Sim Card

[Milk78]

Thai Pass all sorted so fingers crossed I manage to avoid the UK Covid spike at the moment and I get on a plane on the 27 March! 

To anyone who has been to BKK recently, what is the best advice getting a Thai Sim Card for use - am i better ordering one in the UK to be delivered to me here or waiting and getting one at the (BKK) airport? 

If the airport - where do I find the best shop?

[Patanawet]

1 hour ago, Milk78 said:

- am i better ordering one in the UK to be delivered to me here or waiting and getting one at the (BKK) airport? 

 

Why on earth get in the UK?

The other day I wanted a spare (to use as a hotspot  in a spare phone).

I just went to a 7-ll and bought one. I had to let them photo my passport and then take my photo with her phone.

I don't know about the airport but am sure I read that they are there (before your day's quarantine?).

The 7-11 assistant had a huge bundle of cards, so I suppose there was a variety of types and manufacturers available.

 

[gerefan]

Take my advice and don’t ever buy anything at an airport!!

There are many shops in BKK that sell sim cards.

[Milk78]

7 minutes ago, gerefan said:

Take my advice and don’t ever buy anything at an airport!!

There are many shops in BKK that sell sim cards.

But that is also one of the issues - I will need to get it at the airport or get one in the UK as I will be holed up until test results come back...

[Guest]

You have WiFi in the hotel.    All the apps, Line, the internet etc work fine.   The only thing you can't do is make calls, but all your friends will have either  Line, What's App, We Chat or something similar.    So no need for a SIM card.

I agree with the previous advice.   DON'T buy the SIM at the airport or in the UK.  Buy it in Thailand.

Is there any critical reason to have the SIM card so early when detained in a hotel with wifi ?

Use WiFi in the quarantine hotel & when you walk out of the hotel door, you can buy a SIM at a 7-ELEVEN or a mobile phone shop.

 

Once you have a SIM, if you visit Thailand once a year, or more frequently, my advice is to extend the validity of the SIM, so it's good for the next trip.    My SIM card is currently valid until 22 Feb 2023.   

The card can be extended by up to 12 months and costs about 36 baht in the case of my provider.    Google "extend life of SIM thailand".    This is by USSD code, so I set a google calendar reminder to do it when I'm still in Thailand.   I also get an extra month every time I add money to the account, by bank transfer or credit card.

Advantages:

1   No need to buy a new SIM for each trip

2  I can actually remember the number

3  The phone number linked to my Thai bank account does not have to be changed

[Milk78]

16 minutes ago, z909 said:

You have WiFi in the hotel.

That's a good point. I am an idiot and had not thought this through! 

Consensus seems to be to buy once released so that is what i shall do!

[fedssocr]

Over the years I have found Flexiroam to be a useful product. If you plan far enough in advance the cost is ridiculously cheap. You can use it in most countries. They have worldwide plans or region and country specific plans.

https://travel.flexiroam.com/

[vaughn]

Contrary to some others here I usually just get one at the airport so it's one less thing to chase around on day 1. The arrival hall for test and go has booths for AIS, DTAC etc before you get to the hotel pickup. in 2019 it was 1200 baht for 20GB/30 days at DTAC

[EricV]

One advantage of getting the SIM card at the airport is the ease of use:

The staff will usually set it up for you, so you know it works. No problem with damaged SIM or configuration issues.

And the instructions are in English. I bought a SIM package in town once that was Thai only, so figuring out how to reload etc was extra effort.

The local packages are usually better value though, bye a few THB...

[eurus246]

If you are getting your SIM card from 7-Eleven, make sure it is not a tourist SIM. Tourist SIM cards have some limitations, like not being able to extend the validity beyond a month or two.

[Alaskabear]

To add to this discussion, I have a google pixel phone with a google fi phone plan. I’m not exactly sure this service is available to non US customers but with it I get phone and data service in pretty much every country in earth minus the typical north koreas of the world.    It’s amazing.  Plane lands in any country and I’ve got service while still on the plane.     Prices are good as well.   
im pretty sure most new generation smart phones can get the google fi sim card as well.    Worth checking into.   

[Londoner]

Yes. I'm frightened of mobile technology (in fact , all technology) and am unable even to put a new SIM in my phone. I also wish to phone P the minute I'm on the ground and so an airport shop that provides them is  essential, particularly if I'm to be  under armed-guard at an ASQ hotel. Yes, I know that I could use LINE , as Z909 told me some months back...but, bluntly , it's not the same since P's internet connection in darkest Kamphaeng Phaet isn't reliable.

That airport shop is crucial for my peace of mind.

[TotallyOz]

1 hour ago, Alaskabear said:

To add to this discussion, I have a google pixel phone with a google fi phone plan. I’m not exactly sure this service is available to non US customers but with it I get phone and data service in pretty much every country in earth minus the typical north koreas of the world.    It’s amazing.  Plane lands in any country and I’ve got service while still on the plane.     Prices are good as well.   
im pretty sure most new generation smart phones can get the google fi sim card as well.    Worth checking into.   

Have had Google Fi for years and LOVE it.

[abidismaili]

I bought while at home - on the day of departure - a eSIM. When I landed I configured this eSIM for cellular data. And it worked perfectly. 
So I was already  online via a Thai sim when I was still in the plane. Recent iPhones support eSIM. 

[vaughn]

7 hours ago, abidismaili said:

I bought while at home - on the day of departure - a eSIM. When I landed I configured this eSIM for cellular data. And it worked perfectly. 
So I was already  online via a Thai sim when I was still in the plane. Recent iPhones support eSIM. 

I hadn't thought of that, I just looked and the AIS tourist plans are all eSIM compatible. https://www.ais.th/travellersim/

300GB/30Days/5G for 1250 baht and I can keep my existing SIM in for calls from home with data turned off. Thanks for the suggestion

[traveller123]

I am similar to @Londoner in that i have no confidence in using IT/phone technology.

I live near to a small city in Isaan but will be going next month to visit family in the UK for 6 weeks.

I have a very basic phone with a UK sim which I top up to maintain the number and use for calls and text messages in the UK.

However I would like to take my Thai smart phone to use for internet access and I suspect for my Test and Go on my return, so I need to buy internet and roaming at the local store. The problem being nobody there speaks English and my partner (typical Thai) says don't worry I can do it, but I know from past experience often he can't do it.

 

[Midguy1]

I used to buy my SIM at the AIS shop in the airport after clearing customs. Last November there wasn't the opportunity to do that as I whisked away before that point by hotel taxi as part of the Thailand Pass entry system. When released from quarantine I purchased a SIM from the AIS shop in the silom centre shopping centre.  The staff were very helpful and set it all up. It was easy and straightforward. I can't remember costs but seem to remember making a mental note that it seemed a bit cheaper than previous purchases at the airport.

One piece of advice, don't forget your passport as that will be needed to purchase the SIM (or be like me and jog back to the hotel and back again to retrieve it.)

[abidismaili]

8 hours ago, vaughn said:

I hadn't thought of that, I just looked and the AIS tourist plans are all eSIM compatible. https://www.ais.th/travellersim/

300GB/30Days/5G for 1250 baht and I can keep my existing SIM in for calls from home with data turned off. Thanks for the suggestion

I bought it from esimthailand website. I bought the Pattaya esim (it also works everywhere else by the way). But it only means you will use while in Pattaya the best network.  
 

When you buy you receive in your mail a QR code. Scan the code with your phone. The eSIM is added. I configured my primary sim for call and data. Only when landed I changed the cellular data preference to the eSIM. It all worked as advertised.
 

[vinapu]

In December there was  booth of DTac (?) right  by luggage conveyor, they fixed it breezily for me and cost was similar to cost of beer in Dreamboys so manageable .

[Guest]

For my Thai trips, I open up the safe and get my Thai wallet out.

That contains my Kasikorn ATM card, a few thousand baht and the pocket has a small plastic bag containing my Thai SIM card and a SIM tray key.   I'll add some other cards to it.

As long as I arrive before February 22 2023, the SIM will still be valid.   I think the extension cost me 36 baht, which is cheaper than buying a new SIM and far more convenient.     In case of unplanned delays to the trip, I can extend the validity further if needed.

 

 

[pong2]

Hey, sawasdee, now I just see this. How did you get that Thai bank account without having a proper adress there? Or too long ago to remember?

Yes, I too have-not wallet, but envelopes, with all things in for a particular country-some money/coins left, sometimes even special transitcards etc. Just in an open drawer.