Mobile internet in Thailand: What is the best option?

Many travelers describe Thailand as a paradise country, due to its beautiful beaches and views. So if you will be traveling to this country soon, to take a vacation or simply for work, then you must be wondering how you will get cellular internet in Thailand. It is very common to worry about our internet connection while we are traveling since it is the main way to remain in contact with friends and family. 

So today we have taken it upon ourselves to answer this common question of travelers, how to have cellular internet on your trip to Thailand. We will be telling you about the different alternatives that exist, so you can choose the best option for you. Read on to discover all the alternatives!

Mobile internet in Thailand

Maintaining an internet connection on your travels is important as you will need it to keep in touch with family, friends, and work. You will also need it to look up directions to your hotel, and restaurants or simply order a cab, among many other things.

Nowadays it is very easy to get options to have cellular internet in Thailand, you can choose from a list of alternatives, which have different features and prices, so you can choose the one that best aligns with your needs. So through this article, we will be explaining to you the following 5 options to acquire an internet connection during your trip:

• Prepaid SIM card 
• eSIM cards 
• International roaming 
• Pocket WiFi
• Free WiFi

Thailand internet providers

Next we will start talking about each of the above-mentioned alternatives, along with the internet providers with which you can acquire their service to have cellular internet in Thailand. We will discuss the costs of each option, their general features, and even their advantages and disadvantages. Read on to learn more about it!

Prepaid SIM Card for Thailand 

An International SIM card will always be one of your best bets to stay connected to the Internet during your trip. Similar to your cell phone, a Thailand SIM card, with light in size and easy to use, is made to give you high quality Internet. 

This option tends to be somewhat inexpensive and easy to use. Also, there are several different ways to purchase one, either before your trip, or through an online store. We like to recommend Holafly store for their great service. On the other hand, you can also purchase your SIM card once you arrive in Thailand, through physical stores of local operators such as AIS, Dtac and True Move. 

AIS Traveler SIM card

This operator, well known in Thailand, offers a SIM card that offers data service for travelers. With this SIM card, you can have 4G and 5G connections. Through their website, you can find information about their SIM for your trip.

Dtac Toursti SIM Card

At the same time, the DTAC operator offers good quality coverage. However, it is important to keep in mind that it is designed for travelers, their SIM card is called Happy tourist SIM, and they offer different plan options. 

True Move H Tourist SIM card 

This operator is well known in the country and its cards can even be found at the airport. However, in this case, it is better to bring it from your country and not put yourself at risk while you are at the airport.

Holafly’s SIM card for Thailand

On the other hand, we have Holafly, a virtual store with which you can purchase your SIM card before starting your trip, so you will have cellular internet once you arrive in Thailand. Here are the prices of the different Holafly SIM card plans for Thailand: 

Now, we will now inform you about the advantages and disadvantages of the SIM card in Thailand.

Advantages of the Holafly SIM card for Thailand 

• With this SIM card you will have a phone number with which you can receive free calls. 
• You’ll have customer service 24 hours a day with the Holafly team, in different languages. 
• It is very easy to install, as you only have to place the SIM card on your phone. 
• You will have the possibility to share data. 
• You can receive your SIM for free and it will arrive in 72 business hours.

Disadvantages of the Holafly SIM card for Thailand

• You cannot make calls or send SMS.
• You can only use cellular data with this device.

International eSIM for traveling to Thailand

An International eSIM is a digital SIM that allows you to activate a cellular data plan from a service provider without having to use a physical nano-SIM. These virtual cards are very easy to acquire quickly from anywhere in the world.

Also, with eSIM for Thailand, you can keep your original phone number, as you phone becomes a dual SIM phone, you can share data and it is very easy to set up. These cards are a great advantage, as you will have internet access as soon as you arrive in Thailand, so you won’t have any problems requesting services over the internet.

Holafy’s eSIM for Thailand

If you would like to purchase one of these eSIMs, we recommend that you do so through Holafly’s official website, choose the eSIM Thailand fill in the purchase form, and in a couple of minutes, they will send you a QR code to activate the card. These are the characteristics of the eSIM plans for Thailand: 

Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages that you will get with this device.

Advantages of the Holafly eSIM for Thailand

• You purchase and immediately receive a QR code to activate the data plan.
• If you need to use your physical SIM card at the same time, it is also possible with this eSIM from Thailand.
• You can keep your WhatsApp number, then you can continue to use this app.
• Cellular data sharing is possible with this eSIM card.
• Holafly’s eSIM uses the Dtac network, one of Thailand’s leading phone operators. 

Some disadvantages of Holafly’s eSIM Thailand

• It is not a toppable eSIM.
• It’s an eSIM for cellular data only.
• It has a specific expiration date, not extendable.
• It does not have its own number, so it is not possible to make calls or SMS.
• Another important aspect to take into consideration is that not all cell phones are compatible with eSIM technology.

Roaming in Thailand with your local operator

Many travelers today still prefer to use their local carrier’s international roaming while traveling. The advantage of this option is that it is as easy to use. Just activate the roaming option or contact your operator to activate it. However, the disadvantage of it is that it can be quite expensive. 

The reason why roaming is so expensive is that you will usually be charged per MB or GB used, so if you don’t keep track of your data usage, the bill at the end of your trip could be quite high. Below we will tell you about two famous operators, with which their users can activate international roaming in Thailand. 

T-Mobile USA

This company from the USA, allow their user to use its roaming service in Thailand. You will be charged $15 USD per MB. But if you are subscribed to the Simple Gold plans you could have unlimited text and 2G data at no extra cost.

Telstra

If you are a user from Telstra, then you’ll probably be able to use the International Roaming Day Pass, the price for this plan of 500MB of data plus unlimited calls and messages is $10 USD per day.  However, this plan is only compatible with Telstra cellular services on a postpaid plan. On the other hand, you could use the pay-as-you-go plan, the price of which varies depending on the destination but it is usually around $3 USD per MB.

Pocket Wifi for Internet in Thailand

A Pocket WiFi is a device that gives you, your own Wifi hotspot, which you can carry with you everywhere you go, and connect multiple devices to it. However, its price tends to be higher than the other options, as you will have to pay for the rental, plus shipping to your location, internet service, and sometimes an insurance for the device. 

Travelers WiFi is one of the oldest companies offering Pocket WiFi. The rental price for a week is $80,11 dollars, and the service is unlimited. The company offers to ship its equipment to any country in the world. However, there are price variations ranging from $4,55 to $34,09 USD depending on the country of destination. Finally, the company charges $159,08 dollars to those who lose their equipment. 

Cello Mobile is a company from the United States, for a week’s rental, the price for renting a Pocket WiFi is $104.93 dollars, regardless of the traveler’s destination, and the service is not completely unlimited. Shipping for Thailand can go up to 75 dollars.  The last thing to mention is the penalty imposed by the company in the event of losing one of its devices, which is 75 USD. 

Free WiFi

Last but not least, we bring you the cheapest alternative for cellular internet, since you won’t have to pay a single dime for it. We are talking about free WiFi. If you don’t have a big budget for good Internet service in Thailand, you can go to the free WiFi points that you will find in hotels, restaurants, and even shopping malls in this country. 

Although this option does not cost you any money, this would be an attractive rate if it were not for the fact that the connection you will access will not be quite ideal for things such as video calls, watching HD videos, or loading maps on Google Maps. In any case, accessing Wifi can help you perform simple tasks on your cellphone. Also, it is not a very secure option at all.