Service choice. What if you don't care about data?

[Julius55]

I've looked over the various websites such as AIS and DTAC.  The English versions are not easy to comprehend.  Most of what I am reading here is about the data options.

 

All I need is to fire my phone up and be able to call and send text.  I can get email updates using wi-fi so data is not very important to me.  This would be for a three week stay.

 

I see one website that quotes for DTAC Happy sim the rate is 2b per minute local talk, 3b per local text, 5b for international text.  Is that the correct rate?  Is that rate for all cards?  What should that card cost?

 

Thanks for any help.  I'm sorry if this has been answered before.  This is my first post here. 

[taylor1975]

If the sim card has no price on it ...then its probably free. I may have paid 50 baht in the past for a sim card - obviously then needs to be topped up with credit.

 

I've been trying to find a 1 month sim package but it gets confusing when there aren't any plans for that time span.

[boxershrimp]

I think the DTAC Happy card cost 40 or 50 last time I bought one from 7-11. That included a tiny credit, I think, but count on having to fill it up a bit before using.

 

A "trick" I use is to fill mine up with all that spare change that eventually collects in my wallet. The little orange machines you find around town (outside 7-11s, for instance) eat as small change as 1 baht, so when the wallet eventually gets too heavy, I dump all the 5s and 1s in one of those and ask it to top me up. Granted, I don't call that much, but that's enough to keep it alive for me.

 

The rates I don't remember, but they seem close enough. I wonder if local call/text isn't actually even cheaper than that, though, otherwise I feel like my usage and credits don't quite match up. (Maybe it's just cheaper to other DTAC users?)

[The Sperminator]

True website is easy to understand.

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/3g/toppings/iplay/entry/2463?ln=en

[Julius55]

Thanks Mr. Sperminator.  I checked that website.  I guess I'm living in the past.  At home I use SMS text all the time.  When I was in Thailand 10 years ago I used SMS text then too (almost entirely).  That website, along with DTAC and AIS, does not seem to quote the price for sending a SMS text.  Clearly I'm missing something.

 

Are they just not using SMS anymore in Asia?  As I read trip reports here it seems that most people are using the instant messaging service LINE.  Should I be teaching myself how to use that and get a data service so it will work?  I really like text.  It's a shame if that's not being used anymore.

[taylor1975]

Thanks Mr. Sperminator.  I checked that website.  I guess I'm living in the past.  At home I use SMS text all the time.  When I was in Thailand 10 years ago I used SMS text then too (almost entirely).  That website, along with DTAC and AIS, does not seem to quote the price for sending a SMS text.  Clearly I'm missing something.

 

Are they just not using SMS anymore in Asia?  As I read trip reports here it seems that most people are using the instant messaging service LINE.  Should I be teaching myself how to use that and get a data service so it will work?  I really like text.  It's a shame if that's not being used anymore.

Yeh i think that is the case. I asked a lady friend how many sms she got with her monthly package and she didn't know.

She said thai people use line app.