Internet and mobile communications in Thailand: how to make cheap calls

Mobile Internet in Thailand: coverage area, what tariff to choose and how to connect it?

To work and make calls on the Thai mobile Internet, you can use your cell phone (smartphone) as the main device or as a modem connected to a laptop or other gadgets. To access the Internet, it is better to buy a SIM card from one of the local telecom operators.

Mobile Internet in Thailand is very good, it is available on almost every island and is more than enough to read the news on the beach, upload a sunset photo to Instagram, chat with friends on WhatsApp, as well as on Google maps, which is very important for independent explorers of Thailand , or for those who want to show the taxi driver the location of their hotel.

This article is only about the mobile Internet. We have a separate article about the speed and cost of the Internet for working on desktop computers

Mobile operators in Thailand

The largest mobile operators in Thailand are Dtac (Happy), AIS (tm.1-2-call) and True Move. Good coverage and uninterrupted 3G Internet is provided by Dtac. True, in some mountainous areas, in the north of the country, it is better to use the True Move connection. AIS performs poorly in the south. When you decide to travel, make inquiries through hotel managers or friends about which operator’s Internet is more stable in your intended vacation area.

In Thailand, high-quality smartphones or tablets (certified, not purchased on the markets) in the 3G coverage area stably receive and support incoming traffic at speeds of 8 Mbit or more.

There is no roaming within Thailand, i.e. By purchasing a SIM card in Bangkok, you will make calls and use the Internet throughout Thailand for the same price. BUT! Thai SIM cards do not work at all in neighboring countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar), keep this in mind when traveling.

Comparison of Internet and mobile tariffs

Each operator has its own prices for Internet and cellular communications. When choosing a tariff, the main thing is to decide for what purposes it will serve.

Understanding the intricacies of Thai tariffs is sometimes not easy. The tables contain the most popular packages.

True Move Operator

All rates at this link

AIS operator

All rates at this link

DTAC operator

All rates at this link

Where to buy a SIM card:

You can buy SIM cards from mobile operators in 24-hour stores of the Family Mart and 7-eleven (7/11) chains, which are found quite often, starting at airports. These cards are also offered in shopping malls.

The most popular tariff among Tourists: Happy from Dtac. You can simply tell the seller: Happy SIM cards. It is very convenient because there are quite cheap Internet packages, but about this, as well as how to connect it, see below.

When purchasing, you should say what exactly you need - a SIM, microSIM or iPhoneSIM. Such definitions are more understandable to Thais.

SIM cards can be purchased without registration.

Cellular operators for tourists

The most popular telecom operators in Thailand are:

• AIS (aka 1-2-Call) is a leading operator with the largest subscriber base,
• TRUE Move
• DTAC.

All three operators offer users almost the same conditions and there is no significant difference between them. Many travelers may have problems choosing a mobile operator due to the fact that almost all companies offering communication services post some information materials exclusively in Thai on their official websites.

The mobile operator AIS has an interesting feature, which divides the state into several communication zones . Connections within a certain zone are comparatively cheaper for subscribers than to any other zone, as regards connections to numbers of all operators.

The quality of Internet reception and availability may differ only on some of the islands and in fairly remote places. In general, the quality of communication and coverage area of ​​the three leaders are no different .

Where to buy a SIM card?

Tourists can purchase SIM cards in official communication stores , travel agencies , stores such as Family Mart, 7-Eleven, Tesco Lotus, mini BigC and small phone sales points .

In addition, buy a SIM card at major Thai airports : as a rule, when leaving the arrival hall there is a representative office where tourists can independently choose the appropriate tariff. However, it is worth considering that in such representative offices the range of tariff plans is most often not fully represented.

Until July 31, 2015, SIM cards were sold freely (at the airport they were issued free of charge), and no documents were required for purchase. Currently, when drawing up a contract for using a SIM card, a tourist must present a personal passport .

Advice - A profitable option may be to purchase a SIM card without additional options : you can then connect them yourself using the operator’s official website or application.

Price

The cost of communication services is quite affordable for vacationers. For example, a tourist SIM card from DTAC - Tourist SIM with free calls between subscribers, free unlimited Internet access for 7 days and special conditions for international communication will cost from 199 baht (about 105 rubles).

Among the AIS offers for tourists, an interesting line of prepaid tariff plans with unlimited Internet and inexpensive calls around the world. postpaid tariffs , but tourists prefer to choose the first, more profitable option.

How to top up your phone

A SIM card account in Thailand is replenished with prepaid cards, which are sold around the clock in 7-Eleven, Family Mart, shopping centers, and other stores. Top-up instructions are printed on the cards. You can go to a cell phone store, give the seller money and your phone number on paper, and also name the operator. The seller will top up the account, but may take a “couple of kopecks” commission for this.

How to find out your mobile operator in Thailand? This is a common problem among tourists who were given SIM cards by a guide on the bus. Look at the phone screen - its name should be displayed there: Dtac, True or AIS

Useful functions: how to renew a SIM card, check your balance, etc.

DTAC (Happy). www.happy.co.th/home_en.php Check your balance - *101*9# Find out your number - *102*9# Top up your account with a prepaid card - *100*CardSerialNo. CardIDNo.# Check if there is a promotion - *103*9# "Call me back" service - *114*10_call_number*9#

Extend the validity of a SIM card (only for DTAC) : For 30 days - *113*30# will be charged 2 baht For 90 days - *113*90# will be charged 6 baht For 180 days - *113*180# will be charged 12 baht Possible immediately extend for a year - twice 180. Extend for more than a year is not possible.

AIS (One-2-Call). www.ais.co.th/12call/en Check your balance - *139# Find out your number - *545# Activate a new SIM card - 900120 Top up your account from a prepaid card -*120*Top-up code# Disable GPRS - * 129*1# Enable GPRS — *129*2# GPRS service status — *129#

TRUE Move Top up balance: *123*number from top up card# Check balance: #123# Find out your number: *833#

Extend your TrueMove SIM card: For 30 days: * 934 * 30 # - costs 2 baht. For 90 days: * 934 * 90 # - cost 6 baht. For 180 days: * 934 * 180 # - cost 12 baht.

Dtac

Dtac sell SIM cards, the description of which is often provided in Russian.

This provider operates on GSM 1800 and UMTS 850 frequencies and is preparing to master 2100 MHz.

Before buying a Dtac SIM card, make sure on the website of the manufacturer of your smartphone or tablet that the gadget supports the 850 MHz frequency, which is not typical for the CIS, but is widely used and inexpensive in Thailand. If not, then buy an aircard (modem from Dtac) in Thailand. Android-based devices do not need a modem; they have a built-in Wi-Fi access point through which 3G is distributed.

Ours are often offered Dtac cards called Happy Tourist. The most common are Happy Tourist SIM 49 (49 baht) and Happy Tourist SIM 299 (299 baht).

Tariffs from Dtac and other operators are only in words “but there is a limit”. Once you exceed the traffic volume, the speed is limited.

Prepaid and Postpaid - what's the difference?

Prepaid are prepaid tariffs. You deposit the amount into your balance and select the desired tariff. The required amount is debited from you and a certain tariff for mobile communications is included. All tariffs provided in this article are just prepaid tariffs.

Postpaid is a tariff with post payment. You use the Internet and calls, and at the end of the billing period the amount is debited from your card. prepaid have the most favorable conditions . Very often, providers try to attract people to postpaid with some promotions and dumping, but in the end, after the end of the promotion, you will not be able to switch, since there will be a minimum contract for several months. In the end you will have to pay more.

Dtac packages

Daily – 49 baht per day. With 3G speeds up to 42 Mbps, exceeding the 156 MB received limit will result in a speed reduction to 384 Kbps.

Weekly – 99 baht per week. With 3G speeds up to 42 Mbps, exceeding the 160 GB limit limits the speed to 384 Kbps.

Month – 299 baht. After exceeding the 500 MB limit, the speed is reduced to 128 kbps. Monthly packages are sold under the same “high-speed” conditions for 399, 650 and 890 baht, only the limits there are 1.5 GB, 3 GB and 5 GB accepted, respectively.

With any of these packages, Wi-Fi is free, but only within Bangkok. Dtac also makes it possible to immediately pay for a certain number of megabytes (money in advance). You can pay for 75 or 250 MB (99 and 199 baht for 30 days).

Some consider per-minute and megabit billing (accounting and payment for each minute or MB used) to be profitable and more fair. If you buy a 3G modem from the company with a connection via a USB port, then you will be “happy” with tariff plans for 5, 20 or 70 hours at prices of 29-50, 29, 199 baht. The maximum speed on these packages is 384 kbps.

Dtac has a very cunning policy: if you paid for the Internet for a week for 99 baht and after a week you do not have 99 baht in your account for the next week, then it automatically switches to a daily tariff and will charge you 49 baht every day. To disable this, contact any 7/11 seller

Important points and tips

• All amounts in Thailand are indicated without tax of 7%, this should be taken into account when replenishing your account. That is, if the tariff requires replenishing the card by 50 baht, this means that to activate the service there must be 50 baht + 7% = 53.5 baht in the account. Otherwise, you will have to go to the store again and top up your account with the missing amount.
• If a tourist manages to connect to unlimited Internet for a certain period, then he needs to take into account that in Thailand the period is determined by astronomical days (from 0:00 to 24:00), and not from the moment of connection. If you need to extend your unlimited limit, you should wait until a new day arrives, and only then reconnect the service.
• For those who have flown to Thailand with a family or a company, it makes sense to take SIM cards from different operators in order to use the most successful option (price/quality ratio) as a distribution router.
• There is no internal roaming in the country. Therefore, you can travel around the country and not worry about double tariffs.

AIS

The advantage of this operator is the operation of 3G Internet on UMTS 900 MHz. Most phones support this frequency. The company is also mastering the 3G network with a frequency of 2100 MHz, on which all modern communication devices operate. The base station has already been installed in Bangkok. The company is installing new repeater antennas with a frequency of 2100 MHz on skyscrapers. Outside the city, only 3G 900 MHz works well and far away. By the end of 2014, the company promises to increase the number of stations and provide 3G with 2100 MHz and Wi-Fi on the main streets of cities. Pattaya is the first in this grandiose plan.

They write a lot on blogs that Thailand has special Internet frequencies and does not work on all phones - this is very outdated information. Internet in Thailand works in any modern phone

The disadvantage of AIS is incomplete coverage of the extreme south of the country.

AIS sells Internet access in the main 3G packages Xtra Net, NETSIM at 99, 199 and 249 baht per month, at speeds up to 42 MB. The communication speed is reduced to 64 kbit/s after received 90 and 300 MB (package 99 - limit 90, package 199 - limit 300). The third package (for 249 baht) allows you to receive up to 500 MB at high speed. This package includes free wi-fi.

AIS also offers high-speed Internet using NETSIM cards, where after accepted 1GB (399 baht per month), 2GB (599 baht), 4GB (799 baht) and 10 GB, the speed is respectively reduced to 64, 128, 256, and 384 kbps .

One-day packages cost from 9 to 49 baht and allow you to receive high speeds from 10 to 140 MB.

The cost of weekly packages ranges from 59 to 99 baht, providing from 70 to 300 MB per week.

There are tariff plans with per-minute and megabit tariffs, but the maximum speed of such connections is only 256 kbit/s. With the same speed, you can get unlimited Internet for one day for 49 baht.

General communication characteristics

Recently, the “right to access the Internet” was recognized as one of the inalienable human rights. And it’s hard to disagree with this UN decision, because any modern person can go longer without food than without access to their news feed. The daily need for the Internet is very high, and during vacation it increases many times over.

For tourists planning to spend some time in Thailand, it is very important to have at least some access to the Internet. From the material you can learn about all the important features of the local Internet: its types, speed and price.

Rumor has it that the cost of services from local cellular operators is extremely low , so let’s see how true this information is.

Mobile communications and Internet

Dreamsim is a SIM card that is not tied to one operator; it works in 197 countries, provides stable communications, fast Internet and prices almost the same as those of local operators.

• no need to set up roaming or buy a local SIM card
• no subscription fees or hidden fees

When the Internet began to actively develop in Southeast Asia, the Kingdom of Thailand did not remain aloof from these processes and picked up the general trend. Already in 1996, this country, the third in the region, connected to the World Wide Web, and since then the network has been constantly expanding and modernizing.

Already a third of the country’s population (27 million people) have become regular and active Internet users, and access to the network is available in any part of the country , even in remote villages.

Important! It is important to note that the development of the network is uneven, and therefore its quality depends on various factors. The central and northern parts of the country are considered to be the most advanced in this area, while the provinces in the south have lower quality cable and cellular coverage.

The largest cities and resort centers of the country lead in Internet quality and speed:

• Bangkok;
• Chiang Mai;
• Pattaya;
• Phuket;
• Krabi;
• Samui (Koh Samui).

In these places there are all types of high-speed communications: Wi-Fi, 3G, LTE (4G), as well as cable, leased and fiber optic Internet .

In unimportant settlements and rural areas, the situation with broadband access is somewhat worse, however, even in such godforsaken places, a tourist can count on high-speed ADSL communications , average quality 3G coverage , or, in extreme cases, EDGE .

True Move

True Corporation Public Company is one of the youngest mobile operators in the country. This is probably why True Move employees give out free SIM cards at airports.

Most of our compatriots complain about this operator: they say that the Internet is expensive and unstable. Perhaps this is true for places remote from cities. In the megacities themselves, the reception is confident.

The company often changes its tariff policy and carries out promotional connections:

• Unlimited 3G Internet for one day + 3 hours Wi-Fi is sold for 49 baht (guaranteed speed not specified).
• 50 megabytes of 3G per day without Wi-Fi costs 50 baht.
• 200 MB per month + 5 hours Wi-Fi – 129 baht.
• 1.25 Gb per month + 10 hours Wi-Fi – 399 baht.
• 3.5 Gb per month, unlimited, without Wi-Fi – 699 baht.
• The “7 hours of unlimited 3G internet per day” package costs 50 baht.
• 25 hours per month 3G costs 99 baht; 70 hours – 199 and 150 hours – 349 baht.

Given the company's constantly changing pricing policy and a site where half the content is in Thai, it's hard to argue that the prices listed above are relevant today.

Connection via AIS and True Move SIM cards is carried out as in Dtac. The sequence of numbers and symbols for activating packages are placed in envelopes with SIM cards or given separately. There is English in the description, Russian is not found everywhere.

Some tips:

1. When buying a SIM card, do not chase super-cheap promotional offers. If you plan to vacation in Thailand every year, purchase a regular card at the standard rate. Then, already at the first replenishment of the account, its validity period will automatically be extended for a year.
2. If the card's validity period is not extended (an SMS informs about the renewal), it is first blocked and then sold again with the same number. Therefore, do not be surprised if, when you call last year’s number of a Russian friend in Thailand, you hear the rude voice of a foreigner on the phone.

Internet in Thailand

Nowadays, mobile Internet in Thailand does not raise any complaints at all. In large cities there is 4G Internet, quite fast, I must say. You can buy a travel SIM card with an included Internet package or connect the one you need yourself using codes or your personal account on the operator’s website. Actually, more about the second option below.

Internet and mobile communications in Thailand

If everything is more or less clear with the Internet in a hotel, you’ve got the password for the network and you’re enjoying yourself, then you’ll have to be a little confused with your mobile phone.

Mobile Internet in Thailand is presented mainly in the form of packages of a certain size, each with its own validity period. Of course, you can simply spend money from your balance and pay for every meter of Internet, but why such wastefulness if there are packages!? Until recently, there was no unlimited Internet in Thailand as such.

Now operators have a similar offer.

DTAC

So let's start with DTAC as the frontrunner.

For example, the Internet “week” is presented in the following variations

• 512 kb/s – costs 100 baht/week, connection code *104*348*9#
• 1 Mb/s – costs 100 baht/week, connection code *104*378*9#
• 4 Mb/s – costs 150 baht/week, connection code *104*388*9#
• 10 Mb/s – costs 199 baht/week, connection code *104*398*9#

Internet for a month is also presented, there are offers even for a day. More details here: https://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/net-no-limit.html

There are also all kinds of unlimited tariffs: https://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/go-no-limit.html

In general, their website is quite tolerable, if you look through it with the translator turned on, you can quite figure out what and how.

True Move

The True Move operator has opened his arms on this page: https://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/upgrade_option/category/data/prepaid?ln=en

There are some non-stop offers, but vague doubts arise. We used one of these offers purely to check mail; traffic was, naturally, limited. We spent a long time understanding the intricacies of their packages and sachets (we needed a package for a day with minimal traffic, like we needed it - we connected it), in the end we connected it almost at random and guessed what we needed. Understand these Thais, maybe they managed to screw up some kind of unlimited

AIS

And the AIS operator closes. It too has a couple of unlimited offers among the packages offered.

512 kb/s for a week costs only 89 baht, 1 mb/s for a week costs 99 baht, 4 mb/s for a week costs 150 baht. You can connect them directly on the website, after some dancing with a tambourine, by sending an SMS to your phone and then entering the code on the website. In general, not everything is so scary, although at first it’s not clear at all.

There seems to be unlimited for a month, here - https://m.ais.co.th/ontop-package, but here it is not - https://www.ais.co.th/package/package.html? package=1.

But knowing the Thais, you shouldn’t be too surprised. It's not on the site, but it's there! Because the information on the site may turn out to be “slightly” not relevant, because sabai and all that

How to make cheap calls from Thailand to Russia (instructions)

If you don’t mind paying 25 baht per minute of conversation, you can call via direct dialing +7 (Russian code) + city code + subscriber number.

Some of our tourists use IP telephony, dialing the desired code instead of “+”. The subscriber is called as follows: 009-7-area code - telephone number.

Using codes 008 and 009 costs about 5 baht per minute, calls using codes 001 and 007 provide better call quality and cost almost 9 baht per minute.

Russian tourists in Pattaya call home from Skype on their laptops, connecting to Wi-Fi at the beach, hotel or internet club.

Voip Discount operates in Thailand. From the website of this company, voipdiscount.com, you can download and install a small free program on your Windows laptop. Then you top up your account once, the connection is checked and you make calls to cell phones in Russia. The website says that calls from Russia to cell phones in Thailand are free.

Roaming within Thailand

All operators offer interesting conditions for international calls. If you want to make cheap calls from Thailand to Russia, you should consult with salespeople - they often work with Russian tourists and will immediately advise on the optimal tariff. Keep an eye on your number balance, because roaming is always noticeably more expensive than domestic calls.

Use IP telephony for calls to Russia. With this choice of connection, the cost of a minute of conversation will be about 4 baht. But the service must be registered in advance.

Thai mobile does not have domestic roaming, but some operators may use zones. AIS varies the cost of a call depending on the zones used.

A tourist SIM card allows you to make fairly cheap calls from Thailand to Russia. Each operator has its own call features:

1. True Move. To call Russia, you need to use the extension 006 or 00600. The first option provides a better connection, but costs 7 baht per minute (the second number costs 4 baht).
2. DTAC. Number 004. Price - 4 baht.
3. AIS. The number used is 009. The price of the service is 6.5 baht.

Tourist SIM card Happu Tourist from DTAC

After dialing the prefix, the SIM card automatically switches to an international connection.