![]() ![]() On the upside, the rest of the process was relatively painless. Unless you’re buying from a street vendor and are happy with a used SIM that could be shut off at any time, however, you’re pretty much stuck with it. I’m not a fan of onerous identification requirements like these. In both cases, the staff member took a copy of my passport and snapped a photo of me on a phone or tablet app. I experienced this first hand on previous trips to Bangkok, both at a 7-11 and an official carrier store in a shopping mall. Foreigners now need to provide their passport and have their photo taken as part of the registration process. Thailand bought in stricter requirements for buying SIMs a few years ago, which means the days of just handing over cash at the corner store are gone. If saving money is more of a priority, you’ll get better deals at convenience stores and official retail shops outside the airport. If you don’t mind spending a bit more to be connected quickly and easily when you first arrive, feel free to pick up one of these tourist SIM card packages. You used to be able to buy a wider range of SIM card packages at standard prices at the 7-11 near the Airport Rail Link entrance in the basement of Suvarnabhumi airport, but when I enquired in August 2022, I was only offered tourist SIMs at the same price as the booths in the arrival hall. Many of the airport SIM card stalls shut down during the pandemic, but with tourism back in full swing, they’ve all reopened again. It’s possible to buy SIMs at other international airports in Thailand as well, including Phuket and Chiang Mai. Customers generally seem to ignore it despite the long line for counter service, so it’s a good option if you don’t need assistance. Staff are efficient and the lines move fairly quickly, but if you’re tired and grumpy after a long flight, it’s not the most enjoyable experience.ĭtac (Happy) has a self-service machine right beside its booth in the main arrival area, which takes cards and Thai baht notes. The booths at Suvarnabhumi are often busy, with long lines for all providers. At both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, all three cell companies have booths beside each other in the arrival hall. Like many other things in Thailand, buying a SIM card is quite simple, especially if you fly into either of Bangkok’s airports. How to Buy a Prepaid SIM Card in Thailand If you’re not heading too far off the beaten track, any of the three major suppliers will do the job, with TrueMove typically being a bit cheaper than the other two. So, in short: if you want the greatest coverage, go for AIS. Both provided good coverage and speeds in towns and cities, but there were noticeable service gaps in rural areas and on less-populated islands.Īll providers offer LTE service in 80-90% of the country, including all major cities and towns. I’ve also used TrueMove and dtac’s Happy prepaid services, with TrueMove in particular often a little cheaper than the others. Most international visitors are unlikely to have phones that support the right frequencies for 5G, and given that 4G/LTE is cheaper, much more widespread, and often still pretty fast, it’s not something to worry too much about at this stage. Prices are only slightly more expensive than the competition, so if you’re traveling to less-populated parts of the country, AIS SIM cards are the best option for most people. 3G/HSPA+ is available on the 9Mhz bands, with 4G/LTE on LTE bands 1 and 3.ĥG is being rolled out, although it’s still confined to major cities at this stage. It seems like you’re rarely far from one of these hotspots in any good-sized city or town, and they don’t count towards your mobile data allowance. While you can also buy SIM cards and service from resellers, there’s little point in doing so for most visitors.ĪIS has the best coverage and largest market share, plus a large network of Wi-Fi hotspots you can access as part of the more expensive packages. There are three cell networks in Thailand, operated by dtac, AIS, and TrueMove. Consider TrueMove or Happy (dtac) if you’re not venturing too far off the beaten track.We've been using World Nomads for over a decade. Got travel insurance for your Thailand trip yet? A good policy can cover you for all kinds of sticky situations, from medical emergencies to canceled flights, theft, lost luggage, and more. ![]()
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