Buying electronics in Southeast Asia: Bangkok Vs Singapore

This post is mainly about Bangkok's electronics mega-shopping mall, Panthip. First off, I compare Panthip to a similar megastore in Singapore called Sim Lim Square.

Singapore Vs Bangkok
- Overall, I've had better experiences shopping for electronics in Bangkok compared to Singapore. I find I am not quite so likely to get ripped off at Bangkok's Panthip. Some of the salesmen you will meet at Sim Lim in Singapore are outrageous scampers -- some will not hesitate to cheat you, often by selling you an old model at a new model price.

- Bargain, but in Thailand be sure to do it nicely (same rule holds for Indonesia and some shops in Malaysia). Thais can get offended if you are harsh -- keep smiling. Generally bid no more than 30-40% lower than the marked price. Expect further discounts for multiple purchases. You can be more theatrical in how you bargain in Singapore. To their credit, they won't don't get offended. Singaporeans are unflappable.

Bangkok's Panthip Plaza
- Cameras, mobile phones at good prices, but do not expect a wide selection of the latest, most expensive models.

- Good place to buy computer memory and hard drives. But I prefer name brand drives like Maxtor -- which are available at Panthip, but you have to hunt for a store that sells them. Singapore is a bit better for finding the latest models.

- Laptops: I could not find a store that would sell me an extended international warranty. Best place to buy your laptops is the US.

- Software and videos, generally pirated: If you go this route I suggest you find someone willing to install it. It doesn't always work, and can stop working. If you are male, you'll know your in the pirate video zone when a guy walks up to you and whispers "sexy movie."

- Beware of fake name-brand hardware products. Scrupulously inspect labels that identify a product as genuine when buying name-brand. This rule applies whether you are in Singapore or Thailand.

- A few stores specialize in Apple, but Panthip's mostly PC.

- Thailand's Panthip, especially is a great place to buy cables, notebook cases, keyboards, mice, LCD monitors, and other accessories.

- Don't spend too long in Panthip. The quality of the air is bad. For a break there's a decent well air conditioned Thai restaurant by the entrance.

- Shipping. You can ship something you buy at Panthip anywhere in Thailand overnight delivery for about $1.00. Ask where to go for the shipping office.

- Panthip's Floor Plan: 1st) mobile phones and phone accessories; 2nd) cameras; memory sticks; software and movies; 3rd) laptops, printers 4th) accessories, hardware, used computers, repair services. Warning: that's a rough outline of the floor plan -- the reality is far more haphazard.

- There's one department store on level 2. Limited selection, but good place to check the 'real' price of an item.

- It pays to shop around. Today I saw that one store was selling my digital camera for 12,000 baht, another has it on sale for 8,000 baht.

- Hard drive recovery services. I highly recommend Joseph on the forth floor. He's rescued me twice and his prices are reasonable. I once met a customer who had flown in from Israel to see Joseph.

Directions
- How to get to Panthip in Thailand: Its a few blocks off the Skytrain line (not far from Siam). Take a taxi. They all know it, and the roads leading to it are too polluted for healthy walking.

- How to get to Sim in Singapore: It's across the big street from the Little India neighborhood, smack between Bugis MRT Station (green line) and Little India MRT (purple line).

My visit to Gangster Island

For my guide -- who knew what was really happening -- this was a truly frightening experience. Click here.

The best laptop for travel? Check the international warranty.

My laptop has required repair eight times since I bought it -- and it's only 2 years old! Fortunately my notebook came with a "next-day international warranty" from Dell. Dell technicians have serviced my laptop in four countries.

On only one occasion the technician was unable to fix the problem. That was in Australia, where an unqualified technician managed to break the machine. A week later, a Thai technician in Bangkok (shown in photo) repaired the damage.

It's well documented that companies have trouble finding qualified technicians in Australia. I suspect the relative difficulty I experienced trying to get this computer repaired in Australia serves as a metaphor for the condition of Australia's economy. Australia has resources, but there are indications the Aussies are not investing sufficiently in their education system. (With a federal election looming, Australians now have a chance to set things right).

Speaking of Dell, Thomas Freedman wrote in the NY Times today,

I heard Michael Dell has declare that Dell Inc. would become “carbon neutral” in its operations by the end of 2008. He said Dell would take inventory of its total greenhouse gas outputs and then develop plans to reduce, eliminate or offset those emissions.

That would be an impressive accomplishment. According Greenpeace, at present Dell stands as the third most environmentally conscious of the major computer companies, ranking behind Nokia and SonyErickson. The 2007 rankings are available at the Greenpeace website.

Buying a laptop and planning to travel? By all means, get one with a decent international warranty.

Photo: A Thai computer technician repairs Jotman's laptop.

The Crocodile Dream

In the Burmese town of Myawaddy, which lies across the border from the Thai town of Mae Sot, a building sits on the back of a giant crocodile. It's called Krukodine Pagoda, or Crocodile Pagoda. Less than twenty years old, what interests me about the structure are the two stories told about it in its short history. In essence, the stories make this a place where a modern legend has given teeth to high moral principle.

I am told the monk who had the temple constructed made headlines in 2003 when the adjacent building became shelter for over 1,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). Having been expelled from Thailand, they were in trouble with the Burmese authorities. The abbot of Krukodine Pagoda gave these Burmese IDPs -- men, women, and children -- sanctuary for several weeks.

While I walked around Crocodile Pagoda, a woman walked by wearing a wide hat. My guide told me the the particular style of hat she wore is a symbol of the opposition party.

In the following video clip, my guide tells me the strange story behind the construction of Crocodile Pagoda.

Dance of the Burmese Sasquatch

Can somebody please enlighten me as to the type of creature depicted in the video? Any ideas as to the meaning or purpose behind this activity?

Gamblers! Thieves! Robbers!

This video depicts a warning I received yesterday standing on the bank of a river which demarcates the border between Thailand and Burma (Myanmar).