taking your computer to los

[***]

This one is for the guys that live over there or stayd for long time.

Any u guys did take your home computer with u in your suitecase?

And i mean not your laptop but your desktop.

 

I have 2 desktops at home and i would like to take one with me to los as im going to stay for 6 months.

will i have problems if i put my computer in my suitecase?

 

greets

 

SB

[9Iron]

They use much more powerful x-ray machines and metal detectors for checked luggage so I would be concerned about your magnetic drives getting damaged.

[wireless_guy]

They use much more powerful x-ray machines and metal detectors for checked luggage so I would be concerned about your magnetic drives getting damaged.

 

 

Not much hassle to take them or it out and put them in hand luggage its only a five munute job really.

[Laawman]

I know a couple of people that've done it. The old style hard drives were the worst as condensation would form whilst in the cargo area at high altitudes, but in any case I would fit the 'box' with a super rack or similar and keep the HDD in the hand luggage as it's the most fragile.

[khagai]

Don't think desktops will fit into your carryon, original poster wants to bring a desktop. I wouldn't worry about the magnetics, you have to get pretty damn close to degauss a hard drive, there is enough shielding. However, think about the type of handling you would get in your luggage. Sure, you say, my desktop was shipped to me, but desktops just aren't made for travelling. But, (1) it was packed better than you could pack it in your luggage. Ever see a suitcase fall from the top of a luggage cart--think the desktop would survive??? Maybe??? Maybe a simple card break, maybe a mother board, could even make an arm contact a disk surface (true, it ain't spinning, but I don't think they retract all the way when powered down. I would be more scared of the handling and the loss of data that could follow from that. If you have some project to work on, back up your data, bring the disks with you, go to Panthip, there you can find numerous used components and restore. Even buying a new one is pretty cheap, or buy a laptop back in your home country (they will be cheaper there and their warranty is better than the warranty you will get in LOS, and get you stuff moved over and then just bring it in your carry on.

 

One last thought on the desktop would be the weight. Because of the fuel crisis and the fact that most airlines a losing money, they are nickel and diming everyone to death on weight of luggage. If you were to risk the desktop, how would that fit into the luggage restrictions of your chosen airlines--look them up. Overweight is NOT cheap, extra bags--you could almost but a cheap new desktop for the fee.

[***]

thanks for the information,

1/ i have a laptop and im taking it with me.

2/no problem about the weight as it is almost the only thing i need to bring al the rest is already there.

3/the desktop that i would bring over there is one that i woul leave there not to take home again.

4/where or what is panthip can u give any more information that

 

 

greets

 

SB

[khagai]

thanks for the information,

1/ i have a laptop and im taking it with me.

2/no problem about the weight as it is almost the only thing i need to bring al the rest is already there.

3/the desktop that i would bring over there is one that i woul leave there not to take home again.

4/where or what is panthip can u give any more information that

 

 

greets

 

SB

Panthip is a mall in BKK. It is a 7-floor mall and everything in there is electronics and technology. There are quite a few dealers stores, i.e., an Acer, HP, Sony, etc, dealer, many large tech superstores selling everything from brand name to locally made units, and literally hundreds of smaller shops dealing in specialty items, custom computers, parts, repairs, motherboards, hard drives--the whole gamut, including used computers and parts as well. I have found memory chips for my 4 year old home computer there when everywhere else said they could not get it because they no longer made them. Also, many shops selling pirated SW, pirated DVD;s, pirated music, porno--up to you. You can get fairly close with BTS, stopping at either Chitlom, Rachatewi, or Playathai, but each is a good 20-minute walk, or tell any cab driver Panthip and they will take you there. Half of the second floor is given to a large food court. On weekends there will be thousands of people there. I know you are probably based in Pattaya, but the selection here (and other places like Fortune on Ratchada) is huge for new, used, repair, and componentry. Largest selections of "lowcost" SW (in both places) you will find in LOS.

Edited March 8, 2008 by khagai

[sukatoro]

i would have to side w/ khagai here deifnitely... while not exactly the same situation, my experience last year might have a bearing on your query as well... i went home to the states last year and while there scored a really sweet deal on an Apple Mac Pro tower, decided to bring it back to Thailand w/ me and on the way back paid extra to check it in its original box as oversize luggage. well, customs was all over me upon entering the kingdom... i ended up stuck in customs while my computer was perused and contemplated.

 

the guy who was accessing my situation had never seen one before, so made me wait while he researched it and made multiple phone calls to determine its value... the final verdict was that i needed to pay a tariff/penalty of close to the equivalent of $750 USD to get it into the country, i was well aware that Apple computers fetched a higher price in Thailand so even though it sucked to part w/ the money it was still cheaper than buying a Mac Pro here (they did not check how much memory installed, 8GBs of FB-DIMMS, lol!).

 

also, my situation may have been a bit different as it was evident from my passport that i had been residing here, not sure how much of a bearing that had or not but worth mentioning... never had a problem once carting my laptop back and forth, even two at times.

 

on a related side-note, it was recently defined as totally legal for any device that incorporates storage media (laptops, iPods, etc.) to be detained upon entry into the USA (and this goes for returning citizens as well) for total inspection and search of contents... they are mostly looking for pornography, and during the last 3 years america has had a record amount of "obscenity" inditement's, on the federal level, screw community standard. i know two people personally who had their laptops seized upon return from visits to S.E. Asia, both received them back after about 4 days but for f*cks sake, give me a break.

 

bring your laptop, and build yourself a decent desktop system out of parts over at Panthip like khagai suggested, you might get a kick out of the pimped out motherboards i've seen over here, fake gold and gems mounted on them and such... presumedly for display w/ lighting in chassis w/ a side-window. the prices aren't newegg, but not too bad..!

[***]

Thanks guys for the really good informating.

i think il stay a few days in bkk to check out the place.

 

greets

 

SB