 |
|
If you
want to buy Thailand jewellery you can find them in
the numerous shops with rings and necklaces from all
over Thailand.
Comparing with the Western countries, in Thailand
the gold from stores is almost 100% pure.
The
gold’s unit is has the same name with the Thai
currency: the Baht; one Baht is equal with 15.2
grams.
The
selling and buying price of the gold can be found in
newspapers and it corresponds with the one from the
shops.
You can be charged with a few hundred Baht
for the workmanship, depending on the weight and the
size of the jewellery. |
|
The credit cards
are accepted in the shops with golden jewellery.
Theoretically, in Thailand you can find bargains on
jewellery and gems but is very risky to buy them and this is
why is not recommended to purchase them. There are things
you should know before going to buy Thailand jewellery in
order not to be ripped off.
You can
read about the jewellery scam and have the impression that
only the naive people can be cheated. But the fake items
have so many coincidences and are done in a very
sophisticated way that despite the warning, the people still
buy them.
 |
You have to know that the con men are not
wearing uniforms trying to attract you to but their
items. Each Thai person has an identity card with
details on it, in the Thai language.
If you
find someone who recommends you to buy jewellery or
gems saying that he/she is from TAT (the Tourism
Authority of Thailand) or from a government
department, there are many chances for his/her ID to
be of no value. The TAT and the government of
Thailand doesn’t promote, own, endorse, authorise or
sponsor any jewellery stores and if somebody tells
you the opposite, is simply lying. |
Even a specialist
in gems can have problems in finding the differences between
a true gem and a fake glass without specific equipment.
|
If you
will buy gems without testing them independently,
you just do it trusting the shop’s word. The
National Gem Institute has in plan to open some
booths in the malls where the people have the chance
to verify the authenticity of the jewellery and
gems. There are few chances to meet gem shops that
offer export special, sales or other offers so if
you find something like this, there is no doubt that
it’s a scam. There may also be shops who will try to
convince you to mail the jewellery out of Thailand
but there are no export duties regarding the
jewellery and the gems so you can take the products
with you when you live Thailand. |
 |
Take the gems
you like for you, trying to sell them in your country for
profit may be a totally failure. In case that you were
scammed, you have to go to the Tourists Police; if you are
still in Thailand you have chances to receive your money
back.
|
|
