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Get Connected: 10-Steps to Buying & Using a Thai Sim Card & Mobile Data Plan

You’ve touched down in tropical Thailand- you’re excited for impending adventures with elephants, lounging on beautiful beaches, trekking through lush jungles and making new friends.

You you reach for your phone to let everyone back home know that you’ve arrived and maybe to snap a selfie to post on social media.

But wait! You’re service-less and airport wifi is a bummer.

What to do?

Below is your step by step guide to getting excellent (and cheap) cell service in the Land of Smiles.

thailand sim card mobile data

Krista Stelzner, assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge, snaps a selfie with a Thai girl during a community service event at The Child Development and Protection Center in Huay Yai, Thailand.

Step 1. Unlocking Your Phone

Bringing your pre-existing service overseas can be inconvenient and can cost an absolute fortune in fees.

So consider having your phone unlocked from your service provider before you board your flight. It only costs a small fee, and that way you can get a Thai sim card instead.

Also! Know your phone. You may not be aware, but different phones carry different size sim cards. iPhones generally take nano SIMs and Androids may take micro SIM cards. Before you leave, quickly Google your phone model and check- they may also be able to tell you at any provider booth in Thailand. All size sims are available in Thailand.

Step 2: Deciding on Roaming vs. Thai SIM Card

Some travelers would like to keep their current number, which requires that they turn on international roaming.

Before doing this, contact your provider and ask about charges you’ll rack up for data and service roaming. You may also want to ask if they have any partner networks in Thailand.

I don't recommend roaming because it can get pretty pricey, and buying a SIM at either the airport or at a provider shop is a quick, cheap and reliable alternative.

Step 3: Getting a Sim at the Airport Vs a Provider Store

If you’re staying in Thailand for a week or less, getting a plan at the airport is likely a good choice. There you can find tourist targeted plans that provide internet, calling and texting for shorter time spans.

For longer stays, it is be a better idea to get your phone plan directly from a provider store or from a provider’s booth at a local mall. There you can find a more flexible range of plans that that will suit your needs at a lower price.

Generally, purchasing a SIM will require a passport, as most providers register the card under your name and passport number.

You may not be asked at smaller locations or stores in more obscure parts of Thailand, but this registration practice is still the general procedure, so be sure to bring your travel documents with you.

Step 4. Choosing Your Provider & Your Plan

There are three main cell service providers in Thailand: AIS (also known as One-2-Call, DTAC and Truemove. All offer ‘pay as you go’ deals for short and long term travelers and have 3g/4g capability.

Popular plans include daily, weekly and monthly deals that suit pretty much any traveler’s schedule.

Check out the best deals from each service below:

1. AIS: daily unlimited internet (19 THB); weekly unlimited data for varying speeds (from 79-89 THB) and monthly data- 5 GB (488 THB/month); 14 GB (888 THB/month). Calling plans start at 9 THB per day.

2. Truemove: daily unlimited internet (15 THB); weekly data for varying speeds from 55-199 THB depending on amount used; and monthly data ranges from 199-899 THB/month, depending on amount used and speed. Unlimited monthly starts at 599 THB. Calling plans start at 13 THB a day.

3. DTAC: daily internet ranges from 19-49 THB depending on amount used; weekly unlimited internet is 59 THB; monthly internet ranges from 299-799 THB; depending on amount used. Calling plans start at 29 THB a day.

While DTAC is most friendly to Western users in terms of customer service, Truemove provides the most wifi hotspots across Thailand, which is fantastic for travellers on a shoestring budget.

Step 5: Topping Up with Credit

Adding money to your phone plan- also referred to as ‘topping up,’ is very easy and convenient as it can be done at any 7/11, at the provider’s store or even at a Boonterm kiosk on the street.

Additionally, choosing a plan is extremely simple. You can call the provider’s customer service, who will give you a code to dial in and activate immediately.

The cost of the plan your select will be deducted from the amount of money you’ve added to your number through the top up process.

In recent years, most providers have also started to offer an app that makes choosing a call, text and/or data plan a snap. You may also be able to find promotional codes for phone plan deals, which is always helpful if you’re on a budget.

Step 6: Tethering from Phone to Laptop

Spotty wifi is the bane of every traveller’s existence. If you’re planning on using a tablet or a computer but realize that everyone else’s Netflix is hogging the hotel or apartment’s wifi, you may want to consider using your phone’s data plan to set up a hot spot.

This will require quite a large data plan, so if you’re considering this, getting a prepaid unlimited data plan is a good bet.

To set up a hot spot:

1. (for iPhone) go to ‘settings’
2. Click on ‘personal hotspot’
3. Turn it on
4. Choose how to connect tablet or computer (with either wifi, USB cable, or bluetooth) – you will be prompted

Step 7: Guarding Your Data

One interesting element of Thai data plans is that you’re actually buying however many GBs of data at a certain speed. Once you use that up, you can still get access to data, but it’ll be throttled to 128kbps; so slow you’ll want to pull your hair out!

Therefore, trying to ration your data is just good sense, especially if you only want to top up once during your time in Thailand.

Whenever possible, connect to wifi networks provided by dining or shopping establishments near you or even mobile wifi zones enabled by your internet provider.

Save data sucking activities, like video streaming (hello YouTube!) or Skype calls (hi, Mom and Dad) for wifi zones, and make sure that your phone is on ‘power saver mode,’ if possible. That will prevent apps from constantly refreshing and sucking data.

Another good idea is to go into each application – preferably those that you don’t use often – and turning cellular data ‘off’ so that the application cannot be enabled without entering a wifi zone.

Step 8: Avoiding Over Charging

One great thing about ‘pay as you go’ plans is that you’re never going to be surprised by an enormous bill- you’re simply going to run out of minutes or data or texts.

Contact your plan provider’s customer service line to ensure that alerts are sent to your phone in English so that you know how much of your plan you have left or if there is any information you need to know about service coverage.

If you have the provider’s app, you can also check plan levels and contact customer service there. Note the time and date that your plan is set to expire, as most have daily, weekly or monthly limits. As any traveler knows, it’s no fun to be caught without any way to communicate!

Step 9: Staying Active

Keeping your sim card active depends on what type of sim card you have. For prepaid tourist sim cards the general rule is that after a top up you have 30 days of validity. To check when your package expires, you can dial the following codes, based on your specific mobile provider.

To check your date of expiry you can use these USSD codes:

  • AIS –  *121#
  • DTAC – *101*9#
  • True – #123#

Extend Your SIM’s validity

To extend your validity:

AIS:

  • Add 10 Baht credit for 30 Days Validity
  • Alternative method: Dial *500*9#  Add 30 days validity for 30 THB via Mao Mao package

DTAC:

Extend your validity for up to 365 days, at a cost of 2 Baht per month.

  • Press : *113*30*9# for 30 days extension.  Cost 2 Baht
  • Press : *113*60*9# for 60 days extension.  Cost 4 Baht
  • Press : *113*90*9# for 90 days extension.  Cost 6 Baht
  • Press : *113*180*9# for 180 days extension.   Cost 12 Baht
  • Conditions: Must activate SIM for at least 90 days or have usage of 200 THB.

TrueMove H:

Extend your validity for up to 365 days at a cost of 2 Baht per month

  • Press : * 934 * 30 # for 30 days extension.  Cost 2 Baht
  • Press : * 934 * 90 # for 90 days extension.  Cost 6 Baht
  • Press : * 934 * 180 # for 180 days extension.   Cost 12 Baht

Step 10: Contacting Customer Service

To contact a call center with questions or concerns about international roaming, a SIM card or activating or deactivating a data plan, here is a list of the major carrier customer support numbers.

DTAC
1678 – from your phone
Line: @dtac
feedback@dtac.co.th

AIS/One-to-Call
1175 – From your phone
Line Messenger @12Call_Fan
callcenter@ais.co.th

TrueMove
1331 – From your phone
LINE: @truemoveh

With these easy steps, you’re well on your way to exploring the beauty of Thailand, all while sharing it with those back home. Happy travels!

I've got a fair bit of experience with sims, providers, plans and all things mobile in Thailand, so if you've got a question, leave it below and I'll answer it as best I can.

Tips to Start Planning Your Trip Now:

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance

Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never travel without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for 15 years. You should too.

Book Your Flight

Find a cheap flight to Thailand using Momondo. This is my go-to search engine.

Book Your Accommodation

Best hotel rates are found at Agoda, Booking.com, and Hotels.com. For hostels check out Hostelworld.

Do You Need a Backpack?

Check out my top tips for the best travel bag. that will make your trip 10x more comfortable

Comments Sort by : newest | oldest

  1. LuisZ says

    Hi! First of all, thanks for the article is very helpful but I have a little question, right now I’m on Mexico, I was able to get an esim from dtac but it’s for tourists, do you know if there’s any way to change it to a “normal plan” but outside of Thailand?
    I’m worried of losing the esim without using it…
    Or what can you suggest me in order to have a permanent Thai number?
    Expecting for your answer and thank you again.
    Luis
    Reply

    • JamesE says

      Luis, First question: Which vendor did you buy the eSIM from? Second: Which plan did you get? and, Third: You got a number, right?

      The only difference between a physical "regular" SIM and a Tourist SIM is that the tourist SIM has a 1-year expiration date built into the system. What I don't know is if that also applies to eSIMs. The other thing is that from a functional standpoint there is no difference between a "regular" SIM or eSIM or one targeted for tourists. So, you can buy whatever voice/data package that makes sense for how you are planning on using the SIM. And to do that requires some installation.

      I see on dtac's website that the eSIM is only available through 3rd party resellers. Your best bet is to call the place you bought it from and to have them enable international use (or help you set it up) so that you can receive OTPs from dtac to set up the "dtac" and "dtac Call" apps. (Note: once they're set up you won't really need international service again.) The "dtac" app is similar in functionality to the dtac website while the "dtac Call" app uses data (cellular or WiFi) for voice and text. The reason the Call app is important is that all of your voice and texts are billed at the Thailand rate and not at the international rate for your country. So, you download the apps, run them to set them up which is when you will receive the texts with the OTP, now you can buy whatever voice or data package you want and use the dtac Call app for voice and text. All this is much less of an issue if you're in Thailand and a dtac rep at a store can set it up in two minutes. So, if you're going to Thailand anytime soon and can wait, just wait.

      If you do set this up at home make sure you disable the eSIM after you're done. You won't actually need the eSIM until you're using cellular data in Thailand. You really do not want to accidentally start to roam on the dtac line. It's insanely expensive.

      This gives you at least a year to make sure your Tourist eSIM doesn't expire (again a question for the vendor you bought it from) like a physical one would. If it does then that would be an issue for a dtac Center to sort out for you. Good luck!
      Reply

      • JamesE says

        I was able to find a bit more information. The Happy Tourist eSIM offerings have the same "lifecycle rules" as a regular physical tourist SIM. Also all changes, top-ups, and plan modifications are done through dtac and not the vendor. This means you'll have to go through the process I wrote about to get your eSIM set up with the dtac and dtac Call apps.
        Reply

    • JamesE says

      A "Calling Plan" is merely the details of your mobile subscription in terms of data, voice, and messaging and the price you pay. In Thailand each carrier has dozens of plans ranging from one-day up to annual. The Thai carriers also split the plans. For example I have a base plan that sets my voice, messaging, and data costs and speed but then I add a separate data plan to save money when I'm in Thailand.
      Reply

  3. Val says

    Many thanks for this article James.

    We have recently been advised by our bank that we can no longer make online transactions unless we have local mobile phone number so we can receive SMS code. We used to use a pin2 to transact our transfers.

    Due to Covid we are back in Australia and cant see us returning anytime soon. Do you know if I can set up Thai mobile plan from outside of Thailand. I would need to pay online?
    Reply

    • JamesE says

      If you don't want to maintain a mobile plan in Australia your best bet is to set up a VOIP service (like Skype) that also allows SMS (which Skype doesn't outside the US). You then add a soft-phone app to your mobile and calls and SMS get forwarded to the app. I use a Canadian service (I'm in the US) called voip.ms with a soft-phone app called Softphone (there are many others). It's super-cheap, like US$5 - yes, 5 - a year, but does require a bit of tech understanding (or a techie friend) to set up the first time. After that you don't even touch it.

      Your second question is easy but requires a few hoops to jump through. You need to set up the number inside of Thailand so you'd need somebody in-country to help you. They would purchase the SIM (฿50 =/-) and add a small balance. You would download the carrier's VOIP app (I use dtac Call) and the service app (dtac, for me). Your friend/relative will have the SIM on a phone and with you on a chat you set up the service app (your f/r will receive a one-time password) so you can access it, then you set up the VOIP app (another OTP) with the service directed to the app, not the SIM (it's easier than it sounds). Now all calls/texts sent to your Thai number go to your phone in Oz and you can make calls or send texts at the local Thai rate. You can easily top-up your account online via the website or service app. Just make sure you trust the person with the SIM not to burn through ฿300K a month streaming videos and playing games. The SIM will still work fine for outbound and data.
      Reply

  4. Ken F says

    As its almost time for me to return to Thailand after a very long absence - and since a sim card is always the first thing I get when arriving – I decided to take a second look at this article. The first thing I noticed is that, unless rates have gone down since 2017 when this was written, it looks like I might actually be paying a bit more in Thailand than I am here in the states for an equivalent pay-as-you-go plan, which is surprising. I currently use Mint Mobile (operates on the T-Mobile 5-G network) and I pay $15 a month for unlimited talk and text and 4GB of very fast data (much more than I will ever use). Anyway, I’m curious to know how the rates have gone up or down in Thailand since 2017. Also I’d like to know if these Thai cellular service providers all give you the ability to go online to reload your minutes or change your plan? And do they all send you e-mail and or text messages to remind you that your time is almost up? Also can you purchase blocks of more than a month like here in the States? Here you can pay for up to a year of service at a time.

    By the way, the article also did not go into which provider has the best coverage so I found a current coverage map on my own and I was surprised to learn how extensive 5G is with some carriers. It looks like while dtac has virtually no 5G, AIS has good 5G in all the major cities and True Move has pretty much got the entire country covered by 5-G. The reason this is surprising to me is because since it took 4 or 5 years longer for smart phones to catch on in Thailand than it did here in the states I guess I just assumed that it would take that much longer for them to build up their 5G networks. But they do not seem to be lagging behind us at all (assuming those coverage maps are correct). And maybe that is not really all that surprising when you consider that Thais are now as thoroughly addicted to having constant mobile internet access as the rest of the world.

    As for me I’m not even sure why I should care about 5G coverage seeing as how less than one percent of my total yearly internet access is done through a mobile device (if you don’t include WiFi calling from home). The thing is, when I’m out and about I would rather engage with the world around me than to have my head buried in my phone. In fact, when going to the beach in Thailand (which is all the time) I either leave my phone at home or I lock it under the seat of my motorbike. And when I do use internet on the go it is only to get data that is necessary for me to get where I am going or to do what I need to do in the real world, not to post photos of what I had for lunch on social media.
    Reply

    • JamesE says

      Hi Ken. I'm on dtac and haven't noticed any price increases over the past few of years, except that the base rate for calls (on dtac) has been standardized at 0.99/minute. I have a pre-paid SIM and add a 2GB, 100Mbps 30-day data plan for ฿179 (if memory serves...). My biggest gripe with Thai carriers is I haven't found any pre-paid plans for unlimited text/MMS. I don't use voice very much (here in the US or when in Thailand) so just stick with the base plan for that. I have a dual-SIM phone so can use my US SIM for texts but that doesn't work for MMS.

      I think I end up paying about US$20/month which is less than I pay in the states but more than your Mint plan.
      Reply

      • Ken F says

        So, from what you are saying it looks like not much has changed in Thailand over the past few years when it comes to options and pricing on mobile plans, whereas here in the States prices have been going down and options have been increasing. And I think for me the options are even more important than the pricing. For example, I’ve gotten so used to only having to top up every 3 months or less here in the States that its going to be hard to get used to having to do it every month. Hopefully you can at least top up online with all or most of the carriers in Thailand because I’ve gotten used to that as well.

        By the way I have also been using dual sim phones for years as I like to have a separate business line and personal line on the same device – although now that I am semi-retired I only have the one number. Of course even single sim phones can have two lines active but with a dual sim you can have a different plan or even a different carrier for each number and this way you can get the best plan for the particular usage pattern for each number. And, as you already know, its also nice when traveling to not have to take your domestic sim out when you put in a foreign country sim. The problem is virtually none of the dual sim phones you can buy out there today are made for the American market and this means if something goes wrong you will not have a valid warranty on the thing – not that the businesses selling these phones will tell you this. My most recent obscenely expensive phone is an American market phone but it is also not a true dual sim phone. It has one regular sim and one e-sim and they cannot both be active at the same time. Still, the manufacturer is supposedly eventually going to put out a software update that will allow both sims to be active at once – although I’m not holding my breath on that one.

        In any case I will probably keep my domestic sim active for a bit after going back to Thailand even though it will be a bit pricey to use. The roaming charges would be 25 cents a minute for calls, 5 cents per MMS text, and 20 cents per MB of data.
        Reply

        • JamesE says

          "virtually none of the dual sim phones you can buy out there today are made for the American market" This was the deciding factor on me switching to an iPhone. What phone do you have. I've got no problem with the iPhone using both regular and eSIM at the same time. I also use a North American VOIP service, voip.ms out of Canada, as a "business line" it's dirt cheap and you only pay when you use it.

          Yeah, Online Top-up is no problem. I can use my cc or do a transfer from my BKK Bank account.
          Reply

          • Ken F says

            I have the new Moto RAZR 5G because having a foldable phone is very important to me. I just got tired of carrying around such a huge phone all the time and this one gives me the same large screen as my previous phone but is much more compact when folded. It also gives me the one thing that I REALLY miss from the old flip-phone days and that is being able to end a call by closing the flip. I cannot even count the number of times with my last phone that I thought I had ended a call when I hit the end call touch screen button but it did not take and I later found I was still connected. And in some cases the persons voice mail was recording everything I said. I remember one time in particular when I was having a really bad day and a customer was really pissing me off and after I thought I had hung up I had kind of a meltdown and said some very unflattering things about him. Well as it turns out the call had not disconnected and he had not hung up his phone either. Talk about embarrassing. Anyway, for me a foldable is the only way to go despite the high price.
            Reply

  5. Chris says

    Many thanks for this, my wife and I have just moved to Thailand and this advise has stopped us falling into the trap of committing to the SIM offered to us by the hotel!

    I have a question that is on a slightly different topic, but still around making phone calls. I’m wondering if you have any advise on calling UK/non Thai landlines? We have some loose ends to tie up which will require some calls (to the tax office, for example) and I’m wondering if we should look for a VoIP-type solution (such as Google Voice) or would Thai sims allow WiFi calls to non-Thai landlines? Any advice would be gratefully received!
    Reply

  6. James E says

    Just a head's up for any dtac subscribers, particularly if you're not in Thailand right now. I've got a pre-paid plan and received a text this morning that the plan is going to be switched over to a different plan with a mandatory daily fee starting October 8, 2020. The new plan will remain in effect "until cancelled". It's not much, 3THB/day, but if you haven't been keeping an eye on your balance you could burn through your balance and lose your phone number. So check your texts on the dtac call app and see if there's a surprise waiting for you. I'm going to do some more research and see if there are any alternate plans but I have a feeling dtac is going to insist on getting some revenue, one way or another, from numbers that are lightly used. I'll report back.
    Reply

    • James E says

      UPDATE: Wellllllll.... It's Thailand, what can I say. My dtac main package did change as I was told a week ago, but the add-on package for cheaper voice did not automatically get added as the original SMS said it would. I'm going to monitor my balance and check to see what happens just to make sure it doesn't show up later. I did get some info from dtac: 1) if you have a PLERN (เพลิน) SIM the change is only affecting that SIM. 2) online support knows nothing about this and you have to contact the dtac call center (1678) to get any questions answered. 3) the new base rates are Voice 0.75B/min, Net 2B/MB, SMS 3B, MMS 5B. That Net 2B/MB could add up if you're running background apps or leave your map on...
      Reply

      • James E says

        ANOTHER UPDATE plus SOME NEW INFO... So, no new add-on voice plan which is good news. If you have this SIM and want to keep a by-the-second pricing structure (.01 THB/sec) instead of the per-minute pricing the dial code is: *104*113#. If you only do short calls and you use your phone every day this is much more cost effective than the per-minute pricing which always rounds up. The new info is that effective 01-11-20 the dtac Jaidee Day Giveaway Service, which, despite vying for the title of Name of Something That Least Reflects What the Something Actually Is, is what dtac calls its extend your number and balance validity program, is getting 50% more expensive. It'll now be 3THB/month instead of 2. Not much money but if you carry a number using this program update soon.
        Reply

          • JamesE says

            Yes. But they have to be much longer. My "new" terms are 0.75THB/min so a, say, 1:20 call would cost 1.50THB but with the per second pricing would only be 0.83 (assuming that was the only call I made that day). In my case it would always be cheaper. But other SIMS/plans have lower per-minute rates and some offer free dtac-dtac calling. As with all things: your mileage may vary. My partner has a 0.50/minute SIM so her break even is about 5 min.
            Reply

    • James E says

      Okay... :) You could have done the dtac Jaidee Day Giveaway service for 12 Baht for 180 days. Stay away from the "Tourist" stuff it costs more. Other option is topping up in bigger amounts. The larger amounts last 90 days and you get some bonus credit added. I think that starts at 300 Baht. It stays valid for as long as you want. I (typically) put 500 Baht on my SIM when I arrive, then do the Day Giveaway before I leave then when I return in six months I'll only need to add 2-300 Baht. Repeat as needed. I only go every six months so that works for me. If you're a resident or visit more frequently there are other ways that are cheaper and give you more.
      Reply

        • James E says

          When you return to TLOS check with dtac to see if you can switch your SIM out of the "Tourist" category (I'm assuming you got one of their "Happy SIMs"). The only difference between a "tourist" SIM and a regular SIM is that the phone number automatically expires after a year on the tourist version. This is just a setting in their database so they might be able to switch you over with no problem. Also, if you don't yet have the dtac app it's worth getting. I've found differences in plans between the app and the website offering. There's one last dtac hack I've found useful. If you get a data plan with "12 month auto renewal" you don't have to keep it (and pay for it) for the whole year. Just get the plan and a month before you leave cancel it. You get the plan until its next renewal date and then *POOF* it's gone. Saves a lot compared to a weekly plan.
          Reply

          • Zoe says

            Thanks so much! I rarely use the phone - just for OTPs really, so will let this one go. I did specify not tourust, but the 7 11 staff weren't having it! Will probably just let it go after 6 months and start again. I downloaded the dtac call app, cheers!
            Reply

  8. Ian says

    Hi there - great website by the way, very informative!

    My question: how do you stop your sim card expiring when you are out of the country? I would like to keep it active for my Thai bank account purposes, but it seems like you can only keep the card alive when within Thailand...

    Thanks,
    Ian
    Reply

    • James E says

      You don’t say what carrier you’re using but with dtac you can add validity for next to nothing, like 2THB/month. It’s called the Jaidee Day Giveaway Service. You can also do an online top-up to keep your number active which works for all carriers . Also, be sure to sign up for your carrier’s online call app (dtac’s is called dtac Call) which will allow you to use your phone for voice and text at the domestic (Thailand) rates and not have to pay international roaming charges.
      Reply

  9. James E says

    My, how things have changed. I'm looking for a dtac data package and the ones I've used previously have all been thrown under the bus. The current scheme seems to be: buy a basic unlimited data package and then add a speed booster to get about the same thing I used to get with a single package at about twice the price. Does anyone have any advice or recent experience with dealing with this on dtac pre-paid? Thanks!
    Reply

  10. Gary says

    This is probably a silly question i have a Iphone6 i am looking for a pre paid package that still give me accees to my messanger and Line Account as they are my main sourse of comms any help will be greatful
    Reply

  11. James E says

    I uncovered (by accident, of course) something that's new to me but very helpful if you're a regular visitor to Thailand but don't actually live there. It's the DTAC "Call" app (a very catchy name, huh?). Basically, it's a Voice/SMS/MMS over IP service that is linked to your Thai phone number. Need a One Time Password for a banking or phone app login it shows up on your mobile. Anywhere in the world. Don't want to force friends or family to use up their Thai data plans on Skype or Line, they can just dial or text your Thai number and your phone goes *bing*. Anywhere in the world. The app is free but (and here's the biggest selling point) using it only costs as much as it would on your SIM/Plan in Thailand. No more international charges for phone calls to or from Thailand. But, (it's Thailand, there's always a "but") setup is not the easiest. First, dtac has eliminated the email support option and want you to go through a Social account for support, I used Facebook. This means, in my case, I had to turn on international roaming on my SIM to get the OTP to register myself to the app. DTAC, to their credit, had me jump through some additional information hoops to prove it was really me and not some bot seeking to destabilze a democracy or whatnot. Second, with international roaming enabled, you start the app and request your OTP to authorize the app to the system; which takes a couple of minutes. From this point on you do not need your SIM anymore. You can install the app on any phone (haven't tried it on a tablet so don't know if that works) and it will work just fine. I haven't checked but I imagine the other mobile providers have or will soon have something similar. So far the app, unlike using the SIM, has not burned any data communicating back to the mothership in Thailand so that's a help, too.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Interesting. I wonder if this keeps your SIM active too? Many infrequent visitors find that by the time they return their SIM has expired because they haven't used it and they have to get a new number. If you activate and use this service would it signal that the number is in use?There's always WIFI, but this is handy if you're out and about and not on a WIFI connection.
      Reply

      • James E says

        I'm thinking not. The SIM needs to stay active to have a plan and funds attached to it. (Although, possibly, the plan may be attached to the number instead of the SIM. Dunno.) But what it does do is give you a way to set up the DTAC app or use the website to add funds to your SIM and buy extensions to keep the SIM active wherever you happen to be when not in Thailand without incurring the onerous data roaming charges. One of the neat things about the Call app is that it will work over any data connection - 3G, LTE, or WiFi. That means I can use the app over my US Unlimited LTE plan and incur no data use at all.
        Reply

  12. Andy says

    Hi,
    Thank you for sharing your knowledge! This is very helpful.
    I will be in Thailand for 44 days - just over 7 weeks.
    I will be travelling the Islands, Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I will need to be able to text and facetime internationally as well as use various apps including Whatsap, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Grab, Maps.Com and Life 360. What would be your recommendation for sim card and data package?
    Would you know if there is a sim card I can purchase that would cover the entire duration of my travel? Do you know if I would have to purchase a separate data package or is the data included with the sim card purchase?
    Thanking you in advance for your advice.
    Reply

    • James E says

      First, pretty much all of the carriers will give you country-wide voice/text/data coverage so find one (dtac, True, or AIS) whose website you like the best. The reason for this is that each handles its prepaid plans differently - even though you're getting the same product - so you'll want one whose plans make sense to you. Not that that will be obvious when you first start. I use dtac so I'll talk from that. Prepaid in Thailand is different in that you don't buy a plan that covers all your needs you get a base plan - voice, text, and data - and then add options to that plan to make the data affordable and fast. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE PAY THE BASE RATE FOR DATA. Period. You choose your data package based on anticipated use and speed requirements. You'll have to dig a bit to find the optimum plan as the stop at the top level tends to be pricey and slow compared to what you can find. Make sure you don't get an auto-renew plan. Plus the plans change all the time so what I used last November might not be available now. It's like a game. SMS is pretty affordable but I have problems receiving text/media from US numbers to my dtac number. Just get a regular SIM, the SIMs cost the same as a "tourist" SIM (49THB last time I looked) but you won't get stuck with a number that expires midway through your trip and the plans will be a bit cheaper. I usually spend 300-500 baht a week for all services. Since you're going to be data heavy look into a VPN if you don't already have one. You. Really. Want. A. VPN.
      Reply

  13. Mj Silva says

    I am actually connected to AIS Prepaid BAO-BAO PLAN (sorry i don't know the full name of the plan) something, it's a 1 mbps unlimited internet for 6 MONTHS for only 600 BAHT, take note, 6 MONTHS, if you just want to have spontaneous mobile data/internet connection and you're using applications for messaging/calling purposes, you can subscribe to this plan.
    its only for 600 BAHT, so basically 100 baht a month for 1MBPS internet, usually its not just 1 mbps its up to 4 mbps, I can even make HD calls to the Philippines using LINE.
    Reply

  14. Fran D says

    Hi everyone, Im new on here so here goes, planning on going to Thailand via BKK airport in February some time in Bangkok, some in Kaanchanaburi, thereafter who knows! but want to get a data sim for my mobile wifi dongle so 2 of us can tether to it as needed. Last year when we went we were advised to visit AIS at BKK airport which we did, bought a Data sim but it wouldnt connect to internet so they refunded me, no english speaking staff available to help so left it and visited anothe AIS store in Terminal 21 on Sukhumvit but again staff unable to assist with connecting it to internet. Is there something I need to be doing? dongle is unlocked, and works in othe countries, do I need to change APN details myself or will store do it? do I need to activate the sim myself or will staff do it in store. I ask because despite it never connecting to internet I received numerous messages in Thai/English on to the dongle that I only discovered weeks later when I got back to Blighty and reinserted by UK sim. Any wise words of wisdom appreciated
    Reply

    • James E says

      AIS advertises that they support the service so you should be able to make it work. Your APN may be the issue or it may be something on the network side. I'd suggest going to a store in a - I hate to say this - more upscale place than T-21, like Em or Paragon. I've not used AIS but dtac has a dedicated queue for English speakers in both so would assume AIS is the same.
      Reply

  15. Rudy spiessens says

    would you say your comments of 2017 are still valid? I went to all 3 stores (Nov 2018) and all of them only offer quite large data packages, like 2G minimum at around THB220. Coming from South Africa, those data bundles are cheap but I only need like 1Mb only per month. So if I can still purchase a SIM card and then extend it's validity and keep it topped up, that would sort me out. The sales people don't seem to aware of these options.
    Reply

      • Rudy spiessens says

        Thanks. Next problem. I purchased a True Move sim card. Whit most USSD codes, except 2 or so, one get's a Thai response. When dialing 9304 to change the language, one gets a Thai voice message !!! Unbelievable how some software people think.
        I'm hoping for a solution
        Reply

    • James E says

      Rudy,
      1 MB or 1GB? I wouldn't think 1MB would even cover email and app background data.

      If 1 MB just pay-as-you-go. I think that would work out to less than a package.

      Otherwise it depends on how long you're going to be in Thailand. I don't use much data so I get the 400MB/wk Max-Speed plan from dtac. It's like 60THB+/-. I use the old * code to access it. They also have a monthly plan that's about what you described price-wise but I think is a 4GB plan.

      The reps in the store really don't have an idea as to the full offerings. I've always found prowling through the websites and apps to be the best way to find the bargains.
      Reply

  16. James E says

    I just got to Bangkok yesterday and found that a couple of things have changed with dtac's pre-paid services.

    First - The online offerings are pared way down. In the past you could dig around the website and find deals that were not in their easy-to-find pages. No more. The "*" codes have vanished from site and the website offers are mostly the high dollar auto-renew plans.

    Second - dtac's app (I'm on Android but imagine iOS is similar) is where all the action is now. It shows (easily) 20 times more prepaid options than the website which range in price from less than 10 THB on up with validity times from one day to a month. This is where you'll find all the 7-day plans useful for shhorter stay visitors.

    Third - the plans have gotten better and the prices have come down. The plan I used to get which was 1GB of 100Mbps data (through a "*" code) and cost 79THB a week has been "replaced" by a 2GB 100Mbps plan that costs 49THB a week. While I'm sure my old "*" code would work, why would I use it?

    The app also provides better account management than the web without all the one-time password nonsense.
    Reply

  17. Luc says

    Hello, just moved to Bangkok with family. I have from employer a Truemove H subscription. Question : I need 4 SIM cards , for next 3 years mini, one for wife and 3 teenagers, all needing datas . Ideally like in France : one manager of the datas that can be the wife of course. Which provider/subscription do you advice ?
    Thanks for your answer.
    Reply

  19. Josh Mannen says

    My old fashion mom is coming to visit me in mid-July. She has a very old fashion CDMA flip phone, that will not work here. I am planning to get her a new cheap GSM phone, on the DTAC network (because that is what I am on) I want to have it ALL set up and tested and then just send it to her, so when she steps off the plain, all she has to do is turn on the power and dial or text. My thought is that I put her on the 49 baht / Go Plearn SIM with Free internet (to prevent data leakage) and extend her validity for 90 days with an extension at the cost 6 Baht. I didn’t understand in “Conditions” you say: “Must activate SIM for at least 90 days or have usage of 200 THB.” Does that mean she has to have been active for 90 days or have used 200 baht to do the extension? If that is the case, could I still set up and test the phone, with Go Plearn and then go online the day before she comes and do a “refill to” her number at the DTAC website. Thanks in advance. JOSH
    Reply

    • James E says

      Hey Josh,

      Short answer is Yes: You have to have the SIM active for 90 days or have burned through 200 baht (which, as you know, is very easy). I think if you add a few hundred baht credit though you'll automatically get the 90 days validity. I'm not sure what the minimum is (maybe 300 Baht) so check with dtac on that. The Go Plearn SIM doesn't come with any credit so you'll have to add some anyway.

      Second thing is all dtac prepaid SIMs are the same, 49 Baht. What you get with the different SIMs is some default apps and default calling rates. Those are changeable if you want. I've found that the plan (SIM) you get should be driven by how you're planning on using the phone. I'm assuming your mom will be calling/texting rather than surfing the internet. Check out the other SIMs as well in terms of the call rate (MMS/SMS rates are the same regardless of SIM). For example, I've got a Super 4G SIM that I put a data package on so I don't have to pay the data rate. The call rate is broken down into seconds so a hypothetical 1 minute, 1 second call costs 1.005 Baht. That same call on the Go Plearn SIM is 1.38 because you pay by the minute. However calls shorter than a minute would be cheaper. Also look at the Gift SIM as it includes some free data for topping up which would give her some internet use and more speed than the Go Plearn along with calls being billed to the second.

      So, it doesn't matter where you start, Go Plearn or another SIM, you can always switch the main plan or add-on plans to get the features and cost you want.
      Reply

  20. James E says

    Hi,

    This is a bit off topic but I have a problem. I want to get a BKK phone number that can follow me around in the same way my US Skype number does. Neither Skype nor Google Talk supports Thai numbers so I'm SOL on that front. Has anybody come across a VOIP service (reasonably priced, of course) that might do the trick? I've looked into just forwarding my dtac prepaid cell number but so far I haven't been able to discover how. Thanks!
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hmmm, a service like https://www.swytch.com/ would be ideal because it lets you port in numbers and manage them all through the app, but it's a UK app. Perhaps there is an app that would let you manage a US and Thai number in similar way. Dual SIM phone is another option, but then you would be receiving calls from your Thai number on a US provider when back home which would be expensive.
      Reply

      • James E says

        Thanks! I'll have to look into Swytch and see if they have anything. There's a provider of VOIP services VOIP Thailand that can set me up with a number at about 1K Baht with a 200 THB monthly charge. I've got to get with them and see if it will work international or if it's restricted to Thailand. I've got a dual-SIM phone but the roaming fees are insane. I'll post back when I get it sorted in case anybody else is interested.
        Reply

  21. Stephanie says

    Hi I have just moved to Thailand for a stay of 12 months. I have an iPhone 8+ and wondering what sim you recommend for me. I use emails and social media daily but will not be making a lot of phone calls. I also use wifi where possible. Would DTAC for 12 months be the way to go. I will also be travelling around the country starting in Hua hin for about 3 months. Currently in Kanchanaburi for a couple days. Cheers
    Reply

    • James E says

      One good thing about Thailand is that there's cell coverage everywhere so who you use as a provider is less important than it might be elsewhere. (I use dtac). I'm also not sure, as it isn't appropriate for my situation, if a tourist can get a 12-month plan, something equivalent to a standard post-paid plan elsewhere, without a "permanent" address in Thailand.

      Using dtac as an example, I have a regular pre-paid SIM (the tourist SIMs expire after a year, if I remember correctly) so I can keep the same number. I'll plan on spending about 250baht/week when I'm in Thailand which is more than enough to cover all my data, SMS/MMS, and voice needs. I get the major plan that allows the lowest cost voice/text and then add an add-on package for data. For me since I don't use much data I get a 400MB/wk high-speed plan for (earlier this month) 79baht. My partner, who is more of a data-user, gets a 1.5GB/month high-speed plan. Since you're there for a full year dtac also offers some 12-monthly auto-renew data plans that are even cheaper and/or offer more data.

      One thing to be aware of is that data plans in Thailand are priced by both total throughput and bandwidth. So it's possible to find two plans offering, say, 1GB/month but one will be throttled to 500KBPS and one will be 100MBPS. Plus, they change the plans fairly frequently so you've got to keep checking back to see if they've come up with anything new.
      Reply

    • James E says

      "how do the handset subsidy programs work? " Not to your advantage. Basically, you're just buying the handset over time. If you look at the Galaxy S9 you're paying (before VAT) THB 23,157 (US$735) while I can buy the same phone direct from Samsung for US$720. (It's not as favorably priced in GBP or AU$ so might be more cost equivalent.) It says it's 0% interest but basically the interest is built into the price at a rate of about 2.5%. And yes, you make a handset payment plus the package payment.

      That being said, the packages don't look too shabby. I use dtac pre-paid which costs me about 600THB/month but I don't get the WiFi access which would be nice from time-to-time. The other thing to watch for is the cost of messaging. It may not be included in the package. One of the reasons I like pre-paid is that your credit can go to messaging (which I use a lot) or calls (which I don't do so much of). So I don't end up paying for something I don't use.

      After a fair bit of research I've found that the best deals are for packages only with a handset you bring with you. (a local SIM is a one-time purchase of 50THB.) I'm not a full-time resident so the 12 month commitment doesn't make sense for me but tweaking the pre-paid packages provides excellent services for not a whole lot of money.
      Reply

  25. Tim says

    Helllo.
    I'm a bit bewildered by the array of offerings from the various providers, but none of them seem obviously catered to my need: I'm looking for a SIM to keep in touch with friends over a 25 days period. I don't expect to use more than 1GB of data and I doubt that I'll make many calls.
    i don't need unlimited data for a short period of time, I'd rather just buy credit and use it bit by bit on calls and data as I go. I cannot seem to find that sort of option on the provider's websites.
    What's the best choice for someone who needs only a modest amount of data for 25 days.
    Any ideas?
    Tim
    Reply

  26. Nick says

    For hotspot/tehtering, will any simcard work? Went to the UK recently and different simcards specified if they could be used as a hotspot or not, not seeing that at the companies you listed. Any help would be great, will be in Thailand for less than a week. Also, I saw someone asked if any of these sims can be used in any other counties after? Will be in Vietnam afterwards. Thanks
    Reply

    • James E says

      Hey Nick,

      The short answer to your first question is Yes, maybe. The dtac Happy SIM (the short-term tourist SIM) can be used as a data connection assuming your phone supports it. The answer to your second question is: Yes, but why? You'd end up spending more in international roaming fees than a new SIM in Vietnam would cost. (Plus I'm not sure how well data roaming works. Sometimes it's throttled.)
      Reply

  27. James E says

    Just a quick update on extending a dtac SIM expiration date. It's now possible to do online under the Jaidee Services tab. The call it Day Give-away and the price is the same 2THB/month extension. The nice thing is that you get an instant confirmation of the extension.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Thanks James. I just had a look. That's pretty reasonable. I have no idea how long my sim would remain valid for. I get different answers whenever I go into the DTAC shop. I've had my number for years and the last lady said it would expire after 1 year if I didn't use it, but previously I've been told it would expire if I didn't load credit on to it after 6 months.
      Reply

      • James E says

        Hi TTL,

        That was my experience too. Nobody seemed to know the answer (or at least everybody seemed to have an answer but the answers were all different). Different credit amounts expire on different schedules -30 or 90 days. On top of that the SIM self-destructs and that varies based on the kind of SIM - a Happy SIM dies regardless while a regular SIM has the two-condition expiration you mention. (BTW, I've been told that the SIM stops working when the credit expires but the next 90 days is something of a grace period to allow you to salvage the number.) For the expiry extension, by process of elimination I've discovered that you can extend up to 360 days from the present and if you try to go more than that the dtac website just freezes - no error, no nothing. Still, it's more convenient than managing top-ups throughout the year, or partial year, depending on one's schedule.

        Just another fun activity to keep track of...
        Reply

  29. Rose says

    I'll be living in Thailand for the next few years. I use less than 100 min/texts per month, and do not use much data at all. For the past 6 years I've just used a dtac prepaid SIM card since I did not have a smartphone. We'll be returning to Thailand next month with my first smartphone. Is it best to continue the prepaid route due to low usage, or is there a low-usage contract that you recommend?
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Rose, now that you have a smartphone you may want to access the internet / receive emails on your phone, which requires a data plan rather than a standard plan that you would have had on previous visits. I'd suggest a pre-paid data plan, which is topped up each month. These start from around 200 Baht a month. If you like, you can leave your data setting off and simply carry on using a standard plan; but be careful because if your data is switched on it would begin using up all your credit very quickly. Call dtac for the latest deals. You can then top up the right amount and call them back to have it applied to your phone. Or, they will text you a code to enter into your phone to activate it. I find calling them easier.
      Reply

    • James says

      Also be sure to learn your way around your carrier's website. They are not straightforward at all and as TTL says this makes calling easier. But, the websites have all the promotion codes and I've found that those codes can save you a bunch of baht. When you find a code that fits your needs - save it. Even the limited time offers don't really have a time limit, just a limited amount of time they advertise them. The codes keep working so the next time they run the promotion they don't have to set up a new code. It's very Thai. Do the same with the special codes they text you. Sometimes they'll send a real gem.
      Reply

  30. Martin1 says

    Hi to all!

    I guess the most important advice is missing: Get a dual-SIM phone! :-)

    Recently I had to grin (excuse my Schadenfreude please) when a friend of mine could not book his flight, because he had his Thai SIM card in his single-SIM Apple phone and MasterCard sent him some code he was to enter.
    So he had to shut down the phone, change the card to his European card, boot the phone again and receive that SMS.
    By that time the code had already expired... ;-)
    For calling the airline's customer service he had to do the same procedure again, of course, vice versa.

    After enabling roaming on my Thai mobile provider I am able to receive my Thai bank's texts even in Europe for free (I haven't tried voice, due to the presumely high roaming charges - but I am positive that it would work also fine).
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      My DTAC sim still worked in border locations of Laos like Vientiane, but I wouldn't rely on that. It is best to just grab a local sim in whatever country you are in, or connect to WIFI if your phone has that capability. You can activate roaming via your SIM through a local provider. You will see a message pop up on your phone when inside the new country that offers you a package option.
      Reply

  32. Tim says

    Hi

    I come to Thailand 3 or 4 times a year I am moving there in a year or two. My question is. I own a condo. I have a Thai bank account. The problem is when I transfer money to people in thailand pay some of my cost. I need a Thai cell number to get a code that I have to input to finish the transaction and using other peoples numbers is getting old. Could I get a phone, put credit on it, extend the sim card say 6 months or a year. When I need to use the phone, turn it on and get text in the US

    Thanks
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Tim, yes you can do that. I also face this issue. When I return to the UK and want to make a transaction through my Bangkok Bank account online, they send a security code to my Thai number. So I have to put my Thai sim card into my phone to receive the code.
      Reply

      • James says

        Hi,

        I've got a dual SIM phone which - in theory - should make this easier. But, I have never succeeded in getting the Thai (dtac) SIM to wake up while back in the States. Without an active SIM I can't dial the code that activates roaming on the dtac SIM. I had just written it off to the typical "C is required to do A but to get C make sure you bring your A when you go to apply" data flow I've encountered a few times now. Do you have to activate roaming before you leave Thailand and then just pay a daily fee when you use it or (as I find typically happens) am I looking at this the wrong way?

        Thanks!
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          My SIM card is registered with DTAC in Thailand and they told me it will remain active for 1-year if I am outside of the country. When I am back in the UK and put the Thai SIM in, it automatically connects to whichever local network is the dominant one in the area I am in. I am then able to receive the code Bangkok Bank sends me when I make a transaction online. One thing you could try is to connect to WIFI on the phone, and see if the code comes through on that rather than on a 3g/4g network.
          Reply

  33. Carmen says

    Hi, thanks for the great article. However I was not able to locate the monthly data plan - 5 GB (488 THB/month), the best combination I can find online now is 49B dtac happy card with add-on package 799B/30days 9GB (before 7% VAT), could you kindly advise if this is the best I could get?
    Reply

  34. James says

    Hi,
    I recently uncovered a really useful service if you need to top up your (or someone else's) phone when you're not in Thailand. It's called MobileTopup.com. I use dtac and their online service doesn't work from overseas (unless you activate roaming so you can get the SMS code). Mobiletopup works like walking into a 7-11. You give them 100baht and your phone gets credited with 100baht. It happens fast and if there's a problem with the automated top up, they keep trying it manually. The other services I've tried hit you with a service fee along with making you (at least for the US) pay in your local currency.
    Reply

  35. sidney leonard says

    My wife and I are moving permanently to Thailand. We will arrive at สุวรรณภูมิ airport in late March and it is my wish to convert our unlocked GSM iphones for use in Thailand by purchasing prepaid plans at the airport upon arrival so we can use them immediately to call family and friends in the USA and Thailand.

    Even though you say that for longer stays, it is a good idea to get a phone plan directly from a provider store or from a provider’s booth at a local mall because there you can find a more flexible range of plans that that will suit your needs at a lower price, I hope to be able to purchase at the airport prepaid plans similar to the prepaid monthly plan we now have with AT&T here in the USA, which provides unlimited calling and texting with 4GB of data; actually, I am not sure we need that much data; now we use very little data since almost all our use is from our home WIFI, and I am sure this will also be the case in Thailand; where WIFI is not available, I will tether my laptop to my phone hotspot, but I am sure this will not be necessary often, if ever.

    After comparing the various service providers, I have decided on DTAC due to its good customer service, and since we are not concerned about the fact that it has fewer WIFI hotspots.

    After, subscribing to our plans at the airport and paying there for the first month with cash or debit card, I assume that we will subsequently be able to pay monthly by auto-debit to our Bangkok Bank savings account and that we will be able to change our plan online if we wish. Is this a reasonable expectation?

    So, what do you think? Will I be able to subscribe to the plan I want at the airport, or will I have to subscribe to a lesser plan on a temporary basis to give us immediate use of our phones in Thailand and then subscribe to the desired plan described above later?

    Thank you for any guidance you can offer in this matter.

    Regards,

    Sid Leonard
    Reply

    • James says

      Sid,

      Prepaid in Thailand doesn't work the same as in the US. It's a much more granular service - think in terms of Days, Weeks, AND Months - coupled with the amount of money in your account being a wallet rather than payment for service. You put money in, choose your service, and go. This is good and bad. The good being: you're free to choose between an insanely large group of services and not get trapped into a plan that works best for the provider. Plus the providers are always changing services and running specials so you can hop from one to another as your needs evolve. The bad is: there are an insane number of choices and you've got to understand which does what better. It takes some getting used to.

      My suggestion would be to pick a provider, follow TTLs advice to leave the airport. If you have Thai friends get one of them to get you a SIM at a 7-11. Put 300 baht on your phone and visit the website and review all the plans. (I chose a cheap voice/text plan with slow data, my partner is an internet junkie so she has a slightly more expensive voice/text service that gives her free social media access and higher speed data). When it gets to be time to top up, make sure you do so when a promotion is active so you'll get more/better service for the same price (faster data, bonus time, stuff like that).

      If you need to call home right away from the airport, your best (and cheapest) bet is Skype.
      Reply

  36. Laura says

    Hi there,
    Thanks four your article. It's driving me crazy that I can't get online! I've bought true move h with my passport and topped up. I've bought a 4g internet package and received the text to confirm it, along with lots of other free bonuses like free facebook browsing for a month and a password for Wi-Fi hotspots.
    I still can't get any internet! I think it's my mobile data,I've switched it back on now I'm on Thai sim but why I go into settings it's saying disconnected.
    Any ideas?
    Many thanks
    Laura
    Reply

  38. David Silverman says

    Hi I'm not a typical tourist. I lived in Bangkok for two years about almost 50 years ago and I'm returning in 4 to 6 weeks and plan to stay there. So I will probably want a SIM card and a monthly billable account.Although American, I've been living in Turkey the past few years. and have lived in 11 countries over the past years. I'll probably have many questions for you; but for now I just want to introduce myself.Best regards, Dave Silverman
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi David,Welcome on board.I had to delete your personal details from the comment due to site rules (you don't want people calling you from all over the world :)). When you move to Thailand with a retirement / other long-term visa, you can get a monthly plan billable plan. They start at around 400 Baht and go up to 1,500 Baht depending on your usage requirements. If you open a Thai bank account they can take the money by direct debit each month, or you can pay at 7-11 or a provider shop or kiosk.
      Reply

  39. Ken says

    Great information! And I have to agree that getting a Thai SIM card is really the only way to go, even if you are just visiting for a few weeks.

    I got my first Thai SIM card on one of my visits back in 2003 after I got fed up with having to use (or trying to use) Thai pay phones or hotel room phones every time I wanted to call someone in Thailand. I actually purchased my Thai Orange SIM card online from a company called Telestial in advance of my trip because I wanted to have a Thai phone number to give to everyone I knew, both in Thailand and the States, before I even left the country (unfortunately today they only sell generic international SIM cards and the prices seem to be almost as high as international roaming in some cases). Of course, this also entailed purchasing a second phone, as most cell phones in the USA at the time (including mine) were CDMA or TDMA while most of the rest of the world, including Thailand, were using GSM networks. And it doesn’t really matter if your phone is unlocked or not if you are using a different frequency, and, or, format than the networks in the country you are visiting. Not to mention the fact that many phones in the USA did not even use removable SIM cards to store the phones network registration data back then.

    Fortunately today this is no longer an issue however and pretty much any unlocked phone will work. Also, as you mentioned above, some service providers will unlock your phones for you these days. Ten years ago when I was still working in the industry no service providers would ever even dream of unlocking your phone for you. The reason for this of course is that they would all subsidize the phones (thus the term “subsidy lock”). In other words, they would sell them to the customer for much less than cost. And naturally they didn’t want to take such a big loss on the phone just to have you cancel your service and turn around and use the equipment with another service provider. This is also why you always used to have to have a contract and would have to pay penalties for canceling it early. Anyway, back then you either had to pay 2 or 3 times more to buy an unlocked phone online or you had to pay some shady character who had the computer software and know-how to unlock your existing phone for you.

    By the way, after that first Thai phone I got to like using prepaid plans (pay as you go) so much that I now use a prepaid SIM here in the USA. I had never considered prepaid prior to getting my Thai cell phone because in the USA at the time there was a real stigma associated with prepaid phones. This was due to the fact that the only people who used them where those who had such a pathetically low credit score that they could not even qualify to get a regular cell phone plan. And today of course the so-called “burner” phones (prepaid phones that are meant to be used for a short time and then disposed of) are associated with criminals. All I know though is that I like not getting any surprises in the form of a huge bill due to overages. And if I ever have any kids and I have to buy them a phone it will DEFINITELY be a prepaid. That way if they go over their limit they will just be S.O.L. until the next month - or until they get a job and can pay for their own phones.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Ah yes, the days when unlocked phones were more expensive. But even now some providers in the UK charge an unlocking fee; though increasingly you can purchase already unlocked phones. I still use prepaid per month in Thailand, rather than a monthly contract. It works out cheaper for me as I don't used more than 5GB of data and don't make many calls at all -- most are over WIFI. I probably pay about 500 Baht per month in all.
      Reply

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