Getting Thailand SIM card and Thai Phone Number is easy as all the main mobile phone service providers in the country offer special plans for travelers. You will only need an unlocked phone, passport and some cash in local currency for buying a SIM card.
Getting Thai SIM Card at the Airport
You can buy Thai SIM card anywhere in Thailand but it is best to purchase it right at the airport and get connected right away. In most of Thailand’s international airports you will see the shops of all 3 Thai mobile phone service providers just after passing the customs area. You can buy a SIM card there and the staff will help you to set up your phone.
However, if you want to get the best deal for Thai phone number, book your Thailand SIM card online and get it right at the airport. There are few advantages of booking Thai SIM card online:
- You can get your Thai SIM card for about half price.
- You don’t need to exchange your money to Thai baht at the airport (exchange rates at the arrivals are really bad).
- The desk of the reseller is normally less crowded than the shops of the providers, so picking up your SIM card there can save time.
Where can you get the best deals for Thai SIM card? Choose the link of the airport you are flying to:
- Thai SIM card at Bangkok Airport (BKK or DMK)
- Thai SIM card at Phuket Airport (HKT)
- Thai SIM card at Krabi Airport (KBV)
- Thai SIM card at Chiang Mai Airport (CNX)
Getting Thai SIM Card outside the Airport
If you won’t have time to get Thai SIM card at the Airport, you can find branches of all three mobile carriers in any shopping mall. Every 7-11 in the country also sells SIM cards and Top Up Credit.
For the best deal, book your Thai SIM card online and pick it up at Siam Center shopping mall in Bangkok.
Thailand Mobile Phone Service Providers
There are 3 main mobile phone service providers in Thailand: AIS, DTAC and Truemove. All three providers offer ‘pay as you go’ deals for short and long term travelers and have 3G/4G capability providing fairly good coverage in all but the most remote corners of the country.
Thailand Tourist SIM Cards
All three mobile networks sell Tourist or Traveler SIM cards. When your purchased plan expires, you can top it up at any 7-11 convenience store or via the app of service provider.
DTAC
DTAC is currently offering 4 types of prepaid SIM card for tourists:
- Happy Tourist 49 Baht - basic SIM card which is good for all top up packages
- Happy Tourist 199 Baht – unlimited Internet for 7 days (max speed up to 500 MB)
- Happy Tourist 299 Baht – unlimited Internet for 8 days (max speed up to 3 GB)
– Get this SIM card for as little as 131 Baht when booking online! - Happy Tourist 599 Baht - unlimited Internet for 15 days (max speed up to 6 GB)
Detailed information about DTAC SIM card packages and current DTAC deals can be found here: DTAC Tourist Plans.
AIS
AIS is currently offering 3 types of prepaid SIM card for travellers:
- Traveller SIM 49 Baht – basic SIM card which is good for all top up packages
- Traveller SIM 299 Baht – unlimited Internet for 8 days (max speed up to 3 GB)
- Traveller SIM 599 Baht – unlimited Internet for 15 days (max speed up to 6 GB)
Detailed information about AIS SIM card packages and current AIS deals can be found here: AIS Traveller Plans.
TRUE
TRUE is currently offering 3 types of prepaid SIM card for tourists:
- Tourist SIM 49 Baht – basic SIM card which is good for all top up packages
- Tourist SIM 299 Baht – unlimited Internet for 8 days (max speed up to 3 GB)
- Tourist SIM 599 Baht – unlimited Internet for 15 days (max speed up to 8 GB)
Detailed information about TRUE SIM card packages and current TRUE deals can be found here: TRUE Tourist Plans.
Which Thai SIM Card to Choose?
As you can see, all Thailand mobile service providers offer almost the same deals. The difference is in various freebies offered, such as no data charge for social apps, free unlimited WiFi at WiFi spots and other advantages.
If you’re just a simple traveller and don’t have very specific needs, get a discounted DTAC Happy Tourist 299 Baht package online ([SALE] Thailand SIM Card) and top it up once the plan gets expired or max speed Internet is used. It will be cheaper than buying the plan for 599 Baht at once.
Tips
Install the app of the chosen service provider as you will be able to top up easily, track your data usage and will get various deals from time to time (they give away various discounts or freebies such as free ice cream at McDonalds so you might be lucky to get something worth attention).
Other useful apps for Thailand are listed here: Best Apps for Thailand Travel.
Thailand Emergency Numbers
When traveling in Thailand, it may be useful to know these numbers:
- Tourist Police Call Center - 1155
- Police (General Emergency Call) - 191
- Thailand Tourism Information Call Center - 1672
- Medical Emergency Call - 1669
- Telephone Directory Assistance - 1133
- Immigration Bureau - 1178
- Ambulance and Rescue - 1554
- Bangkok Taxi Call Centre - 1681, 1661
Lost Credit Cards:
- MasterCard - 02 232 2039
- Visa - 02 256 7324
- American Express - 02 273 0022
Other numbers:
- Highway Police - 1193
- Traffic Information - 1197
- Missing children - 1599
- National Disaster Warning Centre - 1860
- Crime - 1195
- Fire - 199