Can You Save Money Buying a Camera in Bangkok?

Thailand was known as being a cheap and exotic15,900 Thai Baht with VAT
holiday destination, but can you save money if14,787 Thai Baht without VATwebsite -
you buy a digital camera whilst on holiday in14,990 Thai Baht with VAT
somewhere like Bangkok ?13,941 Thai Baht without VAT
We get a number of emails from our readersUS Price:
asking us to provide them with information about-
the price of certain cameras. These tend to be310 Dollars ( 10,635 Thai Baht )
Point & Shoot type cameras from the likesThe camera is known as: Canon Powershot
of Nikon and Canon but there are a few who areSD990IS
looking for more high end, semi-professional andUK Price:
professional cameras.Amazon.co.uk -
The thing they have in common is that they are290 Pounds (15,715 Thai Baht)
coming to Thailand and will do a bit of shopping inThe Semi-Pro D-SLR - Nikon D300 (Body Only
Bangkok before heading off to the beaches and)website 1:fotofile.net -
they want to buy a camera; thinking that they will53,800 Thai Baht with VAT
probably save some money.50,034 Thai Baht without VATwebsite 2:
To start with, Thailand has a VAT rate of 7% soNo website comparison available
you could start by comparing that to your ownUS -
country's VAT rate. You could be "saving" money1,697 Dollars (57,790 Thai Baht )
right there even if the rate before tax is theUK Price:amazon.co.uk
same. But there is also has a high duty on1,099 Pounds ( 59,510 Thai Baht)
imported goods and this is very often reflected inFrom the results above, we can see that if you
the price of many products and cameras are noare coming from the UK, small savings can be
different.made on the point and shoot but quite substantial
We've done a lot of research on this topic andsavings (roughly 200 UK pounds ) can be made
find that it fluctuates depending upon theon the semi-pro as long as you claim back the
exchange rate. One day savings can be made andVAT on leaving the country.
a few weeks later, it's no cheaper.However, if you are coming from the USA, it's
However, you can save if you collect the VAT atcheaper to buy the point and shoot at home
the airport and this could mean not using therather than from Thailand, but the semi-pro
product before leaving the country frustratingcamera is also cheaper both with and without the
those who want to buy and use whilst on holiday.VAT claimed back.
You probably want some examples at this pointAll this is very interesting when price is concerned
and we're happy to oblige by offering twobut other factors need to be taken into
examples. One is a point and shoot and the otherconsideration such as warranty and honesty for
a semi-professional Digital SLR.it's possible to be ripped off when shopping in
For the point and shoot, we've randomly chosenThailand especially when it comes to the
the Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS because it lookslegitimacy of the battery supplied or the contents
nice and because Canon are the market leaders inin the box.
Point & Shoot digital cameras.Would we shop in Thailand for a digital camera ?
For the semi-pro D-SLR, we've chosen the NikonWe live in Thailand and have little choice, but if we
D300 (body only) because we want one andwere to be going to Singapore or Hong Kong,
spend every waking hour seeing whether we canwe'd probably wait and shop there instead as it
realistically afford one.can be cheaper in those places than in Thailand.
For the prices, we chose two Thai websites forHaving said that though, we are not worried
the prices and then compared those prices toabout being ripped of in Thailand as most of the
those found on and Amazon.co.ukcamera shops, especially the dedicated camera
The Point And Shoot - Canon Digital IXUS 980 ISshops and department stores, are trustworthy
Thai Prices:website 1:fotofile.net -and honest.