All Thai Mobile Phone Numbers to Change as of September 1

[Gaybutton]

From the Thai National News Bureau - Public Relations Department

 

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...id=254908130010

 

The National Telecommunications Commission has reaffirmed that starting September 1st it will change the digit system of mobile phone numbers from 9 digits to 10 digits, to accomodate consumer demand and to promote fair competition in the telecom business.

 

Mr. Manas Songsaeng (มนัส ทรงแสง), the deputy secretary-general of the NTC, said the switch is in result of a shortage in mobile phone numbers at present, due to the very high popularity of the cell phones. The original plan was to accomodate 50 million numbers but 76 million has already been used up until now. Thus new numbers must be provided in order to encourage free and fair competition in the business.

 

The increase of numbers will be achieved by the addition of one more digit to each mobile phone number. For the exisiting numbers, dialers will have to punch in 08 instead of the 0 they previously had to put in. Numbers in the following 8 digits would remain the same. For example the number 01-1234567 would then be dialed 08-1123-4567. The service providers will automatically take care of implementing the new format.

____________________

 

Note from GB: What the article does not say is whether this will affect the dialing sequence if you are calling a Thai number from abroad. I am guessing that it will. At the moment, if the number you are trying to call, from the USA, is 01-123-4567 the present dialing sequence would be 011-66-1-123-4567. I am guessing that as of September 1 the dialing sequence will change to 011-66-81-123-4567.

[Guest catawampuscat]

With the difficulties in getting thru now, at least on 1,2 Call, one can only imagine the nightmare

when the new number system starts and potentially millions more numbers and mobiles come into

being.. Well, we can only hope someone is thinking about all of this and doing something..

 

I haven't noticed the problem of not getting a line via 1,2 Call recently, so maybe something has been done already, but then again maybe I was just lucky..

 

Thanks for the reminder gaybutton as I had read about this before but already forgot that it was going to happen so soon.. I must be working too hard but really I am hardly working but enjoying the ride... B)

[Gaybutton]

REMINDER: This is supposed to begin as of tomorrow. We'll see what happens.

[Guest wowpow]

tomorow

 

[Gaybutton]

Actually, it is already in effect and working. You can still dial numbers without the 8 and it is my understanding that there will be a grace perod before the 8 is manditory. I don't know how long the grace period will last before you will be unable to dial numbers without the 8, but the 8 is already working. I tried it with several numbers. I also just spent the last hour and a half editing all my stored mobile phone numbers! Whew!

 

All you have to do is place an 8 between the current first and second digits and it will work just fine. It's kind of a pain to edit all those numbers, assuming you have a lot of stored numbers, but once it's done, it's done.

[Guest PapaDavid]

 

I don't know how long the grace period will last before you will be unable to dial numbers without the 8, but the 8 is already working.

 

When they first announced that the change would take place they said the grace period would be 28 days but that could well have changed !!!???

[llz]

When they first announced that the change would take place they said the grace period would be 28 days but that could well have changed !!!???

There is a grace period until the end of November

 

[Gaybutton]

Here's something that comes a no major surprise to me. While most numbers I've dialed are working with the 08 number now, I have called a few people and sometimes I'm getting a recording that says the number I have dialed does not exist. When I redial without the 08, I get right through. Oh well . . . .

[Guest jsvan44]

As a corollary to this topic, I was wondering if any of you have any suggestions for a visitor to Thailand/SE Asia who wants to acquire a mobile phone for a month or two per year.

Can one acquire a pre-paid phone with SIM card to use when in Thailand? How?

Of course my usa phone is useless in asia.

Thanks

[Gaybutton]

Mobile phones can be had, brand new, for as little as 2000 to 3000 baht. There won't be any bells and whistles. It will be a basic mobile phone. All of the mobile phones in Thailand are SIM card phones. The two most popular pre-paid SIM cards are One-Two-Call and DTAC. I recommend One-Two-Call over DTAC. With either of them, the standard rate is 3 baht per minute. You do not have to pay for incoming calls. The initial cost of a SIM card is about 300 baht. You can buy prepaid time virtually everywhere. Every convenience store sells them as well as every phone shop. And if it's two things Thailand has plenty of, it's convenience stores and phone shops.

 

I guarantee that one problem you won't have is finding a phone shop. They are literally everywhere. It's hard to go one block without seeing at least one phone shop. Second hand phones are available, but I don't recommend them. Few phone shops will guarantee them.

 

The only problem is that if the telephone number you buy is not used for a period of time (I'm not sure how long that is. Maybe someone else can answer that) then the phone number expires, which means in your case you will probably have to buy a new SIM card and telephone number every time you come to Thailand. Obviously 300 baht won't break your bank account, but anyone who has your phone number will need to be informed of whatever your new number is.

 

The same holds true for the prepaid time card. If you haven't used up the time within a certain period, it also expires. If I remember correctly, I think you have about a month to use up the time.

 

You can buy pre-paid time cards for as little as 50 baht. You can buy as much time as you want.

 

 

[billyhouston]

The only problem is that if the telephone number you buy is not used for a period of time (I'm not sure how long that is. Maybe someone else can answer that) then the phone number expires, which means in your case you will probably have to buy a new SIM card and telephone number every time you come to Thailand. Obviously 300 baht won't break your bank account, but anyone who has your phone number will need to be informed of whatever your new number is.

 

 

I'm not sure that's entirely true. When I leave Thailand I make sure to buy a top up card and, when I next arrive, simply do the top up at the airport. Any unused credit expires after, in the case of a 300Baht card, 30 days as I recall but the number is reactivated as soon as you next top up.

 

In Lao PDR, on the other hand, when you top up after being away for any time, the credit is reinstated. Likwise I buy a top up card before I leave so as to be ready for the next visit.

 

That's 1-2-call in Thailand and M-Phone in Lao, by the way.

 

[Gaybutton]

I'm not sure that's entirely true. When I leave Thailand I make sure to buy a top up card and, when I next arrive, simply do the top up at the airport. Any unused credit expires after, in the case of a 300Baht card, 30 days as I recall but the number is reactivated as soon as you next top up.

 

In Lao PDR, on the other hand, when you top up after being away for any time, the credit is reinstated. Likwise I buy a top up card before I leave so as to be ready for the next visit.

 

That's 1-2-call in Thailand and M-Phone in Lao, by the way.

 

If I understand your post correctly, then the phone number itself is remaining active, but the prepaid card eventually expires. Is that correct? That's a very good idea, buying the top-up card in advance, but waiting until you arrive to actually use it.

 

What are the approximate time intervals between your trips? That will help people know how long the phone number itself lasts.

 

Are you using One-Two-Call, DTAC, or something else?

 

Also, don't forget that the battery charger is meant for 220 volts. If you live in a 120 volt country, such as the USA, then if the charger is not a dual system charger you will need a converter in order to recharge the battery if you intend to use the phone in your home country or if you wish to charge up the battery to have the phone functional upon arrival in Thailand. Checking to see if the battery charger is a dual system charger might be a useful consideration when selecting the mobile phone you wish to buy.

 

Of course, if you have a long enough layover at intermediate airport stops on the way to Thailand, you can at least partially recharge the battery if the stop is in a 220 volt country and you can also even find an electric outlet. At some airports it's hard to find an outlet, but if you can an hour is usually long enough to at least have enough battery charge to make a few calls upon arrival in Thailand.

[Guest jsvan44]

Wow. Thanks a lot for the info!

[Gaybutton]

Wow. Thanks a lot for the info!

 

My pleasure and I'm sure "billyhouston's" too. To my mind the most important thing a message board can do is provide information when people need it. Please feel free to ask any time questions pop up. If we can help, we are happy to do so.

[billyhouston]

In Thailand it's 1-2-call and the Bht 300 card I bought in March will expire in Dec 2007. The 25,000Kip M-Phone card bought around the same time also expires in Dec 2007.

 

Once you use the Bht 300 card it adds 30 days (or maybe 28) activation time to any you already have as well as giving you Bht 300 credit.As far as I am aware the SIM (number) does not expire, that's why they need to go to 10 digits

 

Different value cards add different activation periods but I cannot remember what these are. I normally use Bht 300 cards.

 

Coverage in Lao is not great

[Guest TomUK]

Hello!

 

I called my other half twice today using the new 08 number and it was working fine. I also found that the line was much better than before.

 

Regarding mobile phones in Thailand: I actually did it the other way round. I bought a mobile phone in Thailand with a pay-as-you-go simcard and when I went back to the UK I took the simcard out of my UK mobile phone (which was the size of a brick) and put it in the Thai phone and it worked fine. There is also no problem with the charger. I only had to buy an adaptor for the socket which I picked up from a shop at Don Muang.

 

I have got a 1-2 simcard which I topped up in June 2006 with 500 Baht and it expires sometime at the end of January 2007, which is well after my next visit to Thailand.

 

TomUK

[Guest francois]

In regard to the new "8" digit I called from outside Thailand using the 8 after the country code,66, and the call did go through. As usual I have to make several attempts before getting a connection. I tried both with and without the 8 and got the usual recording, "Welcome to call back services, etc" before finally getting a connection on the fifth try with the 8.