Mae Sai Duty Free....Complete Fraud.....

[Thighlander]

Been to Mexico two hundred times (I used to place my sports bets there, as I lived near the border). Never seen the type of tequilla they are selling for 1200 thb per bottle. "reposado" is not a brand but rather a type--aged. The other thing was the cigars. I was there first thing in the morning and one humidor the door was left open. The other one would have had about One million baht worth of goods if you added up the price tags. One box had an ant infestation. Do you really think they would be that careless with something that costly. As a shareholder of Altria I will bet that the Marlboros are fake. The wine was really crappy and was suspicious as well. Big selections of Vodka, but which liquor would be most easy to couinterfeit? Cheers..don't get robbed. And I have serious doubts about the Viagra and Cialis from those aggressive bastards that won't leave you alone on the street. They will try to pick your pocket, and they do work in teams of two. Notice how close they will trya nd get to you. Wouldn't trust them with a pile of sand.

[eyecatcher]

What...you are not suggesting the Marlboros are fakes, and the viagra and cialis, surely not fakes, how shocking; wine fake,....hope you paid with counterfeit

Jees mate, everything is so disappointing for you here. and showing a lot of naivity

why exactly did you come, your 2nd thread no less.

why not do a review on your hotel now while i go and get some valium (fake no doubt)

[Thighlander]

What...you are not suggesting the Marlboros are fakes, and the viagra and cialis, surely not fakes, how shocking; wine fake,....hope you paid with counterfeit

Jees mate, everything is so disappointing for you here. and showing a lot of naivity

why exactly did you come, your 2nd thread no less.

why not do a review on your hotel now while i go and get some valium (fake no doubt)

This has been discussed here before. Still many believers that their stuff is genuine.

[rakchaingmai]

they are genuinely fake i think they do some great copies the after shave you get here in thailand is really good and smells just like the real thing .

[CMSteve]

You mean in Tachilek right? Which shop, the one on the bridge?

[Rancid]

My brother bought me a bottle of Jim Beam at the Duty Free there and it tasted like crap...that was sort of bad but even worse it didn't even get you tanked. At least the IPhones are genuine.

[trainman34014]

Met a bloke on the Green Bus last year who bought some cartons of smokes, and when he opened a pack on the bus there was only two inside a 20 pack. Opened up a few more and the most in one pack I saw was five.

[kimincm]

The suspicious wine,is that the one with the fruity palate and an arrogant nose.

[MESmith]

Never had a problem with the beer on sale at the duty free shop

[hellodolly]

they are genuinely fake i think they do some great copies the after shave you get here in thailand is really good and smells just like the real thing .

Does it taste the same.

[nidieunimaitre]

All "tax free" in the world is a scam - there is no such thing as tax free any more.

And the OP is right, many tax free shops take it a little further, by selling counterfeit stuff.

[nidieunimaitre]

Never had a problem with the beer on sale at the duty free shop

No doubt at a higher price than not-duty-free.

[MESmith]

Never had a problem with the beer on sale at the duty free shop

No doubt at a higher price than not-duty-free.

No, either not available in Thailand, or about 50% discount.

[nidieunimaitre]

Never had a problem with the beer on sale at the duty free shop

euhhh that beer is a little bit too warm though?

[justcruisin]

Never had a problem buying anything in Tachilek market. The owner of the grog shop sells imported alcohol which is the real deal. He also has the concession in Vientiane.

But almost everything is fake/copied down in the market area, you can buy a nice Brietling or Rolex watch 200 times less than the real one. I have a friend who has a Rolex Oyster bought 18Yrs ago (In Sukhimvit Bkk) and it still keeps perfect time.

The old story Caveat Emptor.

[PingandSingh]

Yesterday, I bought a Hoegaarden (Belgian white beer) six-pack there. I had to throw away all. The beer had a very strange taste and smell; completely different from the original. The bottle however was exactly as the original.

The owner seems to be a top Thai immigration official so you can take it easily into Thailand and trash it there.

A truly shame as it is a nice beer. People buying and not knowing the beer will give bad publicity to it.

Do not buy there.

[mcgriffith]

Havana Club 7 year Anejo rum was the real deal.

I never bought the Cuban cigars as the prices are laughable, but did buy a large box of Nicaraguan cigars that were exquisite.

They were Churchill size individually tubed and sealed in glass, so still OK.

I don't think in the official duty free (the one on the bridge) that they sell counterfeit. But down below in the market area- forget it.

But I agree that the storage and temperature control of perishable products like beer and wine leave something to be desired.

It only takes a few hours for a case of wine or beer to go bad if stored (or transported) at a high temperature......

[Will27]

Yesterday, I bought a Hoegaarden (Belgian white beer) six-pack there. I had to throw away all. The beer had a very strange taste and smell; completely different from the original. The bottle however was exactly as the original.

The owner seems to be a top Thai immigration official so you can take it easily into Thailand and trash it there.

A truly shame as it is a nice beer. People buying and not knowing the beer will give bad publicity to it.

Do not buy there.

Maybe you were unlucky or maybe I've been lucky.

I have bought loads of Hoegaarden and Corona's at this shop

and they've all tasted fine.

Regards

Will

[SoloFlyer]

Up there the other week but they weren't doing daypasses ... Wanted to get some single-malt. Can anyone advise what single-malt they might have and what prices? (I mean from the legit shop).

[Thighlander]

I am referring to the one by the bridge. I've been shopping Duty free at the AZ/Mexico border for years. Real stuff, deep discounts and it is exempt from Federal and State Taxes. http://www.ueta.com/what_duty_free.php They get 24 USD for a carton of real Marlboros from Richmon, VA...MO headquarters.

[Thighlander]

What...you are not suggesting the Marlboros are fakes, and the viagra and cialis, surely not fakes, how shocking; wine fake,....hope you paid with counterfeit

Jees mate, everything is so disappointing for you here. and showing a lot of naivity

why exactly did you come, your 2nd thread no less.

why not do a review on your hotel now while i go and get some valium (fake no doubt)

Since Valium has been around fro about 50 years, there are generic forms that are fine and don't infringe on patents. They get three thb for 5 mg at the Pain Management Clinic in CM.

[rikki]

They have a lot of single malts in that shop

It was 1300bt iirc for Bunnahabhain, about the same for Laphroaig, Caol Ila, Jura, Bowmore etc, Lagavulin was a bit more

The cheaper wine in there is usually too sour for me

There is also another shop at the back of the market. Down the steps go straight to the end an turn left, a few shops down

[beb]

I really dislike venturing into the myanmar border town there. I assume everything is a knockoff. I'll be up there for a border run this week. Is there any shop or area worth visiting while there?

Oh, the cigs are fake. I bought a carton 2 years ago. Had them open the carton and a pack and it all looked fine but much to my surprise, there evidently is a way to go to all that trouble to fake those and still make money.

[Maejo Man]

I am referring to the one by the bridge. I've been shopping Duty free at the AZ/Mexico border for years. Real stuff, deep discounts and it is exempt from Federal and State Taxes. http://www.ueta.com/what_duty_free.php They get 24 USD for a carton of real Marlboros from Richmon, VA...MO headquarters.

Well you know the answer don't you. Confine your shopping to Mexico Genuine Malboro here are only a little over $20 so where is the gripe?

[beb]

The problem with Thai Marboros is they taste terrible. Vietnam Marboros are much better.

Yes, I do realize that I am a terrible person for smoking.

[hellodolly]

I am referring to the one by the bridge. I've been shopping Duty free at the AZ/Mexico border for years. Real stuff, deep discounts and it is exempt from Federal and State Taxes. http://www.ueta.com/what_duty_free.php They get 24 USD for a carton of real Marlboros from Richmon, VA...MO headquarters.

How much does it cost to get from Chiang Mai Thailand to the AZ/Mexico border?

[Thighlander]

I am referring to the one by the bridge. I've been shopping Duty free at the AZ/Mexico border for years. Real stuff, deep discounts and it is exempt from Federal and State Taxes. http://www.ueta.com/what_duty_free.php They get 24 USD for a carton of real Marlboros from Richmon, VA...MO headquarters.

How much does it cost to get from Chiang Mai Thailand to the AZ/Mexico border?

Cost me 91 USD and 65000 frequent flyer miles. The duty frees are physically in Arizona, so that is even more consumer protection.

The Marlboros you get in CM are not the desired Virginia ones, experienced smokers can tell the difference. Still pretty cheap, though.

[heybruce]

I've never heard any complaints about the liquor sold by the store on the bridge, and I know a couple of bar owners who shop there (purely for personal consumption of course ). However, as mcgriffith wrote, good beer and wine need to be transported and stored very carefully, so there may be problems. Good beer rarely travels well, a beer that is wonderful in Europe is usually a pale shadow if itself by the time it reaches Asia or America.

In the general market area almost everything is fake and of poor quality, with the qualified exception of the bootleg dvd's--some of the stores sell dvd's that usually play and are usually what the package advertises. I've never known anyone foolish enough to try the viagra or cialis sold by the cigarette vendors, and I certainly wouldn't try them myself.

[Thighlander]

I hear that once a year sale on gems is coming up in BKK. Half price and you get certificates of authenticity. How can you go wrong? Are you guys in or are you too busy paying double for warm beers at farang owned establishments?

[hellodolly]

I am referring to the one by the bridge. I've been shopping Duty free at the AZ/Mexico border for years. Real stuff, deep discounts and it is exempt from Federal and State Taxes. http://www.ueta.com/what_duty_free.php They get 24 USD for a carton of real Marlboros from Richmon, VA...MO headquarters.

How much does it cost to get from Chiang Mai Thailand to the AZ/Mexico border?

Cost me 91 USD and 65000 frequent flyer miles. The duty frees are physically in Arizona, so that is even more consumer protection.

The Marlboros you get in CM are not the desired Virginia ones, experienced smokers can tell the difference. Still pretty cheap, though.

Actually I would like to go some day I have a uncle there in Arizona. Get up to Sedona and a little bit more of the country. I was to late for the gunfight at the OK corral. Didn't really feel like spending another day there.

I was told that the cigarets we get here are made in the Philippines. Can't swear to it.

Edited August 12, 2012 by hellodolly