Need Advice on Buying a Local Cell Phone in Pattaya

[Sexyfarangman]

I'm back in Pattaya after three years. One of the things that seems to have changed is that I don't see cell phones for sale anywhere. Before the  pandemic, you could get one for 600 or 700 baht just about anywhere and get a SIM card with it. You could buy more minutes at local 7 -11s. I only need a mobile phone while I'm in town. Not looking for an android or IPhone like I use in the USA.  Are these types of cell phones still available in Pattaya?

Edited June 29, 2022 by Sexyfarangman

[FROST MEDIC999]

7/11 sell them as does Central festival Terminal 21 Tukcom just make sure you have your passport when buying one.

 

Costs from less than 1000 and up

[Sexyfarangman]

1 hour ago, FROST MEDIC999 said:

7/11 sell them as does Central festival Terminal 21 Tukcom just make sure you have your passport when buying one.

 

Costs from less than 1000 and up

I didn't eee them at Tukcom or Central Festival. Are you saying that 7/11 sells cell phones? I've never seen them there.

[Dutcher]

2 hours ago, Sexyfarangman said:

Not looking for an android or IPhone

Sounds like you are looking for a really simple “dumb” phone. Don’t recall seeing those on sale in Pattaya. Maybe a very cheap Android is an option?

[Bonkabit]

1 hour ago, Sexyfarangman said:

I didn't see them at Tukcom 

From Pattaya Tai (south) Road entrance take the escalator up one floor. (Or is it two floors?)

Lots of phones for sale including used ones.

I bought a Samsung there, pre-owned, worked perfectly.

[FROST MEDIC999]

5 hours ago, Sexyfarangman said:

I didn't eee them at Tukcom or Central Festival. Are you saying that 7/11 sells cell phones? I've never seen them there.

Yes

[OKAY]

7/11 across street from Friendship Market on Soi South Rd; they have a large sign out front advertising several different cell phones. Cheap enough to throw away at the end of your trip or use as a tip.

[Sexyfarangman]

8 hours ago, Dutcher said:

Sounds like you are looking for a really simple “dumb” phone. Don’t recall seeing those on sale in Pattaya. Maybe a very cheap Android is an option?

They were very easy to purchase pre-pandemic. They weren't androids or IPhones, but the simple flip phones that were popular around 2010. I remember they were available everywhere.

[Sexyfarangman]

3 hours ago, OKAY said:

7/11 across street from Friendship Market on Soi South Rd; they have a large sign out front advertising several different cell phones. Cheap enough to throw away at the end of your trip or use as a tip.

Thanks for that information. I'll take a look at it.

[Sexyfarangman]

8 hours ago, Bonkabit said:

From Pattaya Tai (south) Road entrance take the escalator up one floor. (Or is it two floors?)

Lots of phones for sale including used ones.

I bought a Samsung there, pre-owned, worked perfectly.

Were you able to use a SIM card for the Samsung?

[Dutcher]

24 minutes ago, Sexyfarangman said:

They were very easy to purchase pre-pandemic. They weren't androids or IPhones, but the simple flip phones that were popular around 2010. I remember they were available everywhere.

What year did you last see them? I know what you mean, but I think that it’s possible that they (almost) stopped selling them.

[Farangkie]

1 hour ago, Sexyfarangman said:

They were very easy to purchase pre-pandemic. They weren't androids or IPhones, but the simple flip phones that were popular around 2010. I remember they were available everywhere.

The 2 phones below are on Lazada, but Iv'e seen both of them for sale in Tucom, but don't know the prices there.

 

[Bonkabit]

14 hours ago, Sexyfarangman said:

Were you able to use a SIM card for the Samsung?

Yes. The selling booth installed the SIM and checked it worked correctly.

Forget the price now - it was a few years ago - but not a lot.

Just go there, have a look and haggle mildly to get a bit off opening asking price.

How to top up when credit runs out? Go back to Tukcom or into a 7-11 store.

I had TG GF who did all this for me but it was so easy I could actually have done it myself!

[Sexyfarangman]

14 hours ago, Dutcher said:

What year did you last see them? I know what you mean, but I think that it’s possible that they (almost) stopped selling them.

I last saw them in 2019.

[Arnie85]

7/11 don’t sell cell phones.