Hard To Find Items Or Not So Good Quality In Thailand

[BKK90210]

Hard to find items or not so good quality in Thailand

Ok I + thai wife are heading back to Thailand in a few months time after the sale of our home here in US and planning to be there for about 5 yrs. We think there will be some room left in our 20 ft container. What should we also bring back with us that can be quite useful? I’m talking about normal household items. I’ve heard bed linens are quite expensive, is this correct?

So far I have......

bed linens

step stool

pancake mix

And what else?

[Totster]

Is pancake mix a normal household item...??

totster

[BKK90210]

Sorry I should have added "some food items" too

[Thaiquila]

Mate

Matzohs

Peets Coffee (Major Dickason's Blend)

Sun Tan Lotion (available but more expensive)

[Misplaced]

Ammonia & spray-on Mosquito repellant

I went to Big C, Tesco and local market neither places had AMMONIA.

Edited June 9, 2006 by Misplaced

[Sulaphat]

Hard to find items or not so good quality in Thailand

Ok I + thai wife are heading back to Thailand in a few months time after the sale of our home here in US and planning to be there for about 5 yrs. We think there will be some room left in our 20 ft container. What should we also bring back with us that can be quite useful? I’m talking about normal household items. I’ve heard bed linens are quite expensive, is this correct?

So far I have......

bed linens

step stool

pancake mix

And what else?

Bed linen is a bit expensive here. I think it is all imported, and imported textiles attract fairly high customs duties.

Pancake mix is readily available at Tesco and other supermarkets and not particularly expensive. You can safely omit it from your container.

I can't think of many food items that I'd want to bring from the US to Thailand. Most of them are readily available here or there is a similar or better local substitute to take its place.

The same is generally true for household items. My advice would be to bring as little as possible.

[Gary A]

If you are handy at all you should consider bringing some hand tools with you. Good quality screw drivers, socket sets, Crescent wrenches, Channel locks, Vice grips and open ended wrenches are almost impossible to find here. Forget about your power tools because the voltage is different. Good quality power tools ARE widely available.

[autonomous_unit]

We brought laptop computers in our carry-on when we first relocated. This depends on getting decent "sale" prices in the US and having a brand/model w/ an international warranty (our IBM Thinkpads fit the bill in 2004). Most models are available here, but prices seem higher than I remember from the US. I don't really do price studies since I am not in the market myself.

If you have a favorite office chair for your home office, you might want to bring it. The range of choices I have found here go from rickety, to barely adequate, to overpriced fashion with not much in between. But, I am sure someone will now assert in a followup that every chair imaginable is available here in BKK.

If you have found an affordable shipper, I would think your criteria might include things that have a higher replacement cost or just require more effort compared to the shipping... taking into account whether you can easily resell it in the US. If I remember correctly, you will be shipping on a "returning Thai" arrangement with no import duty, so you may find that it is easy to throw a number of borderline items into the container. Someone worried about duty would no doubt leave them out, because a replacement isn't that difficult here.

The only item I have actually gone to the trouble of importing in my luggage on business trips is powdered dishwasher detergent! It was actually easier to just buy a medium size package at a US grocer near my hotel than to hunt all over BKK to find what I wanted. We don't use very much, so I may just keep doing this once or twice a year.

We actually shipped more than we need to, and most has remained in storage for 2 years in BKK. Digging out an item here and there has been amusing---artifacts of a past life. One thing I have mixed feelings about is camping equipment: we shipped our old backpacks, tent, sleeping bags, stoves, etc. I haven't found a convenient source of fuel (white gas), and mildly regret not having sold the stoves in the US and shopped for a multi-fuel replacement.

That reminds me; you might like to buys some extra footwear while in the US. The range of selection is much greater, particularly for althetic/outdoor footwear or big western male feet. On the other hand, it is often said that you can get a nice pair of custom made dress shoes in BKK for less than a factory pair would cost in the west.

[lopburi3]

For bed linens remember that bed size here is not the same as US for most bed types. Local sets normally only have a fitted sheet as in the heat you do not need a top sheet and use a washable blanket when required; but do fit the beds here. Almost everything is available here these days.

[JimGant]

socket sets, Crescent wrenches, Channel locks, Vice grips and open ended wrenches

Adjustabe tools, yes. But remember, this place is metric.

[BangnaBound]

Vitamin and food supplements. The cost of vitamins here is criminal.

[Gary A]

socket sets, Crescent wrenches, Channel locks, Vice grips and open ended wrenches

Adjustabe tools, yes. But remember, this place is metric.

I have Sears Craftsman and both the 3/8 drive and 1/4 inch drive had both metric and inch. There are just enough fasteners in inches to upset you if you don't have both.

Edited June 9, 2006 by Gary A

[ovenman]

I usually bring coffee filters back from the States with me. The price of coffee filters is high in Thailand, especially for the Melitta cone-style filters I use.

For that matter, imported coffee beans are expensive in Thailand. I don't care for the local hill-tribe coffee although the locally-grown teas are fantastic.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

For bed linens remember that bed size here is not the same as US for most bed types. Local sets normally only have a fitted sheet as in the heat you do not need a top sheet and use a washable blanket when required; but do fit the beds here. Almost everything is available here these days.

Agreed that there you can pretty much get anything that you could want here - but if you want un-patterened bed linen then you are probably better off getting stuff in your own country!

[leisurely]

I would add (from a female perspective), super plus tampons, large brassieres and shoes and knickers. None of which I have been able to find in Bangkok Apart from those items everything else we want is here- at a price of course!

[jdinasia]

Bed linens ... mac and cheese ... good chili .... (ok you can call me Bubba)

Good shoes .... both dress shoes and athletic shoes ...

Levis ....

If you are over the average size for a large Thai ... Tshirts etc ... (dress shirts you can have tailored here cheaply enough)

good bourbon (yes we already said I am a Bubba)

Mitchum deoderant (I have to go to Phnom Penh to get it)

did I mention Mac and Cheese?

[jing jing]

Good bedsheets are available at Central Chidlom, not much more expensive, if at all, than the good stuff back West. The Tesco stuff is pretty brutal -- seems like about 65% polyester and 85 grit thread count... but what do you expect for $20?

edit: Sunscreen is a good idea. It's available here, but not cheap and not much selection. In fact the only brand I've ever seen is Nivea.

Edited June 9, 2006 by jing jing

[lopburi3]

Kraft "Easy Mac" Mac & Cheese in packets of 6 were on the shelf of Foodland on my last visit.

[BangnaBound]

If you’ve got the container already, you may consider bringing a gas BBQ. Not a great selection here and they are comparatively expensive. But I think you’ll need to make it look somewhat used to avoid taxes.

[BKK90210]

Ok thanks guys….for the reply

So far we have

- spray-on Mosquito repellant,……......but Ammonia is out (no flammable item)

- Good to know they have pancake mix there……Can’t live without it……..thanks

- Guess we will be looking for a laptop too…...we both have our own desktop so a laptop can come in handy too while we’re there. (will have to be a carry-on item)

- Yes we both have our favorite office chair for our home office……I will certainly bring them along…..hate to go all the way to BKK to get one – the traffic!

- Tools – I have tons of them, both power and manual. Hmm I wonder……will I be able to find an electrician there to wire a few 110v outlets in the garage for me?......I’m also a home improvement fanatic (been watching too many shows on cable!)

- Coffee…..we both don’t very drink too much coffee, tea, or alcohols, but thanks for suggestion though. We’re ok with the local brew occasionally

- Bed linens – with final confirmations from a few of you guys…..I guess we will be hunting for a few of them online here before we go. We will make sure to buy enough to last us 5 yrs and I too hate all those patterns and would like to have deep color solid and more masculine looks. I found that most bed linens in Thailand are either much more expensive than in the US (for good quality one) or they’re too girly to my liking

Hmm….what about a portable electric heater, do I need to bring at least one? Just in case for that rare & unforeseen chilly nights. Are they widely available there? We’re planning to do some camping once awhile during winter months there.

Anything else…..

Thanks in advance

Bkk family

[jdinasia]

Kraft "Easy Mac" Mac & Cheese in packets of 6 were on the shelf of Foodland on my last visit.

that's the powdered cheese ... yuck! they make a "gourmet" with the cheese sauce already mixed ! yummmmmm

yes I am a Bubba

[jdinasia]

shoes ... shoes ... and more shoes

[xbusman]

Golf clubs, shoes, gloves, golf balls. Available but the good stuff is really pricey.

Deoderant, razor blades, sun screen, bug spray. Same same.

Bed linens, premium towels, and you really want the berries? A swedish foam mattress about six inches thick.

Computer gear as mentioned, big screens are dear but I am not sure if the voltage is the same.

High end shoes if you have a shoe fetish like me.

The high tech rain gear thats out now, breathable light weight and still not on shelves here.

RainX (I think I saw some in Tesco?) lots of it, ammonia, dishwashing soap, Corelle plate sets (make that three and I will buy it from you), good heavy usuable silverware that has knives, high end pots and pans if you like to cook.

Parmesian cheese (should be okay for a month in transit) by the case, pistachio nuts, five years worth of reading from your used book store, dont forget a volt ohmeter they are really handy here.

Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

Christmas tree and decorations if you must.

Pleated shorts for those formal occasions.

Prenuptual documentation, college degree, seperation papers and standardized divorce forms legal in your last state of residence precertified and agreed for your convenience.

Sorry, I was serious to start but spun out of control. Just remember that anything you put in the container will undergo a hot steamy salt bath for about 28 days, does a number on electronics and wood that are unprotected. Wax up that furniture and pack the electrics wrapped in plastic.

[monochaser]

I dont think Thai Visa has substantial web storage to list all of the items you can get in the US cheaper than you can get here + all the items you just cant get here + all of the items that are total shit quality here. you had better get shopping or 4ever hold you peace: funny thing is that you mention sheets and that is one thing you dont need, but you need pillow cases. forget the pancake mix, that is stupid, it can be found here

normal band aids

shoes shoes and more shoes + flip flops flip flops flip flops (shoe wear here sucks ass)

clothes clothes clothes clothes clothes and more clothes, did i mention clothes? (the clothes here are purified shit)

Big bottles of ibuprofen and any OTC meds you need (1/10th the price in US)

deodorant (much cheaper US)

US canned goods, US canned goods US canned goods (all) 1/10th the price in US

Mexican Food products (salsas, dips, canned stuffs) fraction of price if you can find, no variety

DVD recorder

as said be4 laptops

Ipods

Skoal/Copenhagen

Quality Cigs if you smoke

Beer Beer Beer Beer Beer Beer Beer

Cake Mixes/frostings Betty Crocker.duncan hines anything they sell (they charge you here as if gold

quality silverware

quality toaster that wont break in a week

any quality kitchen devices (here break in a few days/weeks.months)

all electronic accessories/computer (cheap and quality in US, here shit broken fast)

Tools Tools and more Tools (here shit like everything else, there quality)

Any beloved toiletries (here crap and no varierty as usual)

any transportable food item with a US brand name (here they rape you and offer one size and type if lucky, there 25 sizes brands to choose from)

too bad you cant bring frozen goods and perishables cause here they got shit

dvdrs (much cheaper there and no doubt better quality like everything else)

what not to bring: rice, noodle soups, fish crackers, condiments, rice, noodle soups, fish crackers, condiments, cooling oil, coke, pepsi, nabisco cookies.....thailand has all that but not much else w/o paying out your ass for a tiny portion if you can find at all

[BKK90210]

Yes I heard you....ok then...shoes and more shoes!....but no sandles I can get them more cheaply in thailand. What about hiking shoes/boots, can I find a good pair in thailand?

And....Yes already packed our used BBQ!

[jdinasia]

bring good hiking boots .... and hiking socks

bring most of your camping gear but leave those sub-zero sleeping bags at home

Think about the stuff you use every day ... and if you have special brands of stuff bring it ....

camping here is an odd experience sometimes ..... half the time if you can get merpissions ... someone will be cooking and selling food there ... almost joyless in some ways ....

I'd be watching rieoutlet.com for no stink layering clothes .....i'll most def be buying more Ex Officio shirts when I get back to the ststes

Edited June 9, 2006 by jdinasia

[lopburi3]

At least it has the flavor of cheder which most shelf cheese sold here lack.

The canned type used to be available here many (maybe 20) years ago but have not seen it in ages. This grated type seems to mix up smoother than the larger packs of Mac & Cheese; or the wife has gotten better at it, or it has improved over time.

Kraft "Easy Mac" Mac & Cheese in packets of 6 were on the shelf of Foodland on my last visit.

that's the powdered cheese ... yuck! they make a "gourmet" with the cheese sauce already mixed ! yummmmmm

yes I am a Bubba

[t.s]

As all have said, Shoes. Not trainers, but good leather shoes.

Underwear like GAP boxers etc. good dress socks. Levis jeans (levis here dont come in varied lengths)

Motts Clamato (make a canadian happy)

[Crossy]

I'm a Brit, so my opinions don't count

But PLEASE, if you are bringing electrical or AV stuff remember we are 220 Volts, 50 Hertz (or is that still called Cycles in the US) and the TV standard is PAL.

To be honest, most of the stuff I've needed I have found, some expermentation is required with alternative brands but on the whole it's all here, just sometimes well camouflaged.

I don't bother with cake mixes, it's much more fun to actually MAKE a cake.

Definately agree on the gas barbie (V expensive here).

BTW, don't forget to bring shoes

[monochaser]

the kraft mac cheese here is fine but it costs much more. buy sandles there as the ones here will kill your feet and break after a wearing or 2, and if you wear size 10 1/2 or up, no can find

Edited June 9, 2006 by monochaser