Reader Submission: Not everything is cheaper in Thailand
Looking for an electric BBQ in Pattaya, we ended up at the BBQ store in Pattaya. They only had one model for sale, but that was a beauty, say a Porsche. Price 12.500 baht and now with a 10% discount 11.250 baht.
It had a baking and a grid area, but because we want to optimize everything, we wanted a 2nd grid and 2 lamps as an extra. After a phone call from the saleswoman, the answer was that a 2nd baking grid was not possible and the extra 2 lamps were 1.400 baht each.
We noted the name of the BBQ's make and model and would get back to you.
We then surf the internet and arrive at a Dutch internet site on which the exact same BBQ was offered. Price € 149 incl. 21% VAT. The grid costs € 29 and the lamps € 25. This means that the same BBQ costs about half as much as in Thailand.
This afternoon I was near the BBQ store and wanted to tell my story. It was not new to her, but the import tax on these types of items is no less than 50%.
It remains that this BBQ is cheaper in the Netherlands, but now understand that Thailand is closing its import market to keep Thai products cheap. I was already aware that this applied to foreign cars, wine and other alcoholic products, but also consumer goods.
I now understand the many frauds in the import of goods. It is a consequence of the regulations or taxation that people want to avoid.
Moral of this story: Not everything in Thailand is cheaper
Submitted by Ruud
Why not look on the Lazada site, there are often offers there.
High import duties and market protection are not intended to keep Thai products cheap, but quite the opposite: by reducing/eliminating (foreign) competition, local products can be kept artificially expensive. There is also less 'incentive' to improve those local products if they have to compete with an imported product. That sometimes explains why local electrical appliances are 'shoddy'.
Another example: the Isuzu Mu-X, made in Thailand, costs less in Australia than in Thailand…
Protons from Malaysia are the most expensive …in Malaysia (except Singapore).
Thailand has many items that are more expensive than in Holland.
These items are generally import items and expensive brand items from abroad.
Thailand also has luxury department stores, the products there are generally more expensive than in the Netherlands.
Products such as wine and cheese are also very expensive in Thailand.
You quickly pay 600 bath or more in the store for a bottle of wine. At the Lidle 150 -200 bath. On the other hand, in restaurants they don't ask that much more for a bottle of wine 800-900 bath. Usually the wine is not drinkable in Thailand, because it is never served at the right temperature.
But why would you buy expensive branded goods in Thailand? For example, I buy all my clothes in Thailand for next to nothing and pretty good quality.
Ps In Thailand you can buy a barbecue from 300 baht (non-electric) for charcoal. Isn't it much nicer a real barbecue and much cheaper.
Hans
And so there are more things to mention Ray Ban sunglasses, Samsung products (Aple cheaper) and so on.
Hello Ruud,
Now I don't know what kind of BBQ you are looking for.
Electricity - coals - lava stones.
We then went to a BBQ store on Sukhumvit, near the Makro, Jomtien.
But behind Big C north, left from the parking lot, towards pattaya north.
You drive, on the left, past a whopper of a shop that sells everything up to canary fracture bands.
Those have a variety of capabilities, but again, depending on the fuel you want to use.
LOUISE
Thank you Louise,
We have known that store for years and yes, this Sinkel store (that's what I call it) has a simple bbq in 2 sizes for sale. However, not what we are looking for. we've been looking for
By the way, it is a great store where you can find everything with a huge selection of glasses.
We looked for the shop on Sukmitvit Road but couldn't find it.
However, Luc's first reaction…being Lazada, which we had already looked at again and came across a nice ElektroLux for 2.500 baht with a lot of resemblance to our first choice, so it will be and will be delivered to your home.
Gas, coal, etc. are not allowed in the apartment building.
Regards,
Ruud
The Suzuki Swift that I gave to my wife as a Christmas present 2 years ago was 4000 euros cheaper than the same type and version in the Netherlands.
As for cheese, yes those small pieces are pretty expensive, but 2 kilos of mozzarella in MACRO is only 650 baht.
Potatoes, something similar, 80 baht per kilo in Emporium but 27 cents per kilo in Macro.
I think there are significant excess profits being made
How about a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Delivered to my house at the beginning of this year a new Harley Davidson Road King Classic.
Standard catalog price without discount or sales offer at the then only official Harley dealer in Bangkok ( Chiangmai now also has one ) , Price in Thailand 1549000 bath .
In the Netherlands the same bike 27000 Euro times say at euro exchange rate 38 = 1026000 bath.
In the USA 18449 USD times say at dollar exchange rate 33 = 608817 bath .
A world of difference.
Thailand levies very high import taxes on luxury goods.
As also for Mercedes Benz and BMW, Audi etc.
A Volkswagen Golf costs almost as much as a Toyota Camry in Thailand.
But also an advantage is that once you live here the stuff is also outrageously expensive second hand.
Sometimes illegally imported vehicles arrive , you should definitely watch out for this .
They call it the gray market.
Jan Beute.
The story goes even further, and can be explained by the import tax, but for example a Nikon camera, made in Thailand, (Samut Prakan) is considerably more expensive in Thailand than in the Netherlands.
NB manufactured in Thailand, 7% VAT, the Netherlands: imported from Thailand 21% VAT, and then even cheaper.
This applies to most goods produced in Thailand by foreign manufacturers. Those producers operate under a special arrangement with the Thai Board of Investment (BOI). Such an arrangement entails all kinds of advantages, including in terms of internal taxes and being able to import raw materials and components free of import duties. These advantages only apply insofar as the end products are re-exported. When these products are sold domestically, the benefits do not apply and the relevant taxes and the – generally very high – import duties still have to be paid.