Prepaid Data SIM Card in Thailand
The following are the five simple steps you can take to get your Thai SIM card and mobile data plan ready.
Step 1: Unlock your phone
The first step is to have your phone unlocked from the service provider before boarding, where in some cases you may be charged a small fee for the service. Once it is unlocked, your device will be enabled for a Thai SIM card, which is available in different sizes depending on the phone.
Step 2: Get a SIM card at the airport or service provider stores
If you are staying in Thailand for a week or less, getting a mobile data plan at the airport is probably the best and most convenient option. Long-stay tourists, on the other hand, are advised to sign up for a mobile data plan at one of the service providers’ stores which can be found at local malls. At these stores, you will be introduced to a more flexible range of plans that better suit your needs at a lower price. Your passport will be required for a SIM card purchase in Thailand as the carriers need to register the SIM with the user’s name and passport number.
Step 3: Choose the carrier and mobile data plan
There are three major cell service providers in Thailand: AIS, DTAC and TrueMove H. These carriers offer a range of ‘pay as you go’ deals with 3G/4G support for both short and long-term availability, ranging from daily, weekly to monthly.
Step 4: Top up
Adding or “topping up” your mobile credit is a very easy task that can be achieved quickly at 7 Eleven, service providers’ stores and via Boonterm machines nationwide.
Step 5: Activate
SIM card activation may vary depending on which deviceand carrier you are using. Prepaid SIM cards for tourists usually offer a 30-day validity after each top-up. You can check your mobile balance and validity via these USSD codes:
AIS: *121#
www.ais.co.th
DTAC: *101*9#
www.dtac.co.th
TrueMove H: #123#
www.truemoveh.truecorp.co.th
Cr. https://www.tourismthailand.org
