MaeSai Duty Free

Done the visa run ten times plus and always ignored the Duty Free on the way back across the bridge. Today decided to check it out. The prices for wine seem reasonable and I almost bough a small bottle of Gordon's Gin but the labelling seemed not quite right. I checked 4 bottles and each had a different version on the reverse side.    It was like the bottles came from different years and different countries of origance. 

So I'm wondering if any TV member regularly makes use of the Duty Free at MaeSai, are the products the real thing and what happens with Thai Customs. 

Thanks

Never had a problem, I seriously doubt anyone would go to the trouble of counterfeiting a half bottle of Gordons.

I was with friends who bought a few bottles of top shelf Jack Daniels there last year and they seemed quite pleased with the product and the price.

Their wine selection seems to be very good, and once more I doubt anyone would go to the trouble of copying them.

Not so sure about that. You definitely need to be careful of Johnny Walker. That's why all real Johnny has the special pour spout now. Higher end wines are definitely being counterfeited and there was a load of Penfold 2's that came in once that I bought a few bottles of that were either spoiled along the way or not real.

That said I buy all my wines outside of Thailand. It's outrageous what Thailand charges in duties and taxes. So it's worth the risk. Maybe it's not as convenient as Burma, but there are some great wine shops in Vientiane.

Also I think they have changed what you are allowed in from (2) bottles to (1). At least that's what they told me at the airport when I came back with more.

i have bought vodka and whisky from the duty free on the bridge and they were the real stuff

rick

Just came back last Sunday with 2 bottles of Havana Club 7 yr Anejo rum, and I can assure that it is the real thing.

Just came back last Sunday with 2 bottles of Havana Club 7 yr Anejo rum, and I can assure that it is the real thing.

I would imagine you would have sampled enough to be able to tell the real thing....

Just came back last Sunday with 2 bottles of Havana Club 7 yr Anejo rum, and I can assure that it is the real thing.

I would imagine you would have sampled enough to be able to tell the real thing....

I have found that the D/free in the market to the right of the bridge is cheaper than the one on it EG 300bt for L&M ciggy's in the market 350bt, on the bridge. If I'm going to kill myself might as well save a few bob.

their Marlboros are definitely fake. Saw some Absolut Vodka that was fake as well, even tried it, and the Russian guy that had it said it was fake, too. I would go with the cheaper wines--like the Bulgarian. The Cuban Cigars were real and the prices were super high.

Thanks guys

their Marlboros are definitely fake. Saw some Absolut Vodka that was fake as well, even tried it, and the Russian guy that had it said it was fake, too. I would go with the cheaper wines--like the Bulgarian. The Cuban Cigars were real and the prices were super high.

Last time I was there got L&M menthal 100% not fake that was from the one in the market. Going again Tue so will give it another go if fake I put a post in.

Funny with ciggies, my Mrs used to smoke Marlborough and always swore the Tachilek ones were fake. But then she wouldn't smoke the ones from Malaysia when she lived down south either.

I suspect that they are made under licence in different countries and the tobacco varies from place to place. The production cost of cigarettes is minimal anyway.

Edit: But then she wouldn't smoke the ones from Malaysia when she lived down south either.

Unless there was absolutely nothing else to smoke of course. Lets not get too carried away here.

I've always wondered about what route the shipments of wines take to get all the way to Tachelek?? No decent roads to the Yangoon. Maybe by elephant back?? Any ideas??

and someone posted 'why would they go to the trouble to counterfit a bottle of imported gin??

They have been doing that here in LOS for years with Maekhong whiskey and wife tells me that's why sales went down.....too many counterfits, and that's on a 100baht bottle of swill.

True, but we're talking large sales and turnover here, say a 100,000 bottles a month is a huge return.

How many gin drinkers are there in Thailand?

True, but we're talking large sales and turnover here, say a 100,000 bottles a month is a huge return.

How many gin drinkers are there in Thailand?

Went to MaeSai today and got some ciggy's L&M Menthal and 100% ok. If anyone doesent know where the duty free one is in the market, if you take the first's lot of step's on the right after the bridge go strate into the market for about 300 Mt X road take the left turn and it's on the left.

Does anyone know how much the suitcases are at the duty free shop on the bridge? Those hardcase suitcases with wheels. Would they be cheaper than in Chiang Mai?

I am sure there will be many people rushing to answer your question. Surely there are members who have enough time on their hands to be current on the pricing of your unspecified make, model and size hard case suitcases in both Chiang Mai and Mae Sai. No doubt they stock the same bags and the comparison will be easy.

On the other hand, if you can find an affordable bag in Chiang Mai, perhaps you should just go ahead and purchase it there.

There's bag shops in the town, over the bridge.

Not sure of the quality though.

As a very frequent traveler I've come to the conclusion that cheap cases, or copies, is false economy.

They only drop onto that luggage carousel so many times before bits start falling off.

Nice constructive Reply Scea, I can't help thinking that VR's post is going to be misunderstood once again and p*ss someone else off .

Here's some Jesus and Mary Chain.

At least I was on topic.

Seems everyone has an opinion about me but few have anything to offer in the way of keeping this forum alive or answering questions.

Nice constructive Reply Scea, I can't help thinking that VR's post is going to be misunderstood once again and p*ss someone else off .

Here's some Jesus and Mary Chain.

But those of us who know and love him realise his heart is in the right place.

I like, I assume, most people ignore requests that are so general as to be unanswerable.

I like, I assume, most people ignore requests that are so general as to be unanswerable.

The problem with that attitude is that most people ask unanswerable and dare I say it, stupid questions. That is going to leave a lot of donuts on our forum.

Everyone deserves an answer, even if it is only to be informed that they might not be receiving the answers they are looking for. Suggesting they should try a reformatted question or look elsewhere, could save them a lot of time waiting for something from us that most likely will not materialize.

Not everyone who passes our way understands the idiosyncrasies of our forum. That is where I come in. Stir the pot and try to get people off their hands and contributing something rather than just reading. If you guys don’t write anything there is nothing to read.

Does anyone know how much the suitcases are at the duty free shop on the bridge? Those hardcase suitcases with wheels. Would they be cheaper than in Chiang Mai?

There's nothing Stupid about the Question. It is just possible that someone had been looking in the Duty free shop recently for hard cases with wheels, and also knew the prices of them in Chiang Mai. In which case they would have answered the post. I personally haven't been looking for cases recently so I didn't have anything to say on the matter. I see no reason to belittle the poster or teach him/her how to post in a better way.

There does seem to be a problem with someones attitude in that they think 'most people ask unanswerable or stupid questions'

Forum's don't have idiosyncrasies, People do.

I bought a hard case with wheels last year in Robinsons, if I had made a special trip to Burma to look for one I would have had 600B to make up before I started looking... the cost of a VIP crossing, and then fuel for the truck on top of that.

So I would have needed to save around 25% on the cost before I was ahead of the game.

Then... if the Mrs had decided to go with me and headed for those MaeSai markets while she was waiting the budget would have really been splattered over half of Thailand.

Sometimes hunting for bargains can be false economy.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-19/unilever-losing-to-fakes-selling-to-illiterate-indians-retail.html

thought this was interesting.....they will even knock-off talcum powder.