Renting a cell phone?

[superflydaman]

I'd like to get some numbers while I'm visiting, (in case I want to call one back for another go) is renting a cell phone a good idea? And where could I get one from?

Or are there any better ways to go about this?

[tony113]

Just buy one they are cheap enough. Most are dual sim card, so you can have two numbers, if you need to. personally i don't carry a phone on holiday, i leave it in the safe, and turn it on once a day to check any messages.

[superflydaman]

If I bring an old phone from here could I just plug in a sim card from over there?

[tony113]

Sure if it's unlocked. Like i said you can buy one for a few pounds, they are so cheap in Thailand.

[gullible]

If you have an unlocked phone , you could just buy a local sim at the airport just as you come thru , not expensive . Choices are ; Dtec one2call , orange

[Nom-in-Thailand]

I bought a basic Samsung for 900 baht last trip, did for calls and text.. its a gold mind for me! Full of BGs phone numbers who i did and didn't go with.

[marko456]

A basic Nokia is 900B, sim card 100 to 300B, more money has more time. Recharge with time at any 7-11 100B at a time.......

So why would you rent one ? unless your only coming for a couple of days/week. Then it might make more sense....

 

Don't even think of renting one at the airport....

 

I have had the same phone/simm now for 18 months......

Just my .02 satang

Mark

 

PS Just ask your first BG you have LT to take you to TUK.com, Tesco, BigC etc and you will be hooked up.

[On Borrowed Time]

Like everyone else has said, either bring an old phone and get a simcard (20baht plus credit), or buy a cheap phone anywhere from 600Baht upwards.

 

Definitely AVOID renting one at the airport, just head to Tukcom on your first morning.

[Luv2Phuket]

If I bring an old phone from here could I just plug in a sim card from over there?

 

Depends on where "from here" is.

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think U.S./ phones will work in Thailand, even if unlocked.

[marko456]

Depends on where "from here" is.

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think U.S./ phones will work in Thailand, even if unlocked.

Correct, but the newer "World" phones will work, at a much higher cost. The basic thai and usa cell systems are not compatible

[superflydaman]

Looks like I'll just be buying a cheap one when I arrive.

How many minutes does 100 bht get you? I'm not used to the system

[donjuan0609]

Looks like I'll just be buying a cheap one when I arrive.

How many minutes does 100 bht get you? I'm not used to the system

 

Once you've got the phone. Buy a 1-2 Call (AIS) SIM card.

 

That 100 baht SIM card will have 50 Baht of credit on it which will get used up at 2 baht 1st minute and .50 baht to 1 baht per minute after.

In essence, you'll get 25 calls off the initial 50 baht credit

 

Ask the person who sold the SIM card to load up another 100 baht on the number for you.

Get to an internet connection and go to from this link: http://www.ais.co.th/12call/en/index.html

Login to your phone's account and signup for the 20 Hour Buffet for 69 baht a week.

That gives you unlimited calls from 10 PM to 6 PM the next day, the hours of 6 PM to 10 PM each night are charged at your SIM cards normal rates, which should be 2 Baht 1st min and whatever each min after that.

 

Each week just load up 50 baht into your phone and between the initial overage and 50 baht credit you should be able to at that rate of loading for 3 weeks before you have to put in a full 100 baht again.

 

The bigger cost I find is spending all your credit on SMS back and forth between the girls and buds, which runs at 2 Baht per SMS. Which of course there are packages for that too.

 

If that was confusing, PM me and I'll try to explain better.

[xmirs]

I have a tru move sim when im over. Cant remember the exact name of it buts one that deals with international calls aswell so you can still call home for 1B a minute(depending on where you call home price varies)

[poco loco]

Correct, but the newer "World" phones will work, at a much higher cost. The basic thai and usa cell systems are not compatible

Sorry incorrect,have been coming to patts for a few years and never had a problem with the older "dumb" phones.just get it unlocked.However will prabably have a problem with my droid as it has no sim .

[Luv2Phuket]

Correct, but the newer "World" phones will work, at a much higher cost. The basic thai and usa cell systems are not compatible

 

 

Don't count on a "World" phone necessarily working. Verizon assured me that my BlackBerry "World Edition" would work when I was there, but I never got it to work. It was basically nothing more than an alarm clock!

 

My business partner at the time had a trip right about the same time to Taiwan, and was assured by Verizon that his Smartphone would work there. Exact same thing -- never got it to work.

 

I ended up buying a cheap Thai phone that I plan to take back with my in November.

[forqalso]

Correct, but the newer "World" phones will work, at a much higher cost. The basic thai and usa cell systems are not compatible

I don't know about that. I bought a cheap Thai phone with dual SIM cards. When I got back to California, my ATT SIM went in one slot and worked fine. My wife's US phone works fine in Thailand, too.