or at least visibly) charge higher-than-usual import duties without risking retaliation from other countries.

The only reason I can imagine is excessive price-gouging by the importer/retailer cartel (whoever they are). Maybe there are also over-zealous tea-thirsty customs officers adding to the problem.

Anyway, I think rather than whinging, there are two things we could and should be doing.

1) Raise awareness of the problem. Excessive prices on kit benefit the few to the detriment of the many. Thailand is poorer because fewer people can afford the quality stuff. We should be writing to the press about it, and getting a lot more people to complain.

2) We could set up a friendly gift club where anyone doing a trip to Europe, UK or the States brings back one or two friendly gifts for their friends.

[richard_smith237]

I have been in the market for Canon G12 as my DSLR is too bulky and I rarely carry it around. My compact is getting too old.

The best price I found in Singapore a couple of weeks ago, equated to about THB 18,000

The cheapest online UK price was £366 +/-THB 17,300

I bought the Canon G12 from fortune town for THB 16,000

Perhaps the issue is due to lack of competition in Chiang Mai ?. In Bangkok I have found the prices to be very competitive.

Edited December 6, 2010 by richard_smith237

[Deserted]

Camera and lens prices are generally cheaper in Thailand than most places. It may be that they have mispriced that particular model.. Check out the lens prices in jessops to big camera, you will find a big difference.

I bought a 30mm Canon block lens in Big Camera for 3,999. The same lens was £129 in Jessops. Same principle applied to the wide angle I bought also.

[tw25rw]

With the weak £, the UK is relatively cheap now.

I just bought a Lumix GF1 for £397 off Amazon (£429 in Jessops). It would have been around 37000b in Thailand.

I'm also noticing that advertised UK prices are comparing well with Hong Kong. Though I believe Hong Kong prices are more negotiable.

[hughden]

The GF1 is currently 22,500 baht at AVcamera in Bangkok.

[powderpuff]

Thai charge 20-30 % duty.

Singapore, Hong Kong do not.

How can stuff be cheap in UK with 25% VAT ?

I buy locally so I get a warranty.

[Deserted]

How can stuff be cheap in UK with 25% VAT ?

Never has been and probably never will be. Though companies that operate on-line, as some posters have mentioned are helpiing a little.

[hughden]

Thai charge 20-30 % duty.

Singapore, Hong Kong do not.

How can stuff be cheap in UK with 25% VAT ?

I buy locally so I get a warranty.

I believe the Thai duty on cameras is 5%; plus 7% VAT. UK VAT is currently 17.5% (about to be 20%).

[MRToMRT]

Is not the D3100 made in Thailand? So what import duty.

Why can gray mkt importers sell cheaper than the official Nikon retailers in Thailand if a camera has no import duty?

I have racked my brain and I cannot come up with answer.

[neverdie]

Camera and lens prices are generally cheaper in Thailand than most places.

I have found the opposite to that with Nikon stuff. I wanted a couple of new lenses but due to the cost here in Thailand I put off the purchase for a couple of months until I went to Sydney Australia where I bought the gear from an Authorised Nikon dealer for prices cheaper than what 'grey' gear sells for here in Thailand.

Last year one item of Nikon equipment I wanted was actually made in Thailand, same thing, it was available for sale in Australia, cheaper than what it was here. CRAZY STUFF.

[hughden]

Companies such as Nikon get all sorts of concessions when bringing raw materials and components into Thailand to manufacture their products; on the understanding they are manufacturing for export. Items sold locally have their prices increased; although I am not sure how this is done; maybe by a special tax on the items.

[neverdie]

Companies such as Nikon get all sorts of concessions when bringing raw materials and components into Thailand to manufacture their products; on the understanding they are manufacturing for export. Items sold locally have their prices increased; although I am not sure how this is done; maybe by a special tax on the items.

Well something fairly extreeeeeeeme happens, let me tell you . I recently saved a tad over 20,000 baht on one lense alone (Ohh and was tickled pink by that, which is why I mentioned it)

[tw25rw]

How can stuff be cheap in UK with 25% VAT ?

Never has been and probably never will be. Though companies that operate on-line, as some posters have mentioned are helpiing a little.

I looked up the camera I bought with some Hong Kong based online retailers:

Tin Cheung are charging 7864.50 HKD - £642

DC Fever 7490 HKD - £611

Fortress 5790 HKD - £472

Digitalrev £460 no HK price shown.

Obviously they might not keep their we sites up to date, but all of them are dearer than what I paid in the UK.

[tw25rw]

The GF1 is currently 22,500 baht at AVcamera in Bangkok.

Thanks.. That one has the more expensive lens than mine, but works out to £475.

[IanForbes]

I don't know the reasons because I don't have any control over them, but I DO know that just about everything electronic, other than cel-phones, are more expensive in Thailand than they are in Canada. And, everything in Canada is more expensive than it is in the USA. On top of that I can't always be sure that what I buy in Thailand is not a knock off shipped down from China.

About 6 years ago I stayed in Thailand longer than expected and needed a laptop. I bought one in the Pantip plaza that was supposed to be an ASUS. It certainly SEEMS to be, but it didn't have a licensed or registered Windows program on it. And, a similar laptop in Canada was about 30% cheaper than it was in Thailand.

I bought a so called Nokia cel-phone in Thailand that turned out to be a good copy, but not the real thing. You don't always know what you are getting despite the fancy packaging.

As far as cameras are concerned I've checked prices of all the new ones I'm interested in each year and compare prices in Thailand vs Canada. They are ALWAYS about 20% cheaper in Canada.

This year I brought my own GPS to Thailand. I paid less for the Garmin than I did for the Thai map program I bought here.

[ThaiBob]

I buy Nikon gear. When I was hopping back and forth between the USA and Thailand I considered buying my equipment in Bangkok and getting the 7% VAT refund. Even when the exchange rate was 38THB/USD it just wasn't worth it. The prices here are just too high when you buy from a reputable dealer like Fotophile. My most recent purchase was the Nikon 16-35mm F/4 VR which I bought in the USA (on-line) for $1,150. At Fotophile it is on sale for 47,000 THB (or $1,575):

http://www.fotofile.net/product.php?id=14282

By the way, this lens is made here in Thailand!

[lopburi3]

Like most things in Thailand importation and distribution is in the hands of a few important families and their companies (as was the case in most countries 50 or more years ago). The price is artificially high for maximum profit and without viable competition the customer either pays or does without. Only as models age is the price allowed to fall. The only alternative is gray market with no official guarantee or buying off-brand items which are not a part of this controlled price fixing operation. For cars this is a major industry (for non official imports) but for most other items it is still minor and controlled by the major firms well enough to avoid real competition. There are several firms on internet and at major IT shopping areas, such as Fortune, that sell cameras at substantial discount with copies of manuals and shop guarantee. The several I have bought were Japanese domestic sold items and have worked fine. But these were consumer models in the 10k range rather than professional models where the lack of real guarantee might be of more concern. But for those living in Thailand suspect it is a viable option.

[TheScribe]

Thank you lopburi3, you have given a sensible answer to my original posting.

Unfortunately, the Thai people are stuck with these rip-offs, and it won't change until the Thais find some way of changing it. As I stated in my OP, it's to the benefit of the few and the detriment of the many. As for the ex-pats, we will do well to buy back home and not support the cartels.

TheScribe.

Edited December 15, 2010 by astral
Removing long quote

[MJP]

Big growth business here will be online sales. I bought a Lumix LX5 for 15,500 from zoomcamera.net. No problems.

DSLR here are generally cheaper than the UK now, especially the Canon 500D or 550D, much, much cheaper in Thailand.

[svenivan]

I see Pix-One seem to be much cheaper than other companies here in Thailand.

Canon 60D Body is 28.600 baht

Canon S95 is 12.600 baht

Sony A55 VL 18-55 30.990 baht

I cannot read Thai so I do not know if these prices are before VAT etc.

I am very interested in the Sony.

[phuketrichard]

Cheapest place for cameras is america and New York and or Amazon .com

What i hate is Nikons are made in Thailand yet they cost 20-25% more than outsdie Thailand

[Benz4me]

check classifies ads you newer now vat you find

http://classifieds.thaivisa.com/electronics/cameras/page1.html

[TheScribe]

I was in Bangkok this week and found a Pix-one shop in Rangsit Future Park (skytrain to mo-chit, then 150 Baht taxi).

Prices are the best I've found in Thailand. Brochure attached.

Pix-one-brochure.pdf

Edited December 25, 2010 by TheScribe

[plahgat]

I just bought a new Samsung EX1/TL500 from an Internet shop here in Sweden and the price is about 11900 baht.

I saw on the internet that it costs 15990 baht in "Power Buy" in Thailand!

Cheaper to buy electronics in Malaysia or Singapore although you have to shop around and be ready for some hard bargaining!

Plahgat

[Greenside]

I was in Bangkok this week and found a Pix-one shop in Rangsit Future Park (skytrain to mo-chit, then 150 Baht taxi).

Prices are the best I've found in Thailand. Brochure attached.

Their prices do look good. Are they official or grey imports, do you know?

Incidentally, since you're in Chiang Mai, please feel free to come along to one of our CM Photographic Group meetings - details on our website, here. We are having a New Year social evening this Wednesday at the Red Mango bar (in the old Tusker's location) and then next month our exhibition opens in Airport Plaza (see separate thread).

The CMPG gets good discounts at several local suppliers (not Big Camera, by the way) and meets every fortnight.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Greenside

[lopburi3]

PixOne is where I have bought - they have two outlets in Fortune. They sell both types; at different prices.

[moneyshot]

With most cameras not carrying an international warranty buying a grey import at a substantial saving (compared to local prices) versus traveling abroad to buy makes no difference that I can see. Many people seem to think grey imports are bad for some reason. I have bought several 'grey' products from camera shops in Thailand and had no problems at all with the shop warranty service. The shop that I use which is in Pantip Plaza offers a straight replacement for any problems that occur in the first month and then after that for one year they will send it to the local service centre and have it fixed within a short time frame.

I have found that I can get stuff cheaper here in Thailand than say the US. Example Nikon D700's are priced around $2,100 (63,500) here and the cheapest I can see a new one for in the states is about $2,300. Of course if you shop at Power Buy and Big Camera then you will pay extra. I normally buy from here http://www.digilifethailand.com/ptshop/ but there are plenty of other places that have similar prices. Also you will find these shops have staff that know much more about what they are selling compared to Big Camera etc.

[neverdie]

With most cameras not carrying an international warranty buying a grey import at a substantial saving (compared to local prices) versus traveling abroad to buy makes no difference that I can see. Many people seem to think grey imports are bad for some reason. I have bought several 'grey' products from camera shops in Thailand and had no problems at all with the shop warranty service. The shop that I use which is in Pantip Plaza offers a straight replacement for any problems that occur in the first month and then after that for one year they will send it to the local service centre and have it fixed within a short time frame.

I have found that I can get stuff cheaper here in Thailand than say the US. Example Nikon D700's are priced around $2,100 (63,500) here and the cheapest I can see a new one for in the states is about $2,300. Of course if you shop at Power Buy and Big Camera then you will pay extra. I normally buy from here http://www.digilifet...and.com/ptshop/ but there are plenty of other places that have similar prices. Also you will find these shops have staff that know much more about what they are selling compared to Big Camera etc.

I have never seen a D700 for anything even remotely close to 63k baht at Pantip.

Every Nikon lense I have bought has come with an International Warranty, whilst I'm led to believe bodies dont. Perhaps low end lenses maynot come with the International Warranty.

[moneyshot]

Have a look here mate - http://www.digilifethailand.com/ptshop/13-02-nikon Its actually listed at 63,900 but I guarantee you they will discount that a further 1-2k.

As for the lens you may be right but many of shops selling grey imports aren't fly-by-night companies, they have been in business for 20+ years. They do honour their warranties.

You mentioned earlier in the thread about a shop in Sydney selling stuff cheaper than here... I have found the complete opposite, if you don't mind I would appreciate the name and/or website for that shop. I have family and friends that will shop there if thats the case;)

Cheers:-)

[MJP]

Canon DSLR's are much cheaper here than in the UK.

Bask 1, Canon EOS 60D+18-135MM 38,900.00 บาท FREE SD2GB,CASE,LCD FILM PROTEC

Amazon UK Canon D60