Buying phones in Thailand for friends back home.

[Rub1nho]

Has anyone done it before. I've got a few friends of mine asking if I could, but I'd like to know what you should be aware of first.

Obviously the phones will not have Dutch language on them, but apart from that? Problems not working on the network over here, simlock, ...?

Anyone care to share their experiences?

 

Also, what's the price for a genuine latest model iPhone right now?

[Londonboy]

You need to be careful that the phones are real and not copies with limited functions

[redfred]

usually better to buy electrical goods at home

[jerry]

Why go to the trouble . When the phone doesn't work in Belgium they might not pay you or come back and expect you to solve the problem .

I phone starts at 23k .

[Rub1nho]

Well for starters because they're double over here. I'm in need of one anyway, so might as well buy it in Thailand. And some of my friends just asked what's available, and asking some question which I don't really have the answer to. I mean, if you buy it at a genuine store (in Central Festival for example) I think there's little that can go wrong, or is there?

[constructorbigt]

i went to a electronics shop on Pattaya thai, across the road from the market end of soi Buakaho, it is about 5-7 floors high, cant remember the name. Brought a unlocked Iphone 4S and is completly original and works fine in NZ, We talked to a number of people there at the little kiosks, and found all to be completly straigh up. The key is to ask the correct questions, i find if you ask if copy or orginal they will tell you. we brought a 16gb for 24k Bhat in Jan 12

[biggles]

the shop is called Tukcom and is the biggest electronic outlet in pattaya. good place to compare prices.

I have bought cheaper mobile phones in Phillies and thailand and they both worked in either country and in australia. just put your local sim card in.

Edited July 23, 2012 by biggles

[ProudAussie]

I got a Nokia 12 mths ago works fine in Australia.

[jerry]

Well for starters because they're double over here. I'm in need of one anyway, so might as well buy it in Thailand. And some of my friends just asked what's available, and asking some question which I don't really have the answer to. I mean, if you buy it at a genuine store (in Central Festival for example) I think there's little that can go wrong, or is there?

 

Keep in mind the warranty is for Thailand only (not worldwide) ..... and warranty for Thailand only means NO WARRANTY at all

most of the time .

[Rub1nho]

Apparently the difference in price (for a 4S at least) is not what I expected. It's almost the same here, I remember on my last trip a Samsung Galaxy Tab was half what I would pay here...

[kdogg]

be careful with the Iphones, I bought a fake I phone 4 and they admitted it was a copy, it was the "Taiwan" built phone, they say better than the fakes from China and they show a really cheap looking one that costs a few 100 baht, I paid around 2000 for mine. I got one and it is dual band, not Quad and only works in Thailand and other countries with the same band. The phone was Identical to an iPhone and only a small difference in the screen size and the side slot for the SIM card were Different. But it didn't work anywhere I traveled and soon broke down, I think the charger burnt it out or something.

 

Overall for non copy phones I do not find the prices cheaper than what I would pay at home.

[Regulator]

if the phone doesn't have dutch you can always flash it. personally i fine mobiles are cheaper from HK even including shipping

[Pheat]

I phones are no cheaper in Thailand than Europe (well maybe a few hundred baht)

[simon46]

obviously tuk com is the place in pats.

 

my understanding is you are in less danger of buying a copy more that the model sold in the thai market is likely to lack the features expected of the same model number sold in your own market.

 

bit like dragging a toyota ute back to europe and complaining it does not have a heater

[augusto]

i try to do that before dindt work good the copy mobile all of them have problems and very limited software and very bad camera for fotos only the price is good

[augusto]

a nice present for your friends is football tshirts ;) cheap and if you buy a few you can get beter price 100 bath a piece if you buy 10 or 20 if not cost 150 or 200 bath a piece

[goesen]

way buy a phone in thai ? price not so big different.. you just gett problems if it braeks..

[Scumbag]

If you are going to buy a phone in Thailand I would suggest gong to one of the larger shops. I bought one last week and got it for the same price as what they were stating in the smaller shops in Tucom. There are two advantages to this. The first is that you will get an original. The other is that they will have the facilities to do the paperwork so that you get the VAT back (the VAT is 7%) when you leave the country.

[midge]

Has anyone done it before. I've got a few friends of mine asking if I could, but I'd like to know what you should be aware of first.

Obviously the phones will not have Dutch language on them, but apart from that? Problems not working on the network over here, simlock, ...?

Anyone care to share their experiences?

 

Also, what's the price for a genuine latest model iPhone right now?

There will be no problem if you don't buy a fake one.

Go to Tuc com on the south pattaya road second floor

and you will find a lot of mobile shops as well.You can buy

real,fake ,or second hand mobiles also.And you can have every language

you want and also sim lock free.They can do everything you want.I buy many mobile there

and never get any problem's myself.It's worth a look at this shop's as well.

Good luck mate and Cheers.

[Rub1nho]

Well, I think I'm going to get myself a Samsung Galxy Tab 10.1 V7100, anyone have something similar and who can tell me 100% sure a genuine one will work back home (Belgium for me).

I know you've got to have them simlock free, but are there any other things to make sure before you buy?