Cellphones: Calling-Using-Buying-Importing-Activating-Renting

[Chop]

I know this wasn't what was originally asked, but since Boater1788 brought it up;.

I ported my US cellphone number over to Google Voice for a one time fee of $20, no recurring monthly charges. I put their app on my Thai phone and now my bank, investment house, CC people, etc send authentication codes to it just fine.

It relies on WiFi, so using my old US phone number for regular voice calls can be a bit sketchy if the WiFi isn't strong, but there are plenty of other options for staying in touch with family and friends nowadays without a US sim card. Works fine on the WiFi in my condo, free WiFi around town can be hit or miss. For banking and finance stuff (2nd factor authentication codes via text) it works great everywhere. The only downside is that it's a bit tricky to port your number back to a regular cellphone once you've ported to Google. Not an issue if, like me, you're not planning on coming back, but YMMV. Oh, and I still get all the old junk phone calls I was getting in the US. So be sure to mute your phone at night or you will get calls about your cars warranty at 3 in the morning, even when you don't own a car LOL.

[Boater1788]

I am using a iPhone 11 which comes with a esim capability and my Australia number (Optus) is configured to use the esim.

When I got to Thailand I purchased the 30 gb, 100 mbps SIM from DTAC then added 200 baht of calls to it (they text instructions to you on how to add call credit). I also disabled my Australian number so as not to pay roaming charges.

The problem then was my credit card providers wanted to send me texts for one time codes to authorize online payments and my Oz number was disabled.

Had a read of the roaming charges for Optus and found I could enable roaming and receive texts at no charge.

So I.

1) enabled roaming in the Optus app.

2) turned the Oz number back on in setting.

3) set data and calls to always use the DTAC "line".

And bingo. I has a fully functional Thai number while still being able to get the CC auth codes via text on my Oz number at no charge.

Took me a while to work out all the bits, but now it is working very well.

[Ragaraja]

I'm preparing for my 1st trip to Thailand (60 ish days in Thailand w a possible follow on to PI or Cambodia) and I'm considering cell phone options.

My current carrier is Verizon but I am considering switching to TMOBILE or Patriot Mobile so my family can still contact me. (I understand Verizon's CDMA tech doesn't work well outside the US).

I am considering buying a BLU V9 (dual sim card GSM phone) and I wondered if anyone has experience w them.

Option 2 is to just buy a phone when I get there.

I have done the following successfully. ATT works great, but costs too much. Tmobile Max you can use text and data. Calls in Thailand $0.25 usd a min. If you have a dual sim, yes get local sim for use there also its.

Cheap insurance. But on my few trips there, I just use Skype.

Yes Discord, Whatsap, etc work great. But I can buy a local number (local stateside) so my work, and everyone else can call a local number. Use Tmobile data where no wifi. And can get a local number in Thailand if you want om Skype. But don't need unless working date site. For decent price you can appear "local" wherever you are.

I have thought about carrying a Glocalme or Solis for international hotspot. Just in case. (for working), but you prob would not need. Dual sim is great, older phone w those apps and you should be golden. Like others said, test at home.

Shit, what did we all do when we had to find a fkn payphone? LOL.

[Banana Boi]

There are a few AQ hotels near Asoke and Nana for 3900 baht which includes your RT-PCR test, 3 'meals' per day, plus transportation from BKK to the Sukhumvit area. Cheapest and oddly only AQ hotel in Pattaya is 4999 baht but that includes taxi to Pattaya. Really not that bad. Beats the hell out of the prior option having to fly to Phuket.

Regardless, if you're coming to look for girls wait for bars to reopen before coming. If you have 100's of girls on your Line ready to come to you for really cheap then get there now before the bars reopen.

[Member #4753]

The one night, in an ASQ or SHA+ hotel is to ensure you are not let free to roam the city until your PCR test comes back negative. Once it does, you're free to go roam wherever you like.

My point is that the above action will add 5000 Thai Baht to someones trip as well as a lot more complicated paperwork. Tourists have been avoiding Thailand due to this nonsense.

[NicFrenchy]

Good point. I believe from Monday arrivals still have to spend 1 night in a quarantine hotel (WTF?) so are most likely not allowed to raom around airport freely.

The Thai government loves to add unecessary paperwork and complications to make life more difficult.

The one night, in an ASQ or SHA+ hotel is to ensure you are not let free to roam the city until your PCR test comes back negative. Once it does, you're free to go roam wherever you like.

[Member #4753]

Is that path allowed?

From what I remember- arrivals level to DTAC was up one floor. With the SAS hotel thing, I imagined it's straight from arrivals into some form of private / covid taxi.

Good point. I believe from Monday arrivals still have to spend 1 night in a quarantine hotel (WTF?) so are most likely not allowed to raom around airport freely.

The Thai government loves to add unecessary paperwork and complications to make life more difficult.

[MilesToGo]

Is picking up a SIM on arrival at the airport still the way to go for a short-term (1-2 weeks) visit?

Is that path allowed?

From what I remember- arrivals level to DTAC was up one floor. With the SAS hotel thing, I imagined it's straight from arrivals into some form of private / covid taxi.

[Member #4753]

For that matter you can get a tourist sim card at any 7-11/ Family Mart, etc. In other words, anywhere and everywhere. Have your passport with you. 200 bhat worth of internet should hold you through 3 or 4 weeks.

I personally prefer to pick it up at some kind of store or kiosk because they will activate for you. At a 7/11 they will simply hand over the sim and you have to activate it yourself. In my experience getting anything to work first time in Thailand can require a bit of patience or alot of swearing.

[Chop]

You can always just grab a sim card at virtually any shopping mall.

For that matter you can get a tourist sim card at any 7-11/ Family Mart, etc. In other words, anywhere and everywhere. Have your passport with you. 200 bhat worth of internet should hold you through 3 or 4 weeks.

[Member #4753]

Is picking up a SIM on arrival at the airport still the way to go for a short-term (1-2 weeks) visit?

I am not sure how well staffed the booths at the airport are at the moment, but as more and more visitors start coming then they surely will be there.

You can always just grab a sim card at virtually any shopping mall. Just seek out the telco booths or full shops and they will issue you a sim card. Cost is very cheap, think 10 baht per day for decent internet speed. You probably won't need talk time, just downloand "line app" everybody uses it in Thailand.

[Pranked]

Is picking up a SIM on arrival at the airport still the way to go for a short-term (1-2 weeks) visit?

[Banana Boi]

Pick up a SIM once you land in Thailand. AIS, DTAC, True are 3 of the large cell carriers. Any will be fine. As HT says, it's dirt cheap relative to Western World plans.

I bought a Blu phone on Amazon before my first trip to SEA years ago. Same reasons you're likely considering it. Cheap and dual SIM. Maybe Blu is better now but let's just say I bought a name brand dual SIM cell phone at Power Buy on Day 1 in Pattaya.

[HorseTrader]

1. Train people at home to use WhatsApp or similar. Test it while still home.

2. Get a daily international plan for your regular at home cell. This will get you covered for your arrival and departure days. ATT has an international daily plan for $10 and it makes any country just the same as your home country. With taxes it is about $14 per day. Expensive, but easy, and only need for 2 days. I'the guess Verizon has something similar.

3. Get a Thai SIM card. A year ago I paid about 450 baht per month with about 100 minutes calls and 10 MB data. I once ran out of minutes and spent about 100 baht at 7-11 to get more minutes. The 10 MB / month is more than I ever used.

[Horatio]

I had tmobile when I was there last year. What worked for me was buying a sim card in thailand for an old phone I had. I used my tmobile to text back home and used Whatsapp to call family back home for free. A thai sim card is easy to get.

I'm preparing for my 1st trip to Thailand (60 ish days in Thailand w a possible follow on to PI or Cambodia) and I'm considering cell phone options.

My current carrier is Verizon but I am considering switching to TMOBILE or Patriot Mobile so my family can still contact me. (I understand Verizon's CDMA tech doesn't work well outside the US).

I am considering buying a BLU V9 (dual sim card GSM phone) and I wondered if anyone has experience w them.

Option 2 is to just buy a phone when I get there.