1

sorry for bothering,

just found this link, a listing with prices of MBK shops:

http://en.mirakar.com/all_detail_products.php?id_brand=24&id_cate=1&id_main=1&id_sub=1

Maybe this will help others too. So anybody bought Iphone at MBK?

2

Buy the iPhone at a US Apple store. Put it in your pocket and waltz through German customs.

And buy an iPhone 5, for God's sake. This isn't the Middle Ages.

3

Sorry,

but for gods sake, who needs an Iphone5? Even 4 would fit my needs, I just need a phone and some minor apps.

The point is, to make myself understood here, I am on a diplomatic passport. So "waltzing" through customs is possible, but not a good idea. The 4S is in total below 430€, but adding the sales tax means I have to pay 19 % VAT in Germany. So after salex tax and VAT the phone will be around 590 €. For almost the same money I can buy one in Bangkok without any hassle with custom.

4

I want to avoid mailorder, because I am afraid it will not arrive in my appartment
Be afraid, very afraid!

Why would you have to pay customs in Germany? Does everyone that arrives with a mobile phone have to pay customs to take it through? Sounds barking to me.

5

You can get a refund of the VAT at the airport if you present the phone and your receipt.

6

Sorry, I was unclear. Present items and receipts at the BKK airport for a VAT refund.

7

Of course not everyone. Only those with new phones that were bought abroad and cost more than 430€. If you import goods worth more you have to pay taxes.
There are similar regulations in most other countries.

8

^ in that case, why would it make any diference if he bought it in BKK or New york ?
I thought about buying it in USA, but it makes no sense for me, because I have to pay VAT at German customs. So I have to buy it in Bangkok in order to avoid trouble at the border.
surely German customs do not check everbody's phone, do they ? Customs formalities must take ages !!

OP, if you must buy in MBk, make sure it is a real iphone !

9

I guess the price in Bkk is less than 430€ (=taxfree import to Germany) and more than 430 in New York (=taxes when importing to Germany).

No. But only "personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to 430 euro when travelling by air or sea" are duty-free and you need to declare imports worth more.
If you don't, you break the law.

I don't see a big problem either especially as OP says that he is travelling on a diplomatic passport.
In my understanding this means that his luggage will not be checked by customs people in any case.
As long as he is not taking ten phones for resale in Germany with him, I don't see a big offence.

10

You could get a tin can and a string but why? The Five (or should I call it the Fünf) is noticeably smaller and has a much larger screen. Live a little.

And every single person who walks through customs has a phone in his pocket. You think they have a receipt?

11

^^ And every single person who walks through customs has a phone in his pocket. You think they have a receipt?
Well, not everyone. Some of us see no need to take a phone on holiday.
However, your basic premise is correct. Given that the latest icraphone is probably being carried by hundreds if not thousands of travellers, does anyone believe that they are all paying fees to the Germans just to enter the country?

#9 As long as he is not taking ten phones for resale has it right.

12

well, somehow this one is going in the wrong direction.

First of all, I wanna buy an Iphone 4S and not 5. That is my decision and I will stick to it. It fits all my needs and I am not going to spend 800 € on an Iphone.

Second, I realize that beeing on a diplomatic trip is everybodies wet dream, since you think you can carry what you want, because nobody has the right to inspect you. Well, but I am not living in a James Bond movie, in my world you can get inspected too. You can protest against, but if they wanna inspect you they are going to inspect you.

Third, the Iphone is supposed to stay in Thailand

Fourth, I have to spend 2 weeks in Germany before traveling on to Thailand, so I have to pass German custom.

You are right if you say I can just put it in my pocket, but see, I save maybe 100 € if I buy it in US and carry it passt customs. If it works, allright. If they check me, I might get into some serious trouble. So since this is my life I don't wanna mess up just ny saving 100 €. Can you understand that?

Basically some people warned me about buying an Iphone in MBK. Prices range from 17.500 to 19.500 Baht depending on the origin of the phone. Apple sells it for 19.500 but only mailorder. The other shops sell it for about 22.000 Baht.

So anyone had some experience lately in shopping at MBK? My friends suggest not to buy one there. Instead I should go to Paragon or Central World. Any comments on this?

13

Sorry, didn't mean to hassle you. Get a StarTac if you like. The 5 is only €450 in the US but the 4S are probably half that.

And perhaps we're misunderstanding you: do you want to give the phone, box, accessories, and all, to someone in Thailand? If so, yes, probably MBK is your best shot: buying it in the US and carrying through German and then Thai customs would be a hassle, and Paragon is likely to be considerably more expensive than MBK, where 300 vendors are competing.

But if you just want a phone to carry around, you can save €400, by buying it in the US, throwing the box and stuff away, and just going. No one is going to think that an obsolete phone is a recent purchase. In the (absolutely impossible) case that they ask, you can laugh it off. "What kind of a dummkopf would buy a 4S in 2012?"

14

but I guess the chance to get scammed is quite high?
You'll never know it's a fake till it stops working.