Claiming TAX back in UK

On Dell laptop and nokia phone

[Alternative Future]

Hello,

Looking for a little advice. My brother is returning from Thailand this weekend to pick up a newly ordered laptop and mobile phone. He no longer pays tax in the UK as he works abroad full time and only returns home a couple of times in the year. He wants to be able to claim tax back on these items, so my question is what forms or who I contact about getting the necessary paperwork sent out to our mothers address. Also would you suggest he registers with a UK ISP or get one locally in Thailand?

Thanks so much for any help you might be able to offer.

-George

[topr8]

you are only entitled to claim the vat back, i believe you can get a form at the airport if you have the receipts - i don't know, but as i retail stuff that tourists often export - some of my regular customers tell me this is the case.

<edit> i'm suprised that those items aren't cheaper in thailand to be honest

[Alternative Future]

Hi topr8,

Thanks so much for that heads up; I shall inform him to collect this form (on his way out back to Thailand?)

I also would have thought he could have got those items a lot cheaper there, but like all older brothers he always asks for my advice when its too late :) saying that there might be another reason for buying it here who knows... lol

Does anyone know about the ISP question?

TIA,

-George

[Alternative Future]

Bump anyone know about the ISP question?

TIA,

-Gs

[Essex_boy]

WIth the ISP it depends on how reliable and stable the entire country is.

Are you likly to have an armed uprising/politically instablity etc Being based in England id go for a UK based ISp over a foreign one as I know the country is stable.

[Alternative Future]

Thanks Essex_boy

Points noted :)

[Pibs]

How would you use a UK ISP from Thailand?

?

As for buying locally, yes you can pick up cheap clones but we're talking pirated software, including Windows, and a build quality similar to a Lada.

I know, I spend a lot of time in Thailand. Tell him to look for the Malaysian 'Acer' brand, they're not bad.

P

[lammert]

Also would you suggest he registers with a UK ISP or get one locally in Thailand?

I would go with a local one, should be much cheaper. If his only need are access and email, every local ISP will do. Email can be stored in "safe" country when he uses hotmail, yahoo, gmail, etc.

Living partly in an Asian country myself where prices are lower for most products, it is also my experience that you can better buy high-tech electronic equipment in Europe. Much more choice and the higher quality brands have more competition which make prices lower.

... and a build quality similar to a Lada.

Hey, don't offend me, I am a happy Lada driver! It just depends on the environment if it fits your needs :)

[Pibs]

I still can't figure out how one can use a UK ISP?

I'd love to do so, as where I currently live there is only one company and the service is utterly pathetic, with my "high speed broadband" package being slower than a dial up most of the time it is actually working, which is infrequent, intermittent and annoying as all heck.

Maybe I'm missing something here but how do you access the service in the UK from another country, without going via the manky telephone service of the country you're in?

Or are you talking about HOSTING of the site?

As for Ladas, I drive a cheap car myself. Still wouldn't drive a Lada though...

Wanna hear my collection of Lada jokes?

P.

[andye]

I'd love to do so, as where I currently live there is only one company and the service is utterly pathetic, with my "high speed broadband" package being slower than a dial up most of the time it is actually working, which is infrequent, intermittent and annoying as all heck.

Maybe think about satellite broadband? You get a fast downstream connection, you use your phone line for the upstream one. Here in the UK it's available at about £25/month.

hth, a.