By Graham K. Rogers

Apple occasionally adjusts its prices to deal with larger currency fluctuations and in the last few months prices in several countries have been increased because of the new rates. I last looked at prices in Thailand at the beginning of the year, but this week was alerted to a hefty increase that a local user was facing for a MacBook Pro.

The prices in some countries for Apple products appear to be higher than those charged in America, but Apple's pricing structure (with the range of taxes levied in different areas of the country) makes it unrealistic to show anything other than a base price. In the past, I have made comparisons between US prices and the Thai retail prices which are displayed with VAT, by converting the US price to Thai baht and adding on 7% (the local rate), then showing the price consumers are charged.

In most cases in the past, the differences have been small: reasonable with shipping and other costs that may be involved in bringing the products to these shores. However, there are now no Apple online stores and I am forced to use the prices shown on the main Apple pages (USA) and the Thai Apple pages, where there is no English information.

As before I start with the dollar price and convert this to baht with the Apple Calculator app (this uses Yahoo as its source), then adding 7% to that figure, to compare with the prices charged here. The Thai site shows the amount of VAT included within the price. If the Thai price is dearer this is marked with a + sign (cheaper -).

I start with the new MacBook which has two basic models:

• 512 GB SSD and 1.2 Ghz processor for $1599. This is 45,966 and with 7% VAT equals 49,183 baht. The Thai price for the same model is 49,900 baht (+717 baht)

• 256 GB SSD and 1.1 Ghz processor for $1299. This is 56,581 and with 7% VAT equals 60,542 baht. The Thai price for the same model is 59,900 baht (-642 baht)

There are four options for the MacBook Air on sale here all with 1.6 GHz processor: 11" and 13" (128GB and 256GB). The 11" options are priced at $899 and $1099 in the USA; the 13" at $999 and $1199. These now convert to 31811, 38889, 35350 and 42427 baht respectively. Adding 7% VAT gives 34038, 41611, 37825 and 45397 baht. The prices quoted in the online store are 33900, 41900, 37,900 and 45,900 baht, so the models are all within a couple of hundred baht (2 cheaper; 2 dearer).

There are three MacBook Pro 13" models with Retina display, priced at $1299, $1499 and $1799 respectively. There are also two 15" models at $1999 and $2499 also with Retina display. A sole 13" version without Retina display is available at $1099. The comparisons are shown below:

The recently updated iMac is also a popular device here. There are 6 models: 3 with 21.5" screens and 3 with 27" screens. One of the 21.5" iMacs has a Retina 4K display. All 27" iMacs have the Retina 5K display.

The 21.5" models were priced at $1099, $1299 and $1499. The larger 27" models are $1799, $1999 and $2299 respectively.

There are two other desktop Macs: the Mac mini, which is somewhat under-rated yet produces good levels of performance for the home and small office; and the Mac Pro which is for high end professional users, like photographers and movie makers.

I am fairly confident that my calculations are correct, double-checking most figures, but there is no 100% guarantee. The information here is intended only as a guide. Note also, that currency rates continue to fluctuate; and Apple will probably update the prices in the future.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand where he is also Assistant Dean. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. He is now continuing that in the Bangkok Post supplement, Life.