I am sure most are aware that duty free stores in Thailand are seriously over priced

I was though somewhat under impression that the perfumes were perhaps cheaper.

Usually when i travel, i always buy Nivea shaving gel from duty free for 249 baht.

Yesterday was in Tops supermarket,, where to my total surprise i see same shaving gel for 149 baht.(was not sold there before)

SO i guess duty free in Thailand does not just cost more, but its almost double the price.

Just heads up for those thinking to buy anything duty free here.

It's the same with chocolate. Work out how much it costs for the same weight and tops wins by quite a way.

And then there's all the Thai sweets from Nong Mon market. Compare those prices and.........

Edited May 22, 201214 yr by arthurwait

Yes, but you forget the feeling of not paying tax. That must be worth something?

Yes, but you forget the feeling of not paying tax. That must be worth something?

absolutely, in my case it was worth an extra 100 baht

Dunno why people get so animated over duty free prices. Nobody is forced to buy it; I've never understood the 'must stock up on duty free when I travel' mentality. It sounds very 1970s beer and fag UK when a trip to the duty free was part of the holiday.

Booze is the only good deal at the DF, 30% cheaper than outside for foreign branded liquor, local booze is a lot more expensive though.

Edited May 22, 201214 yr by PattayaParent

Single malt scotch whisky is less than half price at the duty free shop on the Thai-Lao friendship bridge.

Dunno why people get so animated over duty free prices. Nobody is forced to buy it; I've never understood the 'must stock up on duty free when I travel' mentality. It sounds very 1970s beer and fag UK when a trip to the duty free was part of the holiday.

if you were in the uk or even ireland ,duty free spirits and smokes is a massive saving ,you could pay for your entire trip away somewhere just buying a few cartons of cigaretes and whisky on the way back in

ive seen people who didnt even drink or smoke sometimes loading suitcases because they could double their money on em or smoke cheap for a few moneths etc

totaly worthwhile then ,in thailand ,possibly not so ...........

Dunno why people get so animated over duty free prices. Nobody is forced to buy it; I've never understood the 'must stock up on duty free when I travel' mentality. It sounds very 1970s beer and fag UK when a trip to the duty free was part of the holiday.

common sense really!!! to save money.

The concept worldwide is that duty free does not have any taxes, so the prices are the cheapest, in Thailand it is other way around it seems.

Prices are almost double on most things.

While cigs and alcohol is slightly cheaper than regular stores, for some reason the NON KIng Power small stores on the Cambodian, Lao and other borders sell the same things even cheaper.

Example Davidoff cigs at KIng Power 550 baht, at the other borders 300 baht

Same goes for alcohol and everything else.

Amazing Thailand

Pretty much the same as some second hand items costing more than new!!!..baffles me that one.

another rather astonishing facts.

i order drinks direct from Coke, yet it is cheaper to purchase it from Macro

Buy beer from the dealers, and yet its cheaper to buy singles from the supermarket or 7-11

And the per millilitre price of the small bottles of toiletries is lower than the larger bottles.

The Nivea shave gel at Tops is made in Thailand so the tax on it is very small. The Nivea shave gel at the duty free shop probably comes from Europe so it's much more expensive and taxed much higher.

If you go to Paragon or Central you can find a stand in the cosmetics section selling European Nivea products. Trust me the shave gel will be much more than 250

Dunno why people get so animated over duty free prices. Nobody is forced to buy it; I've never understood the 'must stock up on duty free when I travel' mentality. It sounds very 1970s beer and fag UK when a trip to the duty free was part of the holiday.

common sense really!!! to save money.

The concept worldwide is that duty free does not have any taxes, so the prices are the cheapest, in Thailand it is other way around it seems.

Prices are almost double on most things.

While cigs and alcohol is slightly cheaper than regular stores, for some reason the NON KIng Power small stores on the Cambodian, Lao and other borders sell the same things even cheaper.

Example Davidoff cigs at KIng Power 550 baht, at the other borders 300 baht

Same goes for alcohol and everything else.

Two comments; one, duty free does not mean the same as tax free and many products sold still carry various taxes! Two, my old company sold products throughout Thailand including one that retailed for about 5,900 baht in most department stores. King Power bought the same product from us and sold it both at the airport for 7,900 (duty free) and 6,900 baht in it's duty free city store. When asked why we were informed that the Airport Authority of Thailand rents were so high that it would not be practicable to sell it for less!! Duty free? The Government is still getting a hefty cut of your spending!

another rather astonishing facts.

i order drinks direct from Coke, yet it is cheaper to purchase it from Macro

Buy beer from the dealers, and yet its cheaper to buy singles from the supermarket or 7-11

Why? The companies deliver to your door Makro and 7-11 don't!

The Nivea shave gel at Tops is made in Thailand so the tax on it is very small. The Nivea shave gel at the duty free shop probably comes from Europe so it's much more expensive and taxed much higher.

If you go to Paragon or Central you can find a stand in the cosmetics section selling European Nivea products. Trust me the shave gel will be much more than 250

OK, so Toyota made in Japan should cost more than Toyota made in Thailand? and what would be the difference if its the same model?

another rather astonishing facts.

i order drinks direct from Coke, yet it is cheaper to purchase it from Macro

Buy beer from the dealers, and yet its cheaper to buy singles from the supermarket or 7-11

Why? The companies deliver to your door Makro and 7-11 don't!

What companies? did you actually read what is written?

And the per millilitre price of the small bottles of toiletries is lower than the larger bottles.

This is a great one...everything that comes in different sized bottles etc needs to be checked.....more often than not its cheaper to buy more smaller ones than the large item...what a waste of packaging....Triumph, motorcycles...built in Thailand cost twice as much as in the UK...dont sell your house after a year, put the price up...list is endless.