Pantip Plaza

 

Pantip Plaza is an indoor IT shopping mall located on New Phetchaburi Road in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok, Thailand. The sale of counterfeit software and DVDs are some reasons behind this mall's success and notoriety. But if your looking for a one stop shopping center for computer software and hardware, this is the place.

 

You can also expect to find the latest games, software and even movies here although they are mainly pirated copies.

 

Software

 

Legitimate licensed software remains unpopular for the majority of Pantip shoppers due to high prices and the availability of counterfeit versions of the same software. Prices of counterfeit software, DVDs and games range from about 100 (CD-Rom) to 200 (DVD-Rom) baht.

 

A few publishers, such as Blizzard Entertainment, offer licensed "for sale in Thailand only" software with localized Thai packaging and manuals.

 

The sale of pirated software remains an easy and open practice, mostly on the ground floor of the plaza, despite the occasional shuttering of all shops selling illegal computer software and entertainment CDs, DVDs, and VCDs during police checks. The shop will take your selection from binders full of titles and cash payment, then deliver the goods in 10-20 min, as the contraband is stored off site. (However many shops now store their goods on-site so customers do not have to wait, increasing sales volume.) If they cannot come up with all the titles requested, money will be refunded.

 

Hardware

 

Of note is a wide selection of second-hand business machines from IBM, Gateway, and Dell. Most of these machines come via cargo ship from Western countries.

Prices on new hardware such as digital cameras, printers, computers, and other electronics can be significantly lower (in some cases) than in Western countries, but products are often factory seconds or refurbished goods. Stores are supposed to add VAT of 7%, which foreign purchasers can get refunded when leaving Thailand at the Bangkok airport. However, stores commonly offer to give purchasers a discount if the purchaser does not take a receipt, thereby allowing the stores to falsify their VAT tax reports. Note that this is often a bad deal for the traveling foreign purchaser, since the purchaser would have been refunded the full amount of the VAT at the airport, and the "discount" is invariably smaller than the VAT tax would have been. Also, for warranty service, manufacturers usually require a receipt to show proof of purchase.

 

Location

 

Pantip Plaza is located on New Phetchaburi Road in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok, Thailand,

 

Pantip Plaza 2 is located on Ngamwongwan Road in province of Nonthaburi

 

In Chiang Mai, there is a Pantip Plaza on the corner of Chang Klan Road (Night Bazar) and Sri Donchai Road. It also has a food court