iPad in Thailand

[Captain Swing]

My beloved (of 12 years duration) has let me know that the only thing he wants me to bring him on my upcoming visit is an iPad. I've let him know he should dream on. But the new Mini is possibly, just maybe, within the range of what I'm willing to spend. As a technology illiterate I have some questions that some of you could possibly answer. Will the Mini be available to buy in Thailand by Christmas? If so, the price will probably be close to the same as the US, I think--Thailand will have VAT but I'll have state sales tax at home. If I buy one in the US will it be practical to use in Thailand--have Thai language available, a Thai keyboard etc. The Apple website seems to indicate it would. How about charging the battery--different electrical systems a problem? Would warranty issues make buying in Thailand a better choice? Would he find free wi-fi widely available?--I imagine they have it where he currently works, but I doubt he would find it available at his room. (My illiteracy is especially intense when it comes to wi-fi). Would he have to pay anything to any company for internet access? He has some familiarity with computers, but probably not as much as he thinks he has. Is the whole idea a likely waste of money, even assuming it's not lost/stolen/broken in the first month? I would like to buy it for him--he doesn't ask for much--but it's a lot of money for me and I don't want to make a foolish mistake. I know many of you think buying anything for a Thai "boyfriend" is a mistake, but I hope some of you can look beyond that and give me some more specific advice. Thanks.

P.S. He also told me his two young cousins, who I know and have brought small presents for before, would like a Samsung Galaxy 3--quite a jump from the Legos and Matchbox cars of the past and something that is DEFINITELY not happening.

If it was me I too would wait and buy it in Thailand or give him the money to allow him to do that if that's an option, the main reason being as you surmised the guarantee issue in that from sore experience if it should break getting a local store to even touch if it's not bought in that Country it will be almost impossible and even though they should and whilst the guarantee is "valid" etc the onus ends up on you / him to have to return it to Apple etc, whereas if he can walk into the Apple store there where he bought it (if there is one ?) or to his local reseller where he bought it he "should" get better and faster service. The charging connection will be the same on all of them US or thai BUT the main's end of the charger will be different ( US plus compared to Thai plug) so he'd need to use an adaptor or buy a local charger but the current should be the same etc as I charge my UK ipad no problem when in BKK.

You are correct that the Thai language / keyboard ( and many others including english etc) is already built in to the unit and it's just a touch of a button to activate your language of choice - ir if bought in Thailand I'm sure that might be the default language it's already set to - but if not 5 seconds changes that. Re wifi it will be ready already installed and ready to go - using wifi itself does not cost you anything but he will need to have an internet access account with Thai ISP provider ( nothing to do with the IPAD per se as these things are to different issues, but if he already have some form of internet access on his phone or via a laptop or something then he's already got that sorted, if not it's just as taking up a home connection basically except by using a simply wireless router box you can do anyway with the wires. And yes wifi is available free of charge in many places in Bkk such as coffee shops . hotel lobbies etc but when you see it being charged for that's not cause wifi costs exactly just more the place trying to make some money or restrict the amount of people taking up their bandwidth ( which slows down their overall connection) - and he may be lucky in his room if other people are using wifi close by he may be able to get a hold of their password and log on (free) that way - either with or without their permission perhaps ! - I'm not saying that's the right thing to do but it does happen a lot when people forget to password protect their accounts.

Hope that helps.

I don't wish to muddy the waters but I'm assuming from what NIrish has said that the Ipad (I don't have one) isn't country specific in the way iphone was/is?

The reason I'm bringing this up is that I found out from bitter experience that an iPhone bought in the UK and brought as a gift for my bf worked in Thailand but not when he went back to school in Singapore. OMFG, when I say "school", I mean it in the way the boys mean it!!

Now, kindly don't berate me for being techo-illiterate, I'm merely asking the question. The last thing the OP needs is to bring something into Thailand as a gift that won't work in Thailand.

:dontknow:

[joe552]

OMFG, when I say "school", I mean it in the way the boys mean it!! :dontknow:

As a complete technophobe, I was being left out of this conversation anyway, but SG has just taken my exclusion to a new level. Maybe I haven't been around enough "schoolboys" to understand the reference? :dontknow:

[Marsilius]

I take my UK-purchased iPad with me on trips to Thailand. It works fine. But, of course, its keyboard uses the western alphabet and all the pre-loaded software appears in English. I think you need to buy the iPad in Thailand with your friend in tow to benefit from the Thai salesman's expertise.

From a Mac geek i work with - "Ipads and iphones should work everywhere as they are not country specific, although if for example you buy an orange phone from an orange shop it will only work with an orange SIM card, hope that helps"

I can also confirm I take my iPhone and iPad to many countries and apart from the buying a local SIM card to make calls at a reasonable rate ( or choosing to pay roaming charges) the physical phone / iPad works fine - and SA I'd mentioned the keyboard is instantly switchable to Thai ( and back again at type press of a button - I know this as a particular boy wonder I was with in Thailand who borrowed my phone when we were at dinner and he was bored with us farang speaking English switched my phones Thai keyboard on in a blink and I now have a button for it on my home screen - and I'm damned if I can get it off as I didn't bother watching how he put it there in the first place ! But I figured I'll just leave it on for the next guy who may get some use out if it I guess.

[kjun12]

It will be considerably cheaper to buy one in the US than in Thailand.

[2lz2p]

I'm not sure about the iPad mini, but the regular iPad comes with a choice for 3G connectivity (sim card) or only wireless. The 3G equipped iPad does cost more. I chose one without 3G as I have a PC and Wireless modem/router at home (Pattaya). Although there are many places that offer wireless connections, they may be password protected, e.g., at a coffee shop where they will give you the password if you are a customer. Others are open - no password required. The iPad will show any nearby wireless connections - usually showing a "lock" icon if a password is required.

If you choose the 3G capable iPad, you will need to get a sim card and 3G service, which is offered by AIS, DTAC, and True (there may be others, but those are the ones I am aware of). Each has their own packages and prices - DTAC has unlimited on all their packages, but offer only so many GB download with each package then throttles you back to a slower speed. AIS offers unlimited only with their top package, but throttles you back after 1GB. My bf has an iPhone with DTAC 3G/Edge service - 3GB at the faster speed is 650 Baht per month. I have AIS 3G/Edge for my iPhone at 1GB per month - it is 350 Baht - if I go over that there is a per minute charge (don't know what it is as I have so far never gone over 1GB in a month as I can usually connect using wireless - which allows internet connection without going through the carrier).

DTAC, TRUE, and probably AIS, shops can sell you an iPad or iPhone at a lower price than other stores, but they require you to buy a package (one year?? don't know as i have never asked).

If you have at least an iPhone 4 (not sure about other "smart" phones), with 3G/Edge service, you can turn on a "hotspot" making your iPhone a wireless connection for other devices such as iPad or notebook computer.

OMFG, when I say "school", I mean it in the way the boys mean it!! :dontknow:

As a complete technophobe, I was being left out of this conversation anyway, but SG has just taken my exclusion to a new level. Maybe I haven't been around enough "schoolboys" to understand the reference? :dontknow:


Oh it's quite simple Joe, you will hear 25yo Thai boys talking of going to "school" when they may mean College or even that they are taking daily classes to try to finish education they missed when younger. "Going to school" is, to them, just a generic phrase for being in education of one kind or another.

The distinction I was trying to make is that saying your bf is "going to school" would have quite a different connotation in the UK - in terms of the age the reader or listener will assume him to be.

[bruce_nyc]

Sorry to interject, but...


Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

LOVE that! I am so stealing that line...

@Joe What Scottish is trying to explain..... not so gracefully.... is that his boyfriend is only 15.

No, dear - he's 20. A bit old admittedly but :dontknow: SG

[joe552]

Bruce, you are talking collar size, I hope? :dontknow:

Thanks for the explanation, SG - makes perfect sense now. :notworthy:

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.Well maybe but you cant be a chistain if you dont go to church.
Bruce, you are talking collar size, I hope?cock size?

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.Well maybe but you cant be a chistain if you dont go to church

Since when !! ?? I don't see THAT anywhere in the bible ?? Not that I'm religious ( quite the opposite) but as I understand it ones Christianity or otherwise is between solely you and your god and has absolutely nothing to do with whether you go to a man made ( rotten to the core in my view) institution called a church or not.

[Manforallseasons]

Why not ask him if he really needs to upgrade the first iPad that his other punter got him?

Why not ask him if he really needs to upgrade the first iPad that his other punter got him?

Silly MFAS, that ipad was sold immediately after the other punter (who's returning in December) got on the plane home, that's why the boy needs a new one - and pronto!

:evil4:

[cameroncat]

Thailand may get the mini before the end of December, but it will be more costly than in the US or UK. Any unlocked GSM Phone that works in Thailand should work in Singapore on a GSM network. The Thai SIM card may not work, maybe that's what your boyfriend meant. But a Singapore SIM card will work fine in an Unlocked GSM phone.

[Captain Swing]

Many thanks to those who offered helpful information. I would prefer to buy it in Thailand (actually I'd prefer not to buy it at all), but I wasn't sure it will be available there yet--I think it doesn't go on sale here (USA) until tomorrow. If there's a big price difference USA/Thailand that would also be an issue. The 3G-capable model is too much more expensive for me--it will have to be wifi only. I'll have to discuss it more with BF. Hopefully I can persuade him that he'd be much happier with a nice bottle of cologne.

Personally I think the wifi only model IS the smarter bet anyway (that's the one I actually bought for myself ! ) as if you buy him the one with a phone / data connection ( 3G etc) he'll only use it when he's to lazy to look for wifi ! and he (you) will then end up having to keep topping it up with new monthly credit, so you're actually doing him a favour buying the wifi only model I think !

Where as except for actually making calls (which he can do via Skype anyway if he wishes ) or using it where there is no wifi ( which never happens in Bkk if you look hard enough ) he can do exactly all the same things on wifi as on the 3G model when accessing his (free) wifi somewhere - oh and good luck with the Cologne thing then - I think you're going to need it by the sounds of it ! lol