One of the best things you can do when you arrive in Thailand is buy yourself a Thai SIM card. Of course, you can use international roaming, but when you can buy discounted preloaded 4 and 5G tourist SIM cards with network coverage throughout Thailand for a fraction of what international roaming costs, why would you.
Using a Thailand tourist SIM card you can stay connected to the internet and take advantage of handy Thailand travel apps to get around Thailand cheaply, buy discounted tickets to attractions in Thailand online, use maps and hotel booking apps to find hotels near you, meet Thai singles online and a whole lot more, all without worrying about returning home to a huge telephone bill.
It’s easy enough to buy a tourist SIM card when you arrive at international airports in Thailand. In the baggage collection area or the arrivals hall, Thailand’s major mobile network operators, AIS, DTAC, and True Move H, have counters from which you can buy preloaded tourist SIM cards.
How to Buy Discounted Thailand Tourist SIM Cards
You can buy the popular DTAC and True Move H Thailand tourist SIM cards cheaper through Klook.com. Simply buy the SIM cards online, then present your voucher at the DTAC, True Move H, or the Klook kiosk at the airport upon arrival in Thailand, or in some cases, you can collect a Thailand tourist SIM card at overseas airports before departure.
What is a Thailand tourist SIM card? Tourist SIM cards are like any other prepaid SIM card you can buy from Thailand’s major mobile network operators, except they have a limited lifespan. They are easy to top up, and whatever data you use or calls you make are charged at local rates.
A couple of noteworthy points about buying discounted Thailand tourist SIM cards: Although buying through Klook is cheaper, and the cards can be topped up easily, you might be limited to buying cards with smaller amounts of data valid for shorter periods, eight days with 15GB, for example. Whereas if you buy directly from the AIS, DTAC, or TRUE kiosks, you can buy SIM cards with data valid for up to 30 days with AIS and TRUE, and 15 days with DTAC.
Do Thailand tourist SIM cards expire? When you buy a tourist SIM card, it comes preloaded with data valid for a certain number of days, such as 15GB for eight days. After eight days, the data expires. However, you can top up the card at convenience stores, through the network app, or through online top-up services such as mobiletopup.com and, depending on the network provider, continue to use the card for up to 90 days.
Discounted DTAC Thailand Tourist SIM
Discounted True 5G Thailand Tourist SIM
Do Thailand tourist SIM cards work in any phone? Tourist SIM card sizes are normal, nano, and micro. What’s important to remember is that your phone needs to be unlocked. You can check whether or not your phone is locked by inserting a SIM card from a different network. If you get a signal and can use the phone to make calls and connect to the internet, your phone is not locked.
If your phone is locked, you should talk to your network provider about unlocking it before you travel.
If you plan on using your tourist SIM card for an extended stay in Thailand, you should speak to the network provider about converting your tourist SIM to a standard prepaid (pay as you go) or postpaid (monthly) SIM package.
Thailand WiFi Packagaes and Portable WiFi Devices
You can also hire portable WiFi devices or buy WiFi data from Thailand’s major mobile network operators.
Buy Discounted International Travel and Roaming SIM Cards and Esims in Thailand
Suppose you’re leaving Thailand to travel overseas, backpacking around Southeast Asia, for example. In that case, you can also buy discounted international travel and roaming mobile SIM cards or tourist SIM cards for a wealth of countries through Klook and collect your SIM card upon arrival at your destination or even before you leave Thailand.
View All International Travel and Tourist SIMs
Just for your information: you can also book transfers from the airport to your hotel in Thailand, shuttle buses to Bangkok, 1-day Bangkok Skytrain passes, buy cheap tickets to attractions, and more through Klook.
About Buying SIM Cards in Thailand
As a tourist, you’re not limited to purchasing SIM cards at the airport. You can buy regular prepaid SIM cards and top up your phone credit at 7Eleven, Family Mart, and Big C stores throughout Thailand. You can also buy postpaid SIM cards and pay monthly. However, for better service and options, you should buy your SIM card from one of the Thailand mobile network operator shops or kiosks, usually found in shopping malls or the high street.
To buy a SIM card in Thailand, you must take your passport along with you so that the SIM card can be registered.