General Reports

[QUOTE=Member #2041]My experience is that most stuff costs less in Hong Kong and in Vietnam than in the U.S.[/QUOTE]

I have priced a lot of electronic goods in Hong Kong and almost always found that it was cheaper in the US. A couple of trips ago I priced a Panasonic FX series camera that I had bought for the TGF. I could not find any shop that could beat the US price of the same camera in COSTCO in the US.

During my last trip I wandered through a couple of the ADDIDAS and NIKE shops in Kowloon and basically they were selling everything at the same undiscounted price as I could get it in the US. Bangkok was the same story. The difference was that there are a lot more sales and discount places you can go in the US to find the same stuff.

My TGF has been after me to buy her a plasma TV, but when I look at the prices in Bangkok compared to the US, I can't bring myself to pay that much more. I think the difference is that the competition in the US is just so much more. You just don't have that many different places to go buy those kinds of goods in Bangkok.

I suppose over time the "big box" stores will also proliferate in Bangkok and the rest of the world.

[QUOTE=Member #2041]My experience is that most stuff costs less in Hong Kong and in Vietnam than in the U.S.[/QUOTE]

I humbly disagree, unless you're talking about something like expensive high end watches or low end electronic accessories. Most regular product, electronics and camera included can be gotten on-line stateside.

[quote=traveler1234]i humbly disagree, unless you're talking about something like expensive high end watches or low end electronic accessories. most regular product, electronics and camera included can be gotten on-line stateside.[/quote]
guys your right, prices for most consumer goods are cheaper in the us.
why? because of the failing dollar. most americans have no idea what the environment is really like outside of the safe fold. the us has thrown perfect propaganda out for years, but when you fly into lax or jfk and see what those airports look like compared to thailand, hong kong etc, you will be shocked at the state of the states. the us infrastructure is crumbling and the rest of the world is now coming to the states for oursourceing. the corporate greed and politicians behind them are not concerned about the us people or the country. only [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord125][CodeWord125][/url]!!
the only reason things are cheap is the states for now, is that the population would revolt if they really understood what their dollar is worth in the open market. ignorance is bliss though, and walmart is the haven for it.
oh
cheers
mates

[QUOTE=Traveler1234]I humbly disagree, unless you're talking about something like expensive high end watches or low end electronic accessories. Most regular product, electronics and camera included can be gotten on-line stateside.[/QUOTE]

I was talking about high end stuff. Also high quality fakes are cheaper in HK and Vietnam than in the U.S. For example, I can get high quality fake mechanical Patek Philippe or comparable watches for $30 or less in HK or Vietnam, whereas the cheapest that the same fakes can be gotten in the U.S. is off the internet for prices of around $150 or so.

Camera gear is the exception, where the U.S. prices are definitely the lowest in the world. 10 years ago, Hong Kong was cheaper, but not anymore.

[QUOTE=Member #2041]I was talking about high end stuff. Also high quality fakes are cheaper in HK and Vietnam than in the U.S. For example, I can get high quality fake mechanical Patek Philippe or comparable watches for $30 or less in HK or Vietnam, whereas the cheapest that the same fakes can be gotten in the U.S. is off the internet for prices of around $150 or so.

Camera gear is the exception, where the U.S. prices are definitely the lowest in the world. 10 years ago, Hong Kong was cheaper, but not anymore.[/QUOTE]


I agree with you on the fake or bootlegged stuff. No better place than Thailand or China. I prefer to deal with the guys in Thailand over China though for fake watches or bootleg movies. I use the same girl at Pantip plaza for my movies and she warns me which movies aren't good quality. I have a watch guy down in Patpong who is only out during the day and he also warns me which watches are best and which to avoid.

I have never been able to find any similar "honest" sellers like that in China. But then I do spend a lot more time in Thailand than China.

[QUOTE=Thor93]I agree with you on the fake or bootlegged stuff. No better place than Thailand or China. I prefer to deal with the guys in Thailand over China though for fake watches or bootleg movies. I use the same girl at Pantip plaza for my movies and she warns me which movies aren't good quality. I have a watch guy down in Patpong who is only out during the day and he also warns me which watches are best and which to avoid.

I have never been able to find any similar "honest" sellers like that in China. But then I do spend a lot more time in Thailand than China.[/QUOTE]

Actually, I think that Ho Chi Minh City is the best of all for the high quality fakes - prices similar to China, but vendors looking for longer term business, similar to Thailand.

[QUOTE=Thor93]I agree with you on the fake or bootlegged stuff. No better place than Thailand or China. I prefer to deal with the guys in Thailand over China though for fake watches or bootleg movies. I use the same girl at Pantip plaza for my movies and she warns me which movies aren't good quality. I have a watch guy down in Patpong who is only out during the day and he also warns me which watches are best and which to avoid.

I have never been able to find any similar "honest" sellers like that in China. But then I do spend a lot more time in Thailand than China.[/QUOTE]Care to share who your guy is in PP? I'd like to pick up a few watches before I head home.

[QUOTE=Member #2041]Actually, I think that Ho Chi Minh City is the best of all for the high quality fakes - prices similar to China, but vendors looking for longer term business, similar to Thailand.[/QUOTE]

Didn't realize you were talking about high end fakes :)
Shenzhen for watches - according to my son.
I land in HCMC in 24 hours, will see what's being sold and report back!

[QUOTE=Thor93]I agree with you on the fake or bootlegged stuff. No better place than Thailand or China. I prefer to deal with the guys in Thailand over China though for fake watches or bootleg movies. I use the same girl at Pantip plaza for my movies and she warns me which movies aren't good quality. I have a watch guy down in Patpong who is only out during the day and he also warns me which watches are best and which to avoid. [/QUOTE]
My watch guy is in the Nana area. I always give him 1200 Baht for the best supercopies on the market. Sometimes he tries to jack the price up on me like he did yesterday when I returned to buy two more. He gave me a price of 3600. I reminded him that I always give him 1200 each and that I had just bought 3 for 3600 a few days ago while his brother was manning the store. I told him that I am going to have to start bringing my receipts to remind him. There is never a problem returning for exchange or repair and I always use my credit card.

DVDs are another matter. I have found it best to get them on the other side of the globe in Lima, Peru for $1 each, case included.

[QUOTE=Mr Enternational]My watch guy is in the Nana area. I always give him 1200 Baht for the best supercopies on the market. Sometimes he tries to jack the price up on me like he did yesterday when I returned to buy two more. He gave me a price of 3600. I reminded him that I always give him 1200 each and that I had just bought 3 for 3600 a few days ago while his brother was manning the store. I told him that I am going to have to start bringing my receipts to remind him. There is never a problem returning for exchange or repair and I always use my credit card.

DVDs are another matter. I have found it best to get them on the other side of the globe in Lima, Peru for $1 each, case included.[/QUOTE]
Can we keep this site clear of shopping gossip, I personally can speak to the wife regarding this!!!

[QUOTE=Mr Enternational]My watch guy is in the Nana area. I always give him 1200 Baht for the best supercopies on the market. Sometimes he tries to jack the price up on me like he did yesterday when I returned to buy two more. He gave me a price of 3600. I reminded him that I always give him 1200 each and that I had just bought 3 for 3600 a few days ago while his brother was manning the store. I told him that I am going to have to start bringing my receipts to remind him. There is never a problem returning for exchange or repair and I always use my credit card.

DVDs are another matter. I have found it best to get them on the other side of the globe in Lima, Peru for $1 each, case included.[/QUOTE]

The fakes I was looking for were not available in the Nana area - only Patpong. I'm talking about thin, mechanical high quality copies of brands like Patek Philippe, Jaeger LeCoultre, Breuget, and Vacheron Constantin - not the widely available stuff like big clunky fake Rolexes, Omegas and Brietlings and the like, or quartz copies.

Here are examples of the caliber of fake I'm talking about - I actually got these three watches for $80 TOTAL for the 3 in the central marketplace of Ho Chi Minh City, negotiated down from an asking price of $80 EACH - note the thinness and the beautiful, completely mechanical movements:

[url]http://www.replicahause.com/patek-philippe-grand-complications-replica-watch-p-1651.html?osCsid=389a0e20293c4e9540cb440ac2cbcab2[/url]

[url]http://www.hotreplica.com/product_info.php?cPath=6&products_id=3957&prname=Breguet_Classique_Manual_Winding_replica_[/url]

[url]http://www.hotreplica.com/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=2626&prname=Jaeger_Le_Coultre_Master_Reveil_Small_Hours_Hand_replica[/url]

This similar quality fake Vacheron Constantin set me back 1600 baht in Patpong, negotiated down from 4500:

[url]http://www.replicahause.com/vacheron-constantin-minute-repeater-replica-watch-p-1654.html?osCsid=389a0e20293c4e9540cb440ac2cbcab2[/url]

I'm quite sure that 1600 baht was the best price on this caliber of fake in Patpong, as several vendors let me walk at 1500 before they took 1600. So that's still substantially higher than the same quality fakes sold for in Ho Chi Minh City ($27 vs $48). In China, the same fakes could be had for $25 to $30 as well.

What is with the extended home shopping network banter. This is an APB-
PLEASE put up some photos of: babes, prices, locations hours. performance, etc.

Hummer Bird, this is the General Information thread. You will find plenty of Pussy information in the sections on Bangkok, Pattaya, and any other Thai locale threads that you search.

[QUOTE=Thor93] I use the same girl at Pantip plaza for my movies and she warns me which movies aren't good quality. [/QUOTE]
Me too. I buy from "Bow" at KB Video on the ground floor next to escalator coming down. They are very fair, will replace movies, and tell which are the master quality, since I am a regular customer and buy a lot of movies. They only stock shoddy new movies because the competition places have latest movies filmed off the Cinema screen. But KB don't sell any crap to me, and will replace anything I am not happy with.

Hullo,

This may be a question to BKK residents.

I am planning for a trip to BKK in mid April. I understand between 12 and 15 April is Songkrun.

Among other things, I want to buy a pair of glasses. Are shops open? Are opticians / optometrist working during this peiod?

TIA