Getting a SIM card in Thailand is a straightforward process and reasonably cheap compared to other countries around the world. Getting a Thai sim is not essential but having a Thai sim makes life a lot easier, especially when using Google Maps or other similar apps.
And if interested in staying connected with your friends and family back home without the roaming charges. So you will have to decide if you want to set up roaming when traveling in Thailand with your local network provider or buy a sim card upon arrival to Thailand.
In this post, we will go through how much are sim cards in Thailand. Let’s get started!
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What Mobile Networks Are Available In Thailand?
Currently, these are the three main networks that operate in Thailand. These are.
- DTAC.
- True Move.
- AIS.
How Much Are SIM Cards In Thailand
Here are the price and offering comparisons for DTAC, True Move, and AIS. Their SIM card plans range from 7 to 15-day prepaid SIMs.
| DTAC | Unlimited Internet | Max Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Tourist 49 | – | – | 49 |
| Happy Tourist 149 | 7 Days | 5 Gb | 149 |
| Happy Tourist 299 | 8 Days | 15 GB | 299 |
| Happy Tourist 599 | 15 Days | 30 GB | 599 |
Visit DTAC for more information on their tourist SIM cards.
| True Move | Unlimited Internet | Max Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Sim 49 | – | – | 49 |
| Short Stay Sim 299 | 8 Days | 15 GB | 299 |
| Long Stay Sim 599 | 15 Days | 30 GB | 599 |
Visit True Move for more information on their tourist SIM cards.
| AIS | Unlimited Internet | Max Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traveller Sim 49 | – | – | 49 |
| Traveller Sim 88 | 7 Days | 1 Mbps | 88 |
| Traveller Sim 160 | 5 Days | 5 GB | 16 |
| Traveller Sim 299 | 8 Days | 15 GB | 299 |
| Traveller Sim 599 | 15 Days | 30 GB | 599 |
Visit AIS for more information on their tourist SIM cards.
Before You Buy A SIM Card
There are a few things to consider before going to Thailand and buying a Thai SIM.
Unlock Your Phone
Every mobile service provider has a different policy on unlocking phones, so check with your provider. If you don’t have a monthly plan with your home service provider, you can ask them to unlock your phone.
Some phones have dual SIMs, therefore they can use 2 SIMs and the latest iPhone can use a SIM and eSIM.
An eSIM is an electronic SIM. So, instead of a physical card, your phone comes with SIM technology built right into the phone. Simply put, it is a small chip that’s used to authenticate your identity and service provider.
When traveling, you don’t need to swap your old SIM card, you can switch to a new carrier straight from your phone. And eSIM technology supports multiple accounts and switching between them is easy.
Bring An Unlocked Spare Phone
This is the best option to bring a spare phone that you don’t use at home. Ensuring it is unlocked, and at any of the kiosks around Thailand, can change the SIM easily.
What Do I Need To Buy A Thai SIM Card?
In recent years since 2017, Thailand has become stricter on the requirements to buy SIMs. This means that visitors to Thailand wanting to get a Thai SIM to need to do the following.
- You will need to provide your passport.
- And have their photo taken as part of the registration process.
- You will need to have an unlocked phone.
- Lastly, you will need to decide on what SIM and package to buy.
You Will Need To Provide Your Passport
For non-Thais, you will need to show your passport. Your passport number becomes your Account ID number. There is no way to get a SIM without your passport.
Expect Your Photo To Be Taken
It is required to take a photo of you as part of the registration process, this is a requirement since 2017.
Have An Unlocked Phone
You need an unlocked phone or a dual SIM phone. If your phone is locked to a network back home, ask the network to unblock it before you leave.
Decide On What SIM and Package To Buy
You will need to pay for a SIM and package. Tourist SIMs are made easy to understand and charge a one-off amount, with a package valid for 7 to 14 days.
Where Can You Buy A Thai SIM Card?
You can buy a Thai SIM anywhere in Thailand, you can even buy a Thai SIM online.
Airports And Ports
If you have just arrived in Thailand via a Thai airport or port. Once you pass through immigration, there are kiosks from the main service providers like AIS, DTAC, and TrueMove at the arrivals area.
Local Shops
The local shops are mainly the 7-Elevens and the Family Marts that sell SIM cards. Literally, there are everywhere in Thailand with over 9,000 combined locations and they are open 24-7.
You can buy from the Big-Cs and Tescos, as there have kiosks where you can buy a SIM card.
Online
You can also purchase a Thai SIM card online. This is can be a very expensive option than buying directly in person through AIS, DTAC, or TrueMove.
But if you want to buy a SIM online, check out SIM Easy and Sim Corner. Ensure you have enough time between SIM Delivery and departure date to Thailand.
Which SIM Card Is Best In Thailand?
AIS offers by far the fastest internet you should get a SIM card in Thailand. As a result, AIS offers the best-prepaid sim card for tourists in Thailand when it comes to Internet speed.
Do I Need A SIM Card In Thailand?
No, you do not need a Thai SIM but if you want to stay connected with home, use Google Maps, and avoid roaming charges then you may need one.
Getting a SIM in Thailand is one of the easiest and cheapest places to buy a SIM card.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, getting a Thai SIM card is still an easy process. All you need is an unlocked phone and a passport as part of the process. It is easier to just turn up in Thailand to get a SIM than to buy online.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on how much are SIM cards in Thailand has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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