mycowjai Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 I have checked the prices of plasma flat screen TVs in Bangkok and find they are quite expensive. The 42" versions are from 160,000 baht to 250,000. In the US at Costco or other bulk stores they are as low as US$2,000 (or ~80,000 baht). Could somebody advise on what duty implications are bringing in a TV from Singapore or the US? BTW, the TV's will work on 120v or 240v as well as selectable from PAL and NTSC. Any other gems of wisdom to do with getting a good flat screen plasma TV in Thailand would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 Factor in the cost of the tv, the shipping, insurance and customs duty. My guess is you might be closer in price where it doesn't seem worth it. Of course, I could be wrong... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mycowjai Posted March 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 I was thinking of just bringing it with me and checking it in as checked bags (obviously packed properly) and paying the charge for an oversized box ~US$110. That way there'd be no other shipping charge. The other probable charge would be duty and that's what I'm wondering about. Anybody know what duty on TV's would be? Or how to find this information out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krml Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 I hope you have it insured. I can't imagine the luggage handlers being all that careful with it. It would more than likely not make it there in one piece. Plus, I don't know if this works like an LCD, but the dead pixels from a sudden jolt would leave a bunch of white dots all over the screen. Of course that is if it uses pixels for display. I don't know. Also as OH stated it would probably cost quite a bit to ship. Even as a carry on item most airlines charge for oversized packages due to the weight and size. You definitely wouldn't be able to sneak it through without claiming it at customs. So I am sure they would hit you with a nice fat tariff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 Flaw with bringing it as a checked bag. A) to big for carry on, and you'd have to turn it on anyway... checking it as a bag is not a good idea for a few reasons... 1) it is oversized, so an extra fee, which you know. Now, this is important...2) the container. Even shipping it in the cardboard box it came in is no good. The airlines will make you sign a damage release, which means, no insurance, nothing! if it gets destroyed, and there is a good chance it will, then you will collect nothing. Shipping it in a hard container such as plywood, or aluminum adds cost for the container, and also for weight. There is a limit on weight, 100 lbs or something? anything over that has to be shipped as freight, which means taxes, customs, maybe import/export permit? and a trip to the freight office at both ends...and is god awful expensive Either way, almost no way to sneak it passed customs...so the fees will add up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krml Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 My mistake I meant checking the TV not carrying it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 I took a BIG TV from Singapore to Bangkok just last year. I bought it for $200 in Singapore (S$) for a trade show - cheaper than renting for a week! Took it back as luggage in it's original box, no one stopped me bringing it in! Tell them its your presonal TV, should be rfee. DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mycowjai Posted March 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 Dog, you brought a TV from Singapore to BKK. I heard that the PAL (that's the PAL/NTSC coding) could be different in Singapore and Thailand and therefore the picture from a Sing TV might not work in Thai. Not sure if that really makes sense. Anybody know if there are different versions of PAL? In the US, it's NTSC, but the TV's are all switch selectable these days. Getting back to shipping the TV. I've traveled with lots of stuff via checked bags over the years. I'm quite confident that if packed properly, likely even just the box it came in, it would make it safely in one piece. I would definately try the "yeah, it's just my own personal TV" trick, if that didn't work, ok, then I'll pay the duty. So before I try this, I still need to understand what kind of duty there would be on 42" flat screen plasmas. BTW, the plasma technology and LED technology are completely different. Not that I'd want to really bash the TV around but I think it would travel safely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
togaduke Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 I have a 42" plasma tv, from costco,it's a sva made in china, and I love it, no problims with this baby, at all..the box it came in is sturdy.. but I doint know if I would ever check it..but you know the chicks still like the 65" big screens, the plasma is a much better view...but it weighs at least 165 pounds it's a heavey mother..the sony 65' has been serviced several times glad I got the warrenty on that one.sorry about the spelling but I had a few glasses of wine tonight as I am waiteing for my 300 dollar a hour escort from euros.com to turn up..for free for finding her a home for rent...free stuff you know the deal...ps that eros.com but I like euros, salesmen have been calling me all week trying to get me to buy some opitions on them, I think there a good buy right about now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 My cow - plasma is VERY different to regular TV. Thailand uses Pal G - Singapore is also PAL, not sure which version but ALL tv's now cater forr the range. Standard in the tuner. Plasma's sometimes need a set top box to act as the receiver or tuner. Not ccheap here yet, however if you wait 2 years a plasma is worth buying, not worth it now. Why? Regular TV looks crap on it, unless your playing a lot of DVD's, not worth the money. Unlike USA where pay tv is in High Definition, this is not going to be available in Thailand for a few years yet. DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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