a random question
hi everyonei have heard that back in the day (say 40 years ago) one could buy a bottle of jonnie walker red label and a carton of 555 state express duty free in bkk, fly into yangon and sell these on the black market and virtually pay for a week of expenses in burma!
today of course there is no black market and all sorts of western goods are available (for a price most locals cant afford--true). however, would it make sense to still purchase some duty free goods (spirits, cigs, even perfume) at bkk, bring them into myanmar and sell them for some markup? is it even worth the hassle? or are these products cheaper in myanmar than even the duty free at bkk would be?
thanks gh
3
In 1979 (7 days tourist visa) I got a day unlimited taxi transport + guide in Rangoon in exchange for buying a bottle of Johnny Walker and a carton of 555 in the "Diplomatic Store" (only for tourists and diplomats) The taxi man supplied me the money and I had to score the deal for him. Great deal for both of us!I would not bother bringing in quality whiskey or cigarettes right now. Good local whiskey is not so expensive in Burma
5
I did exactly that in 1977 (or was it the 1971 trip? - note to younger travellers: keep a record of where you went and when, for your dotage).It was a rite of passage like smuggling Indian rupees into India (bought in the Kabul bazaar?) in your underpants. Or buying turquoise in Iran to sell in Afghanistan (or was it the other way round?) - you got much less than you paid of course, in the end.
Happy days, long gone.
6
Back in the old days on the hippy traiel one apparently would fly into Yangon from Kathamandu with said items then that would pay your stay in myanmar and carry on to Thailand staying at a place called Thai song greet and flog the gems there, to GI's who were on furlo from Vietnam war or flying with air america a private airline company out of surithani airbase, that hired Bombers and crew from Americas military and as a private company dropped more bombs on Laos per capita than were dropped in the whole of WWIIIn Thailand a bottle of sam sing udsed to be cheap but now costs around $8-$10 a bottle same same Thai whiskey whereas in Myanmar a decent bottle of Myanmar Rum will cost just aroudn $1 so best is take some home with you especially if you live in UK where Cameron plans to tax the peasanst on cheap booze to stop them drinking and also to add another tax initiative to tax the poor whilst the rich can still enjoy a decent boite de Vin at the same prices they alwasy paid for it.
Also duty free BKK or dom Muang is more expensive than Thai 711's
7
It was interesting reading the wheelings and dealings of earlier travellers, almost sounded like trading glass beads with the natives. But to answer OP's question, it seems those magical days are long gone, all you can do is take crisp clean US$100 bills in, and go to the official banks and change them for local currency. Seems so sterile compared with earlier days.13
Doug vDid you meet a red haired Londoner out there called Ken had a bar on the beach in 71 and two half caste kids till he ran off with his wifes best friend lol.then couldn't stand the pace of life as too laid back so returned to live in Peckham sth London. I have an 'Older' friend from Dominica lives here so just asking
