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[QUOTE=Daddy07;1289526]Sounds good but it will surely be intercepted at the post office, and by the time you're finished paying the customs duties and tariffs, it will probably cost you much more than if you just bought it at Tuk. Com.[/QUOTE]Actually it might not be intercepted. I bought my ipad online at Apple store Singapore and 10 days later, it arrived at my home.
[QUOTE=NicFrenchy;1289547]Actually it might not be intercepted. I bought my ipad online at Apple store Singapore and 10 days later, it arrived at my home.[/QUOTE]You were lucky.
I ordered a Sonic Care electric toothbrush from Amazon. Com that was priced less than $100. It was intercepted at the post office and I had to go fetch it in person. By the time the goons were finished with me the damn toothbrush cost me $150 USD.
I've also had care packages that my daughter sends me from time to time intercepted and I'm forced to pay duties on even less expensive items.
The extra cost one pays at Tuk. Com for a product made in America probably reflects the cutsom duties which must be paid here on imported goods.
It sucks!
[QUOTE=The Scout; 1289480]You can buy an iPhone or iPad directly online with free shipping.
[url]http://store.apple.com/th[/url]
But I went to TukCom and tried to get an iPhone for the same price as the Apple Store. The shops I went to wanted to charge me 1000-2000 baht over the online price after giving me their 'discount' and when I showed them the Apple Store price asking to match it but they kept saying it was an online promotion which it's not. I thought I'd let everybody know that they can buy direct with documentation from Apple if you want one in Thailand.[/QUOTE]Did you go to the Apple Store that is on the first floor in the back of Tukcom? Their prices are consistent with what I have seen online.
[QUOTE=Pointy Stick;1289521]I was wondering if it was a cultural or monetary thing that was in play here? I can't really understand why after spending the money on airfares and hotels one would scrimp on the girls and opt for a FMMMMMMM experience just to save 400 baht.[/QUOTE]A 3 hour flight from India is not as expensive as a flight from Europe or America. In addition those guys usually stay more than 1 person to a room in cheaper hotels. So they are not used to spending as much money as you may be spending for everything. They are super budgeted in every aspect of their holiday, and not just in a gogo bar or on Beach Road.
[QUOTE=Bionicman;1289500]Departure level after midnight is a pain. All asking for outrageous rates and no meter. You spend lots of time in strolling around avoiding police monitoring the lane. Not many taxi coming in at that time as most of flights leave by then and people already came earlier for check in. Its hit and miss, especially since you can't take elevators fom arrival level to departure level, but only escalators.[/QUOTE]Not sure where you're getting your info from. There are many flights around and after midnight both incoming and outgoing every night. Between 12 and 1 am there are well over 30 flights scheduled to arrival and 16 for departure. Departure level is a viable alternative to standing in the queued line and the taxis are available at those late hours. Because the drivers ask for a rate doesn't mean you have to pay it, negotiate like you do with everything else in Thailand.
[url]http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do[/url]
[quote=run mann; 1289594]not sure where you're getting your info from. there are many flights around and after midnight both incoming and outgoing every night. between 12 and 1 am there are well over 30 flights scheduled to arrival and 16 for departure. departure level is a viable alternative to standing in the queued line and the taxis are available at those late hours. because the drivers ask for a rate doesn't mean you have to pay it, negotiate like you do with everything else in thailand.
[url]http://www.flightstats.com/go/flightstatus/flightstatusbyairport.do[/url][/quote]lot of the passengers do not arrive at airport at midnight for a 1am flight, that is what i mean when i say there are less taxis at midnight dropping passengers. the guy was landing after midnight, most likley in the ebst scenarioo out at 12. 30/1am. this puts him in the batch of the passengers arriving with those 30 or so flights you mention. i use departure level as much as i can but if i drop my eyes to the taxi level and do not see much people i save the hassle and go straight there. sometime police gets pretty much annoying with the taxi drivers and hassle them. so if youa re to obvious (it is already obvious anyhow) such as playing openly before their eyes they can't close them and start whistling around tothe drivers to move over.
had a driver who was fined after having picked me up. he had his lcience confirep001ed adn had to go the day after to get it back (with a fine, most likely) he was not happy at all 8probably it is in the agenda being caught from time to time).
negotiation is fine, but when you have one after the other (5-6) ignoring your (reasonable) counter-offer, well, i am not going to stroll much to save maybe 100b.
i use departure mainly to overcome the long waiting downstair, rather than for the 100b. speculation. especially at midnight or so, when you just want to go to your hotel after a flight.
It's crazy the number of arrivals after 12. There is clearly a demand for a midnight bus run to Pattaya. The bus companies could have easily filled up 3 maybe 4 coachloads and charged 300 baht to cover costs.
Re: Indians.
I been to Pattaya with a few NRI buddies but they were never refused entry. Maybe its how you carry yourself in general, go in smaller groups and dressed decently it makes all the difference to Thais. I have also noticed they tend to go for the fat chicks so maybe the gogos aren't really suited to them although whether this is due to personal taste or budgetary constraints I do not know.
[QUOTE=Mr Enternational;1289590]Did you go to the Apple Store that is on the first floor in the back of Tukcom? Their prices are consistent with what I have seen online.[/QUOTE]I bought it online. I bought from "Winner" before and that looked like an iPhone store in TukCom but it just disappeared one day. I think buying online and having it tied to your apple account would help out if you need warranty repairs in the future.
[QUOTE=Daddy07;1289526]Sounds good but it will surely be intercepted at the post office, and by the time you're finished paying the customs duties and tariffs, it will probably cost you much more than if you just bought it at Tuk. Com.[/QUOTE]They send direct to you through DHL if you are staying in Thailand. You sign for the package and it takes 3-5 days.
[QUOTE=Red Mosquito; 1289489]Thanks for informing us all about where to get Iphone cheap. This is what the forum is all about, going to Thailand to buy Iphones, and that too dirt cheap, Mongering and allied activities can be done elsewhere as well, but Thailand- Thats the place to go for Iphones, Hell yeah!
Red Mosquito[/QUOTE]It's a good idea to have a phone so you can communicate with mongers and who you might want to bang in the future. So after you get your cheap iPhone (and thai translation app! And WhatsApp!) you could head over to the new bars in Pratumnak. There's TheSquare on Pratumnak Hill at Soi 3 (Lounge, Zen, Eye Candy) , and The Lodge at the bottom of Soi 4, and Exxxotica on Pratumnak Road. Here's a sexy video. [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxrFm9LiMd4[/url]
[QUOTE=The Scout;1289618]They send direct to you through DHL if you are staying in Thailand. You sign for the package and it takes 3-5 days.[/QUOTE]It still has to clear customs, whether it's DHL Fed Ex or whatever, the authorities know how to fleece you.
Sorry guys, but I have done many times the BKK-PTY & PTY-BKK by car on the same day without hassle.
Why not combine an "Apple" Trip with Some Mangoes and go back home?
I mean why not go to BKK Quickly, go to the Apple Store to buy the iphone (they have a 6 months no interest plan) , go to Mango Massage, fuck a mango up the cherry, and then go back to Pattaya.
The whole experience could be done in 6 hours.
I've seen reported a taxi cost of 1000 to Pattaya several times, from the airport, but how much is reasonable when you get a taxi in BKK center? Same cost? I tried a few taxis last time and none would go for 1000. We gave up and I ended up paying 1400.
[QUOTE=Chill Out;1289650]I've seen reported a taxi cost of 1000 to Pattaya several times, from the airport, but how much is reasonable when you get a taxi in BKK center? Same cost? I tried a few taxis last time and none would go for 1000. We gave up and I ended up paying 1400.[/QUOTE]The other day I gave a guy 1300 from Nana. I met him the night before when he took me to the airport on the meter to pick up my Japanese friend. He went 140 all the way so I had to have him the next day to get back home. The last guy wouldn't go over 100 so you can understand my pain.
[QUOTE=Chill Out;1289650]I've seen reported a taxi cost of 1000 to Pattaya several times, from the airport, but how much is reasonable when you get a taxi in BKK center? Same cost? I tried a few taxis last time and none would go for 1000. We gave up and I ended up paying 1400.[/QUOTE]If I well remember reading in here it is appr 1200. The bests is to set the meter and let it do the count. I once stipulated a forth and back trip somewhere with a tax and he quoted 1500b. When we left he set the meter and I was worried it did not stick to the agreed price as the meeter was running. When were back, after an undefinite and unpredicatable stop at destination, the meter, still running, showed 1475b. The guy made a good prediciton!