Is the same assortment available at the King Power store in Phuket as in duty-free when departing, and at the same prices?
Insider's Response
King Power Duty Free is a large duty-free store near Phuket Airport that operates like a duty-free shop for tourists: you can purchase goods and then pick them up at the airport upon departure (after passport control).
King Power occupies a large area — there you can find a wide range of clothing, accessories, cosmetics, perfumes, watches, souvenirs, and other goods.
Comparison with airport duty-free
The assortment at King Power is larger than in a regular airport duty-free — there are not only alcohol and cosmetics, but also clothing, accessories, watches, and other product categories.
Prices at King Power may be lower than at the airport, but this is not always significant, especially for cosmetics and perfumes. In general, King Power prices and airport duty-free prices are similar.
How it works in practice
You can visit King Power in advance, choose products (they will require your passport and boarding pass/flight number), pay for them, and then collect your purchases at the airport before departure. This scheme is convenient so you don’t have to rush with shopping at the airport.
If you bought expensive goods in Phuket, you can apply for a tax refund. More details about this are in the article Tax Free in Phuket — how a tourist can get a VAT refund.