Best way to use mobile phone in Thailand...?

Question

Hi, I will be visiting Thailand mostly for about 12-14 days in January. I may also visit Vietnam....I've heard "various" opinions regarding how to best use a cell phone while on vacation. Currently, I have Sprint, but am wondering if there's a better way to utilize a cell phone (that I will primarily use locally) while in Bangkok and Thailand. I don't believe my current Sprint phone (Sanyo) is SIM equipped. Any ideas on exactly how to go about this...(I don't mind paying a little more for the best method) would be appreciated. Thanks so much!!

Answer 1

It's pretty easy to see if your phone has a SIM card -- open it up, pull out the battery, and you should see a small thin IC-type card, about half the size of a postage stamp.

If that's the case, you're in luck. You can buy a Thai SIM card right at the airport 7-11, stick it in the phone, follow the English instructions provided, and you're up and running in about 5 minutes - and only 300 baht poorer.

If not -- well, you'll have to call Sprint, but I seriously doubt you'll be able to use them as a service provider in SE Asia, and if you were, it frightens me to think how much it would cost!

Another option - if you don't have a SIM-type cell phone -- is to head down to MBK shopping center, opposite Siam Square. Go to the 4th and 5th floors - and choose from thousands of phones, including used ones that start at around 50 bucks US. Then sell it back to someone at the guesthouse or airport just before you head back home.

Or - better still - why don't you try cutting the cord, DON'T use a mobile for a couple of weeks, and really try to relax! :)

Best of luck!

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

Brand new cheapeast nokia is 2000 baht, less than 50 usd.
Just use a local sim card (100 baht) and call abroad using 009 before the number you call, it's 7 baht a minute!

Answer 4

If you cant unlock your phone from your country, you can buy a cheap used phone (old nokia etc.) in Thailand, and then buy a sim card. used phone and sim card should be about $35 USD. Then use top-up cards from the phone company. I like 1-2-Call.

Answer 5

Please check whether your current mobile phone is tribrand, or check with your local vendor whether the phone can be used in southeast asia (GSM, 1800).

1. if your phone can be used, then take it with you, if not then you have to either rent or buy new phone. Recommend to buy second hand phone (basic phone may cost 1000 - 2000 bht ..38 bht/usd). You can go to shopping mall (Mahr Boon Klong, and Central Pinklao, etc. ask the hotel for info.).

2. Buy local SIM card, prepay is better. The sim cost is ~ 99, 199, 300 bht depending on on promotions.

OrangeSim. 99 bht.. you can call 1 bht/hour to the same network from 11 pm. to 5 pm. 3 bht/min for 1st min and 1 bht. minutes after during 5 pm. - 11 pm.
you also can choose 2 bht/min. flat, or 1st min at 0.25 bht/min and 1.5 bht/min minutes after. etc.

DTAC, not much diff, (I can't remember its promotion but say 1.5 bht/min is a base rate)

GSM 1st min 3 bht, 2nd and 3rd min. 1bht/min. free from 4th min to 60th.

Please note promotions are changing from time to time but should not be much diff. in Jan.

Please also note that you can dial oversea from your prepaid phone by dial 009 (country code - area code-phone no.) to more than 40 countries in the world at 5 bht./min. If you dial 001 it wil be 10 bht/min..

You also can top up your phone by buying card at 7-11, gasoline stations etc. at the cost of 90, 100, 150, 300 bht. The no. of days will be extended per your top up value, 1 bht for 1 more day.. for example, top up 100 bht, you can use for 10 more days (on top of your balance.

whatelse you should know? Buy second hand mobile phone and sell it when leaving (you may tell the store that you are going to sell it back to them and ask for the price, they may give you 500 bht/ diff for buy/sell).

Answer 6

Buy a prepaid sim. Either One-two call or Detac will do. Get more details from the shop.