Does having a Thai sim card installed in your phone allow international texting ?

[wildhorse]

I'm arriving in BKK in about 4 weeks from Canada with an unlocked iphone 4. I want to pick up a sim at the airport but I'm wondering if the plans allow for international texting from Thailand back to Canada. I don't plan on texting much, just plan to check in every now and then.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[jerry]

Yes ... at least my True pre paid card does .

[Scumbag]

Yes ... at least my True pre paid card does .

Same with Dtac and 1-2 Call pre-paid.

[Eastboy]

Yip I had a 1-2-3 sim card and could text and call internaitonal

[wildhorse]

So I guess I will have to buy a sim card and a prepaid plan or are those one and the same?

Thanks.

[Scumbag]

So I guess I will have to buy a sim card and a prepaid plan or are those one and the same?

Thanks.

You buy a pre-paid SIM card. They come with some credit to get you started.

[hetepatat]

So I guess I will have to buy a sim card and a prepaid plan or are those one and the same?

Thanks.

With a simcard, you either have prepaid or postpaid tariffs. As a tourist , you are not going to ask to get a bill afterwards, i guess. 

So Prepaid for the traveler is normal.  As a tourist, you probably can't even get postpaid.    

But there are different operators (f.e. AIS 12call, Dtac, True).

The simcard you will buy from them will already be prepaid.

 

12Call (AIS network) has a tourist sim pricing plan that can make international texting cheap. DTAC has Happy Tourist sim for this.

It's a priceplan.        True : Honestly, i don't know.

To choose the right one you would need to know how many calls and text per month you will do nationaly and

if you will use internet or not and if you want a good rate for international texting.  Tell them what you want , they will give you the right

pricing plan or tell you what options to add yourself (or ask them to do so).

 

One more difference can be the validity of the simcard. If you don't ask for any special long lasting deal, your sim will expire rather fast.

 

If this would all sound too complicated : just get a simcard from one of the bigger networks. Make sure not to overpay on options you don't need.

And then just use it and don't worry :-)

[leeds]

got a happy sim .had it four years same number ,just extend the sim by sending a text cost 2baht a month  6months extension 12bht can do it from home.

[hetepatat]

Extend Validity

Rates: 2 baht/30 day request, 6 baht/90 day, 12 baht/180 day. User will receive a confirmation SMS. Must have activated SIM for at least 90 days continuously, or have a total usage balance of over 200 baht. Account must not be suspended, and must have at least 1 day before it expires. Remaining credit may not be less than 10 baht after use. Account validity may not exceed 365 days.

- Press : *113*[number of days 30/90/180]*9#

 

Example: *113*180*9# for 180 day extension


That's the way you did it, i guess ?

[Ohyesuare]

Yes, I can receive texts from Thailand for free with my DTAC sim card in Canada.

[kovrik]

Yes, it is possible. I did it from Thailand to Malaysia and to Norway with Thai sim card

[wildhorse]

OK, would I be better off getting the sim at BKK airport or should I wait until I get to Pattaya. I would be at LK Metro area, any good places there to buy?

[geezerrb]

got a happy sim .had it four years same number ,just extend the sim by sending a text cost 2baht a month  6months extension 12bht can do it from home.

 

 

Extend Validity

Rates: 2 baht/30 day request, 6 baht/90 day, 12 baht/180 day. User will receive a confirmation SMS. Must have activated SIM for at least 90 days continuously, or have a total usage balance of over 200 baht. Account must not be suspended, and must have at least 1 day before it expires. Remaining credit may not be less than 10 baht after use. Account validity may not exceed 365 days.

- Press : *113*[number of days 30/90/180]*9#

 

Example: *113*180*9# for 180 day extension

 

 

That's the way you did it, i guess ?

I admit at my age I can be a bit of a technophobe, I have tried this several times and it has never worked, so I lose my number and lose credit still on sim. You are talking about Happy sim?

[hetepatat]

Were you in UK when you tried ?   I think you were... 
If in UK :   Is your roaming on ?   You can see it if you get the name of a British operator on your screen when you are home ?

 Example Vodafone or an other one ?

If you do :   Is it possible your card is already not valid any more ? Once it's too late, you can't use the USSD code any more.

How long since you last reloaded your sim card ?
If your card is valid, the USSD code ( *113*180*9# )    works as well in UK as in Thailand.

Happy sims come in several versions. Simple, tourist, Happy internet sim, etc  Rools can be different on all of them.

[Millard]

OK, would I be better off getting the sim at BKK airport or should I wait until I get to Pattaya. I would be at LK metro area, any good places there to buy?

I believe it won't matter.  The airport and 7-11s sell the same SIM cards.