Duty-Free Bangkok

L'prof

Hope somebody can help me out here. We're flying from Bangkok-London-Dublin. My Mam has requested her regular cigarettes and since I've been away for a year, I don't want to disappoint her. The thing is, she smokes silk cut purple 100s. I haven't seen any king size fags in Bangkok at all, never mind silk cut. Does anybody know if they have king size cigarettes in duty free in Suvarnabhumi? Alternatively can I get into duty free when I'm in Heathrow?

Thanks in advance.

coylemj

Even if you found her exact brand in Bangkok, there's a fair chance that they will be nothing like the Irish cigarettes. A colleague of mine used to go to all sorts of exotic places and bring me back cartons of Silk Cut Blue but they varied, the ones she brought me back from Turkey were especially awful and even the German ones were different. I remember buying Benson & Hedges in the US and they were nothing like the ones they sold over here.

You will not be able to buy duty free in Heathrow as you will be flying to another EU country.

schemingbohemia

They're just brand names the cigarrettes are different everywhere.

L'prof

Believe me I know. Its a big step for her to accept anything other than silk cut, my actual question was can any king size cigarettes be bought in the airport? I've been in the other airport in Bangkok and while I didn't ask none jumped out at me when I had a look around.

coylemj

I don't know about those airports, you could always try for international brands like Dunhill, Benson & Hedges or Rothmans which are king size but IIRC they are much stronger than Silk Cut Purple.

If I was you and seeing how it's for the Ma, I'd bite the bullet and buy a carton in Heathrow. Downside is that you'll have to pay the retail (street) price, upside is that you will be buying her exactly what she smokes here.

L'prof

coylemj wrote: »

I don't know about those airports, you could always try for international brands like Dunhill, Benson & Hedges or Rothmans which are king size but IIRC they are much stronger than Silk Cut Purple.

If I was you and seeing how it's for the Ma, I'd bite the bullet and buy a carton in Heathrow. Downside is that you'll have to pay the retail (street) price, upside is that you will be buying her exactly what she smokes here.

I might have to do that. She was on holidays recently and all she could get herself was B&Hs, so she'll be happy enough with them. B&Hs are kingsize or they have a kingsize range? Or am I confusing kingsize with 100s & superkings?

boredatwork82

L'prof wrote: »

I might have to do that. She was on holidays recently and all she could get herself was B&Hs, so she'll be happy enough with them. B&Hs are kingsize or they have a kingsize range? Or am I confusing kingsize with 100s & superkings?

I was looking for fags for my mother in bangkok in may. They didn't have any of the brands we see here. Except maybe lucky striks, and I am not sure if we even have those here.

killbillvol2

L'prof wrote: »

I might have to do that. She was on holidays recently and all she could get herself was B&Hs, so she'll be happy enough with them. B&Hs are kingsize or they have a kingsize range? Or am I confusing kingsize with 100s & superkings?

From my smoking days, luckily long past, I think 100s are longer than kingsize.

There's a wide selection of cigarettes at Bangkok duty free and I'd be surprised if they didn't have the longer ones in some brand.

Best bet is to note the tar/nicotine details of your mother's cigarettes and then get as close as possible to that.

Laphroaig52

You might be able to get them in Heathrow.

I am quite sure I have seen a mini Duty Free shop as you walk out of the baggage hall in Terminal 3. It's really just a booth and it's mostly booze and fags.

I've never actually bought anything there but seeing as it is on the 'air side', I presume that you can get full duty free prices.

The only downside is that you will have to 'arrive' in the UK. That is, go through UK passport control (can take a while when all the long hauls are coming in early in the morning) and clear UK customs.

You'll then have to make your way back over to Terminal 1 and go through security again......

killbillvol2

Flyer28 wrote: »

I've never actually bought anything there but seeing as it is on the 'air side', I presume that you can get full duty free prices.

....

You can't.

L'prof

Better have a google now and check out the tar & nicotine contents. Good idea.

Yeah, I've looked online and read about the shop on arrival at Heathrow. Duty free cosmetics, fragrances & electronics but full duty booze & fags.

coylemj

L'prof wrote: »

Better have a google now and check out the tar & nicotine contents. Good idea.

Even if they have similar health/consumer information regulations in Thailand (which I doubt), I'm not sure they'd be bothered printing those details on duty-free cigarette cartons.

Say you do manage to get cigarettes with the same tar & nicotine numbers, it doesn't mean your mother will like what you buy. The tobacco mix might be completely different and she will probably hate them.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. How much extra will I pay by buying them in Heathrow?

2. How much am I paying for the flight?

Get things into perspective and buy your Mammy her usual brand in Heathrow.

L'prof

coylemj wrote: »

Even if they have similar health/consumer information regulations in Thailand (which I doubt), I'm not sure they'd be bothered printing those details on duty-free cigarette cartons.

Say you do manage to get cigarettes with the same tar & nicotine numbers, it doesn't mean your mother will like what you buy. The tobacco mix might be completely different and she will probably hate them.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. How much extra will I pay by buying them in Heathrow?

2. How much am I paying for the flight?

Get things into perspective and buy your Mammy her usual brand in Heathrow.

You don't know my "Mammy". As long as they're hundreds she'll be happy out. Like I said, she bought herself a different brand when she was abroad last because hers weren't available.

If I was flush of course I'd splash out, but I'm at the tail end of a year long trip, so I'm simply not.

Just some info for others. Apparently we're only allowed 200 fags each and no booze as we're making a connecting flight in Heathrow (should have tried to pack it into my bag before we left maybe). Managed to get Superkings in the end. Cosmetics and fragrances seemed very expensive here in the airport, so we didn't bother. Apparently there's duty free for cosmetics, fragrances & electronics in Heathrow, so we'll have a look when we get there.

My perspective is firmly in place by the way, thanks anyway!

smurfjed

Be careful in BKK duty free as they consider each section to be a different store, if you pick up the cigarettes and walk across to the perfume section, they can and have arrested people for shoplifting. This is a scam and an easy way of getting money from departing and panicking tourists. I hope that the authorities have put a stop to this scam, but err on the safe side