Trip to Thailand

[Bowmouth]

...it seems to me that one company (dive supply) imports and wholesales most of the dive equipment in Thailand.

Dive Supply is probably the biggest but certainly not the only one.
There are some very good equipment deals to get in Phuket right now. Some of the smaller shops have quite a few items "on sale" and I have seen regs and BCD's with up to 60% off.

 

[lord khram]

Dive Supply is probably the biggest but certainly not the only one.
There are some very good equipment deals to get in Phuket right now. Some of the smaller shops have quite a few items "on sale" and I have seen regs and BCD's with up to 60% off.

Glad to see there is some competition, but I think the main problem is the import tax which I think is 40%?
One thing I must add is that numerous times I have spoken to shops about prices for kit and every time they said they were unable to buy the items in for the ammount that they retail for in the UK.
Maybe if the authorities want to encourage tourism and trade they ought to look at this completely senseless and negative tax.

 

[morgan84]

1) earlier this year I was quoted for a suunto D9 in Thailand 80000 baht (£1600 at the time) back in the uk I purchased the same item for £775

The shop i went to at Koh Tao wanted just 45000 baht for a D9.

 

[Quero]

I can not agree with the last post from Quero at all.

It looks to me as though you disagree with only the last sentence in my post (or less than 1% of what I wrote). I have no problem with you disagreeing, by the way, it's just the hyperbole that bothers me.

Correct me here if I am wrong as I am not involved in the industry but it seems to me that one company (dive supply) imports and wholesales most of the dive equipment in Thailand.

Again, clarification may help put your overgeneralization into perspective. Dive Supply does import a great deal of equipment, much of it ScubaPro brand, which enjoys a large market share here in Thailand. However, other brands are also imported and distributed by different wholesalers. Mares and Aqualung are notable manufacturers, but there are also imports of Sherwood/Tusa, Oceanic, etc. Most manufacturers (of any product) rely on a network of exclusive distributors arranged geographically who set wholesale prices for their territory. Competitive pricing is typically accomplished through retail sales rather than through wholesale.

 

[Quero]

earlier this year I was quoted for a suunto D9 in Thailand 80000 baht (£1600 at the time) back in the uk I purchased the same item for £775

The shop i went to at Koh Tao wanted just 45000 baht for a D9.

It's important to make sure that price comparisons are for the same product.
AFAIK, the retail price of a Suunto D9 with a titanium bracelet and a transmitter is about THB 77,500 while the price of a Suunto D9 with a rubber bracelet and no transmitter is about THB 45,000. If exported, the D9 titanium w/transmitter might enjoy a VAT tax refund of around THB 5000, meaning the total cost would be in the range of 72,500. The D9 rubber w/o transmitter would similarly enjoy a VAT refund of about THB 3000, reducing the price to about THB 42,000, or just over £725.

Are we to understand, LK, that you purchased a D9 with a titanium bracelet and a transmitter in the UK for £775?

 

[lord khram]

It's important to make sure that price comparisons are for the same product.
AFAIK, the retail price of a Suunto D9 with a titanium bracelet and a transmitter is about THB 77,500 while the price of a Suunto D9 with a rubber bracelet and no transmitter is about THB 45,000. If exported, the D9 titanium w/transmitter might enjoy a VAT tax refund of around THB 5000, meaning the total cost would be in the range of 72,500. The D9 rubber w/o transmitter would similarly enjoy a VAT refund of about THB 3000, reducing the price to about THB 42,000, or just over £725.

Are we to understand, LK, that you purchased a D9 with a titanium bracelet and a transmitter in the UK for £775?

No, it was with a rubber bracelet and a transmitter. Titanium bracelet is not really suitable for using with the drysuit on my visits back to the UK.
No doubt had I looked around I may well have got a cheaper price in thailand, but when the 2 shops that I visited told me they could not buy it in at anything near as low as the UK price I was quoted, I knew I would be wasting my time looking around any more.
Even with the potential VAT refund I would still have been paying considerably more, and this is generally my experience with diving equipment and most other imported goods in Thailand.

 

[DevonDiver]

I paid 22,000 for my D9 on Koh Tao. New with rubber strap.

It was an instructor deal/special offer though.

 

[mgmonk]

ummm..... 2000 baht for a Rip Curl 4mm or 5mm (depending on size and what's in stock) on KT right now. I think that's dirt cheap.

Also, custom made wetsuits at Dave's Diver's Den
Dave's Diver's Den Wetsuits, Chaloke Baankao, Koh Tao. 087 136 5620

Get a SPIDER MAN wetsuit!

 

[lord khram]

ummm..... 2000 baht for a Rip Curl 4mm or 5mm (depending on size and what's in stock) on KT right now. I think that's dirt cheap.

Also, custom made wetsuits at Dave's Diver's Den
Dave's Diver's Den Wetsuits, Chaloke Baankao, Koh Tao. 087 136 5620

Get a SPIDER MAN wetsuit!

You'r missing the point there, things that are made in Thailand are generally very cheap, it's the imports that attract the heavy taxes.

Incidentally, last year I purchased a 5mm steamer in the UK for £30. thats currently around 1700bt!

 

[mgmonk]

You'r missing the point there, things that are made in Thailand are generally very cheap, it's the imports that attract the heavy taxes.

Incidentally, last year I purchased a 5mm steamer in the UK for £30. thats currently around 1700bt!

Which point am I missing?

That Rip Curl is a multi-national corp. that makes wetsuits all over the world that are of the (ostensibly, and I'm sure you'll find something to pick apart here) same quality, and theses very suits are going for 2000 baht right now?

or

that 2000 baht and 1700 baht are 6 euros apart?

I mentioned the local shop that makes custom suits as an option. I'm not making any statement's on Dave's suits. Never bought one. I know three people that have, but I'd prefer them to speak for themselves. I can tell you that his team of seamstresses are amazingly nice and have repaired my dive bag and several pairs of shorts that I'm too sentimental to toss out. I even had them put a wetsuit zip on my favorite hoody for cloudy days so the salt wouldn't keep crusting up on the metal.