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Mobile phone in thailand


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I have been researching this for a bit and I guess I just need a really dumbed down set of instructions and what certain things do. I read things like you need to get a sim card when you get over there and airtime is cheap. What the heck is a sim card and what does it do? Do I get a local thai phone number? are there roaming charges? Are there disposable phones available in Thailand? Is one service better than the other? I don't want to get ripped off and don't want to give any girls my real phone number...

 

My upcoming trip I plan to get one for those "just in case" situations. I'll be in Pattaya for probably 14 days and BKK for 3 days. I don't know where to begin to get a temporary phone to use in Thailand. I would greatly appreciate instructions - where to go, what to get, if there are choices on things which ones are better...

 

any help on this is greatly appreciated.

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Well if your starting off in Pattaya the best place to go is Tukcom which is located on Sth Pattaya rd right near Soi buakow market. If you cant find it ask hotel reception,they'll show you the whereabouts.

 

There's many many private dealers that sell the phone your looking for. I've seen (brand new) push button Nokia's for around 600b...you can go cheaper but i wouldn't go 2nd hand,it wont last.. but its up to you.

 

All the dealers sell sim cards...i go for the 1/2call pack which is 250b & contains 50b credit. To top up your credit just go to any 7/11...they have credit increments of 100b/300b/500b/1000b...you cant go wrong.

 

The only place i know of in BKK is MBK shopping mall...maybe some other BM can give you more info.

Edited by felix the cat
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If you are planning to travel internationally a lot, you could buy an unlocked quad-band GSM phone, either at home (perhaps on eBay) or in Thailand. "Unlocked" means that it is not locked to a single carrier. GSM is a worldwide standard for cell phone transmission (except in the USA where several carriers use a different system.) There are 4 different frequency bands supported by GSM, each carrier uses one or more of these frequencies, but it varies from country to country and carrier to carrier. Buying a quad band assures you that the phone will work on any carrier/country's GSM system. A SIM card looks like a SD memory card, but its purpose is to hold your phone number, the value of calling credits, and sometimes your contact list. You insert it in a little slot, often under the cell phone battery. Multiple SIM cards allow you to have multiple numbers. When in Pattaya, use a One-2 call SIM for a local Pattaya number. Travel to Berlin and buy a German T-mobile SIM; you've now got a local Berlin phone number. Come to the US and get an AT&T SIM and have a US number.

 

Most pre-paid SIM cards, especially in Thailand, have a certain number of minutes, depending on the price, and also have an expiration date (number days after activation.) If you re-charge the card, the expiration date is extended. This would only be important if you were planning on returning to Thailand (yes!!!) and you wanted to have the same phone number when you returned.

 

Probably more info than you needed. As Felix said - just walk over to Tukcom and they'll take care of you. There's dozens of cell phone stores inside the complex and a mind boggling array of phones to choose from. Decent and very inexpensive local food in the basement also.

tukcom1.jpg

tukcom2.jpg

tukcom3.jpg

tukcomfood.jpg

Edited by Touchagrey
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I bought a simple unlocked Samsung complete with Sim card and 110 Baht of credit for 850 Baht and only use it Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia. it's perfectly adequate as a phone and I can leave my expensive phone at home.

 

Edit ... That was in Tukcom.

Edited by Wifi king

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a ride!!"

:08:

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  • 3 weeks later...

If you are planning to travel internationally a lot, you could buy an unlocked quad-band GSM phone, either at home (perhaps on eBay) or in Thailand. "Unlocked" means that it is not locked to a single carrier. GSM is a worldwide standard for cell phone transmission (except in the USA where several carriers use a different system.) There are 4 different frequency bands supported by GSM, each carrier uses one or more of these frequencies, but it varies from country to country and carrier to carrier. Buying a quad band assures you that the phone will work on any carrier/country's GSM system. A SIM card looks like a SD memory card, but its purpose is to hold your phone number, the value of calling credits, and sometimes your contact list. You insert it in a little slot, often under the cell phone battery. Multiple SIM cards allow you to have multiple numbers. When in Pattaya, use a One-2 call SIM for a local Pattaya number. Travel to Berlin and buy a German T-mobile SIM; you've now got a local Berlin phone number. Come to the US and get an AT&T SIM and have a US number.

 

Most pre-paid SIM cards, especially in Thailand, have a certain number of minutes, depending on the price, and also have an expiration date (number days after activation.) If you re-charge the card, the expiration date is extended. This would only be important if you were planning on returning to Thailand (yes!!!) and you wanted to have the same phone number when you returned.

 

Probably more info than you needed. As Felix said - just walk over to Tukcom and they'll take care of you. There's dozens of cell phone stores inside the complex and a mind boggling array of phones to choose from. Decent and very inexpensive local food in the basement also.

tukcom1.jpg

tukcom2.jpg

tukcom3.jpg

tukcomfood.jpg

This place has been recommended to me several times in the last month by friends who live there and friends who just visit. It is going to be on top of my list of to do when I get there. I use hacked phones here in Vietnam, and I can't find out if they will work over in Thai or not. The phone I used for years from the States, V.N., Cambodia, and Pattaya was broken last year at Martinell having way too much fun...

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You need an unlocked GSM phone. They are everywhere in Thailand and your best bet is a Nokia for about 1,000 thb. Sim cards are your phone number. Since you can slide them in any Unlocked phone, you can easily swap phone numbers. You can buy a local number (sim card) at any 7-11. You also need to buy pre paid credit, which you can do at 7-11.

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Well if your starting off in Pattaya the best place to go is Tukcom which is located on Sth Pattaya rd right near Soi buakow market. If you cant find it ask hotel reception,they'll show you the whereabouts.

 

There's many many private dealers that sell the phone your looking for. I've seen (brand new) push button Nokia's for around 600b...you can go cheaper but i wouldn't go 2nd hand,it wont last.. but its up to you.

 

All the dealers sell sim cards...i go for the 1/2call pack which is 250b & contains 50b credit. To top up your credit just go to any 7/11...they have credit increments of 100b/300b/500b/1000b...you cant go wrong.

 

The only place i know of in BKK is MBK shopping mall...maybe some other BM can give you more info.

 

 

If you are planning to travel internationally a lot, you could buy an unlocked quad-band GSM phone, either at home (perhaps on eBay) or in Thailand. "Unlocked" means that it is not locked to a single carrier. GSM is a worldwide standard for cell phone transmission (except in the USA where several carriers use a different system.) There are 4 different frequency bands supported by GSM, each carrier uses one or more of these frequencies, but it varies from country to country and carrier to carrier. Buying a quad band assures you that the phone will work on any carrier/country's GSM system. A SIM card looks like a SD memory card, but its purpose is to hold your phone number, the value of calling credits, and sometimes your contact list. You insert it in a little slot, often under the cell phone battery. Multiple SIM cards allow you to have multiple numbers. When in Pattaya, use a One-2 call SIM for a local Pattaya number. Travel to Berlin and buy a German T-mobile SIM; you've now got a local Berlin phone number. Come to the US and get an AT&T SIM and have a US number.

 

Most pre-paid SIM cards, especially in Thailand, have a certain number of minutes, depending on the price, and also have an expiration date (number days after activation.) If you re-charge the card, the expiration date is extended. This would only be important if you were planning on returning to Thailand (yes!!!) and you wanted to have the same phone number when you returned.

 

Probably more info than you needed. As Felix said - just walk over to Tukcom and they'll take care of you. There's dozens of cell phone stores inside the complex and a mind boggling array of phones to choose from. Decent and very inexpensive local food in the basement also.

tukcom1.jpg

tukcom2.jpg

tukcom3.jpg

tukcomfood.jpg

 

Was wondering about this, great post, I'll be wandering down to Soi Buakow then in about 4 weeks time YAY!!

DIEU ET MON DROIT

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I just go to 7/11 buy 12call and the person working there sorts me out,however last. Time etihad gave usfree sim after flight

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