Pantip Plaza
This is the place to find anything to do with computers, hardware or software. It’s a great place to violate copyright laws and get bootleg versions of software for PC and Macintosh, games for consoles, MP3’s, VCD’s, and DVD’s. It is a large building in the Pratunam area of the city. You can find other gadgets (cameras and electronic doo-dads) and food too (S&P, KFC, and a small food court). It can get crowded and beware of the guys approaching you saying “sexy movie” and motion you to follow them. Could be a sting operation.
Software CD’s go for around 100-200 baht per disc. Some of these discs are crammed with thousands of dollars of software. There’s no guarantee they will work, but most usually do (I’ve heard). Also, be careful about the movie DVD’s. Some recent releases are actually videotaped in movie theaters and recorded on disc as a VCD (some customers report), so if it has not yet been officially released on DVD, beware.
There was a crackdown on pirated media, so Panthip, for a while, was not what it used to be. It is reverting back to normal now. The police make occasional busts on a vendor once in a while to show that they are working. Therefore, the software vendors do not keep their stock in the stores. Customers must wait 10-15 minutes after they pay, so that a runner can go down to a van or other secret storage area to retrieve the discs (so they say).
The Fortune Town IT Mall near the corner of Ratchadaphisek Road and Rama IX is a newer center for computer-related goods. There is a subway station nearby (Phra Ram IX). Service seems to be nicer here, it is not as crowded as Panthip, and it is cleaner too.
MBK Center also has a few software and game shops. It is also cell-phone heaven.
Check out the informative website below. Note the different types of movie-DVD’s. Don’t hate me for not sending you to this site in the first place.
100 or 200 baht per software CD.
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Thailand/Central_Eastern_Thailand/Bangkok-1445238/Shopping-Bangkok-Panthip_Plaza-BR-1.html
