Traveling to Thailand is safe and even Bangkok at night. We strolled late at night in little known tourist sites and we faced no problem (except the only scare of a dog that came out to greet us, he he).
Have you ever wondered why people love Thailand so much? Are you considering spending your next vacation there? We know that Thailand is close to India and you will not regret going to this fantastic country. In addition to this, we know how important it is to be connected to the Internet today.
If you are looking for information on how to get a SIM card with Internet in Thailand, you have reached the right place. In this article, we will give you the best information about the best SIM card in Thailand, so that you don't have to worry about high roaming charges and we will explain in a very simple way everything you need to be connected 24 hours a day.
Is Thailand your next destination to visit and you want to have the security of staying connected to your social networks, check WhatsApp, search for places on Google Maps, make video calls, among others. Let's start this trip together!
What to see in Thailand?
We can divide the country into 3 zones:
Downtown area
- Bangkok is that jungle of asphalt that will not leave you indifferent. Admire its temples, skyscrapers and parks but especially stroll, visit the markets (we loved the Ratchada night market), mix with people and eat at street stalls. We get to do 20 km in a day wandering!
- Ayutthaya, 80km from Bangkok has the ruins of the ancient capital in Ayutthaya Historical Park. It is very pretty.
- Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin, etc.
North Zone
- Chiang Mai is all peace and quietness, especially after arriving from Bangkok. Here you can see its temples, wander around and visit its markets (the Sunday market is impressive). In Chiang Mai you can do trekking, hiking or whatever you want to call it because it is surrounded by nature and national parks (we went trekking to Inthanon National Park, spectacular).
- Chiang Rai, Pai, Sukhothai, etc.
Islands of Thailand or paradises (to freak out)
- On the west coast (Andaman Sea) you will find the most famous and busiest Thai islands such as Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi or Koh Lipe.
- On the east coast (Gulf of Thailand) are Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Samed or Koh Chang (our favourite for being less “busy”, being full of nature and having a climate more similar to the centre and north of the country.).
This is not a detailed guide of what to do or see in Thailand. It is only a summary to give an idea of what the country offers and its different areas.
How to have Internet access in Thailand?
There are basically 3 options to have Internet access in Thailand:
OPTION 1: not having internet access in Thailand, looking for free wifi
OPTION 2: buy a SIM card in Thailand
OPTION 3: buy a SIM card for Thailand from India
Normally the second option is the most recommended.
Free Wifi in Thailand
Ha ha ha, you are already rubbing your hands for free Wi-Fi. In Thailand you can get free Wi-Fi throughout the country in hotels, restaurants, cafes and all those places that promise you free Wi-Fi. But what you get in most cases is to drain the battery of the mobile hoping to download few pages, look at your mobile or cell phone like a fool and remember the Dominican pharaohs, the inventors of the free wifi. I do not even try. I am the man who does not stumble 2000 times in the same stone.
Apart from the comments above, never forget about security problems. Public and open networks can make your sensitive data accessible to third parties.
What is the best prepaid SIM card for Thailand?
Although you have several alternatives, I would like to tell that your best option to have an Internet connection in Thailand will be to have a data SIM card. A SIM card will always be the best bet to stay connected to the Internet to share your trip. Similar to the SIM of your mobile, this product (of light size and easy to use) will give you quality Internet for a certain amount of days and data outside of India.
The mobile operator dtac, covers all the provinces of Thailand and its capital. Almost its entire network is in 4G, while the rest is in 3G.
Why buy a SIM card in Thailand?
Traveling in Thailand is quite easy today. You can easily find a place to sleep, there is always good food around the corner and you can book transportation on each street. So why do you need a Thai SIM card? First of all, just to be connected and be able to talk with family members. Another advantage of the Thai sim card for tourist is to be able to use Google Maps to find addresses or to inform you of hotel prices, Tripadvisor, Bus reservations or trains, among more.
We travel to Thailand always connected and of course I would not even think of going without internet. Just thinking about walking through Bangkok without Google maps makes me shiver (and do not say me that you carry offline maps). Google maps informs you of everything! Or book an Uber or a Grab from wherever you want. Anyway, nowadays the internet is vital, all information is power and doing things correctly saves time and money.
Internet providers in Thailand
If you are going to travel to Thailand soon and want to buy a sim card, you should know that there are different phone companies. They all have their pros and cons, but their signal and coverage is the same everywhere today. Simply choose the most economical option of one of the mobile companies.
You will see posters everywhere that say: 'Thailand SIM card for tourists'. To travel north to places like Chiang Mai, it only depends if you want to be connected or not. dtac HAPPY Tourist Sim Card is the No.1 sim for travellers and is one of the best Thailand tourist sim card. dtac HAPPY Tourist Sim Card has reliable coverage even in remote areas! So, if you're traveling on a motorcycle in Thailand, dtac HAPPY Tourist Sim Card may be a good option.
Where to buy your prepaid SIM card in Thailand?
As for the SIM card and an internet connection, do not worry. If you did not collect information before your trip and do not mind paying a few Thai Baht more, trust the airport vendors. It is the most practical and fast ways.
Buying a SIM card at the airport is usually the easiest and most practical way. At the airport you can see the stalls where in 10 minutes and with your passport you will have your SIM inserted and everything configured (they do it themselves, it is impressive the cards that can be inserted per minute, machines!).
If you arrive directly at Suvarnabhumi airport you will not need to leave it, as you will find the counters of dtac HAPPY Tourist Sim Card and you can compare data plans and prices. The same applies to Don Muang airport in Bangkok and Phuket. If you have little time and do not mind a couple of Thai Baht or so, we recommend buying a dtac HAPPY Tourist Sim Card at Delhi, Mumbai & Kolkata Airport or at Thailand’s Airport, 7-11, Family mart if you are already in Thailand.
You can also get a SIM in any 7Eleven supermarket (there are almost more than inhabitants). You can buy a SIM card in almost every 7Eleven, but obviously the prepaid SIM cards from Thailand that you buy here focus on short-term tourists. They sell simple data packages that will mostly be useful if you are in Thailand for only one week.
If you plan to stay more than a week in Thailand, go to a phone shop instead of 7Eleven. As soon as you leave the airport in Bangkok, many companies will receive you with tourist sim card packages, but they are expensive compared to what you can buy in the city.
If you arrive in Thailand by bus from another neighbouring country, it is best to go to one of the many shopping centres in the city, where you will find stores of dtac shop and you can choose the plan that best suits what you are looking for.
Using Google Map, we can find the nearest dtac shop store. In them they will explain the plans very well, English is spoken, the prices are the cheapest and they will activate the sim at the moment. All shopping centres in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi and Koh Samui have mobile Internet stores.
The following option offered by dtac HAPPY Tourist Sim.
- Enjoy 8-day unlimited data with 15 GB at 100 Mbps max speed
- 8-day unlimited calls to dtac network numbers
- 8-day free chat on 5 applications
- Free 15-baht call credit
- Call back India numbers at special rate 0.6 baht / minute
- Enjoy special privileges at shops and restaurants nationwide
