best deal for calling philippines from Thailand

[johnfb43]

I have a Philippine gf living with me in Thailand. What is best deal/way for her to call her family there? Phonecard? Which one? Where I buy? 

[biggles]

My Filipina GF uses her facebook app. You do need Wifi or data but it is free and the reception is first rate.

previously she had her philipine fone on roaming and her sister called her on a promo deal.

[BAJA DAVE]

SKYPE if both ends have it its free.

[johnfb43]

internet there in Samar is BAD so thats no good

[BAJA DAVE]

SKYPE if both ends have it its free.

Just called the Brass Knob hotel 5 minutes ago on Skype in the USA and it sounded like they were across the street.

[johnfb43]

Brass Knob is in Angeles Pampanga. Samar is something else - one of the poorest places on Earth the internet cafe for her family is one hour plus away. Need to find an international phonecard solution.

[BAJA DAVE]

Just talked to my wife last, she had just finished a call on her tablet and I asked her how she did it and she said Facebook and it's free I had never heard of that.

[BAJA DAVE]

My Filipina GF uses her facebook app. You do need Wifi or data but it is free and the reception is first rate.

previously she had her philipine fone on roaming and her sister called her on a promo deal.

sorry didn't see this before.

[johnfb43]

ITS OK - THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO HELP.

[Ocelot]

Probably the easiest thing to do would be to sign up for a skype account and add credits onto it as then you can just make regular calls outbound to the Philippines landlines and cellphones. I believe the rates are around .10c/minute on skype for the Philippines but not 100% sure on that rate. Another option is to buy the family a pocket wifi as SMART's 3g signals are pretty good even in Samar.

 

I don't know where your gf's family lives in Samar but alot of the cities there like Catarman and Calboyag aren't too bad and will have alot of internet cafes around the city. Brownouts and spotty internet should be like any other city in the Philippines so it's still reasonable to get in contact with them around the city areas. If they are on the islands though, then it's probably best to call them around the afternoon time in the Philippines as they only turn on the electricity for half of the day and only from 12 p.m. - 12 a.m.

 

I enjoyed my stays in Samar and it wasn't too bad as I am used to 3rd world squatter locations and the islands have an abundant amount of seafoods and fruits which are masarap. Loved paying only 300 pesos for a bucket of crabs and 150 pesos for a gigantic cthulhu sized octopus. Just be careful visiting during typhoon season though as that region gets pounded hard and usually need to find a Cave from the fast rising sea levels.