New Phone Purchase in Thailand

[Rc2702]

Been using a Samsung A7 for nearly 3 years and it's on it's last legs.

 

Got another new Samsung about 6 months ago on a UK contract that lasted 5 weeks.

 

I'm ready to explore the Thai Market for a phone. I have read good reports on lesser brands such as xiaomi. 

 

If a new phone can give me 12-18 months of continual smooth operation I'd be pleased.

 

I use the phone for

Surfing web

Typing content such as this

Skype app

Regular phone calls

Whatsapp

 

That's it really.

 

So has anyone got a phone they are very happy with and purchased it in thailand and the cost/name of this device and any other info?

 

Dual sim would be great.

 

I like Android OS.

 

 

[mtls2005]

Budget? Size of screen?
What is specifically causing the "leg" issue with your A7? 

That model does have a large-ish screen (5.7"?). Do you require something larger than 5.5?

Personally, I'd just visit a shop or three and check out the models on offer.

Why not get a 2017 version of the A7?

 

For a bit more (15,000 - 16,900 w/ warranty; 13,200 without warranty) you could get a Samsung C9 Pro.

 

 

[Rc2702]

Just now, mtls2005 said:

Budget? Size of screen?
What is specifically causing the "leg" issue with your A7? 

That model does have a large-ish screen (5.7"?). Do you require something larger than 5.5?

Personally, I'd just visit a shop or three and check out the models on offer.

Why not get a 2017 version of the A7?

 

For a bit more (15,000 - 16,900 w/ warranty; 13,200 without warranty) you could get a Samsung C9 Pro.

 

 

Thanks but I'm after first hand feedback of lesser known brands in thailand such as xiaomi etc.

 

I seen some good reports before on here so if a user has had a phone which they purchased in thailand under the 10k baht range which has served them well. I'm looking to hear from you.

 

 I just need a decent phone to last me a year to 18 as I then can get a brand new free phone with my existing UK contract. 

 

Similar size to A7. Cause of A7 demise - Old Age.

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Xiaomi recently launched a couple of new phones in Thailand - http://tech.thaivisa.com/xiaomi-launches-two-mid-range-smartphones-thailand/23792/

 

While not a lesser known brand, one which is perhaps often overlooked is Motorola. It's Moto C Plus 4,290thb, Moto E4 Plus - 5,990 THB and Moto G5 Plus  - 9,990 THB are all great value, have good batteries and run near stock Android.

 

Again perhaps not that unknown but the Asus Zenfone series is also popular. Aim for one of their higher end models and look out for the battery and you should be ok. 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Check out the display phones in shops like TG Phone. These are demo phones, but usually in very good condition. Two weeks ago I was able to pick up Huawei P9 which retails for around 12,990 baht for 6,990. Awesome phone with awesome Leica dual camera.

 

Like you, I like to buy cheaper Android and, so if there is an accident and I break the phone it's no big loss. 

 

 

[steve187]

Asus, i have a Zenfone 6, 2 years old, still as good as new, my wife has the Zenfone 2 laser 6 inch ( ZE601KL) about a year old still working good

[Jeffrey346]

Check the new Nokia line. I got a low end one for my son [B3790] and quite impressed with the quality. 

B4-18000 I'm sure you will find one that meets your needs..

[martin26]

My Xaiomi Redmi Note 3 is about a year old now paid about 6000bht very pleased with it great value for money. Wife has a Huawei GR5 2017 about 7000bht really great phone

[travelerjim]

I recently purchased the OPPO r 9s plus smartphone from AIS.

 

Got a great purchase price of 11,900...

Now it's 12,900 on AIS Store

https://store.ais.co.th/en/

And it's loaded with many features including 6GB Ram, Android dual SIM card phone. 

 

This is my second time owning OPPO and very pleased with it.

 

http://www.oppo.com/th/smartphone-r9s-plus

 

I bought mine from the AIS store in the Central Festival Mall in Pattaya.

Edited September 27, 2017 by travelerjim
Update Price at AIS

[hansnl]

Always have, and had, midrange Acer mobiles.

Sorry Acer is withdrawing from the midrange smartphones.

Always used them for two years, then bought a new Acer.

Last one I bought was the Liquid X2, 3-sim S59, 15 months ago, no hiccups, no problems.

Think will replace this one with a Nokia midrange phone.

[Grusa]

I was very happy with my Oppo, but my Vivo V3 is even better, about ฿6000. Probably they have newer models now, I've had it a year or so.

[GordonP]

I have been happy with the ASTON range. Made in Thailand and easily able to return for repairs etc. (My experience of and a downside to a lesser known less expensive brand is the ability to get a repair at IT Mall). My current model (4G LTE) I have had since March 2015. Sent back for a new screen very early in its life because I dropped it and just considering a new battery. The downside is the relatively small 4GB memory although I run a 16GB micro SD (DID not like a 32GB card at all but I read that is more an Android issue than the manufacturer).

We have another ASTON "Pro" which is also dual sim and we use for holidays and as a spare. Very happy with that, a later, faster model but with smaller screen and in fairness it doesn't get the use of my model.

All available via Lazada online.

 

TGF on the other hand will never be sepertaed from her Samsung, although I have found repairs to be numerous and expensive.

Edited September 27, 2017 by GordonP

[timendres]

Many shops will have new "branded" (typically AIS or DTAC) Android phones for 1,900 baht or less. These phones are usually sporting one or two year old specs and operating systems, but I have found that for the money they are fabulous phones.

[Surasak]

23 hours ago, Rc2702 said:

Been using a Samsung A7 for nearly 3 years and it's on it's last legs.

 

Got another new Samsung about 6 months ago on a UK contract that lasted 5 weeks.

 

I'm ready to explore the Thai Market for a phone. I have read good reports on lesser brands such as xiaomi. 

 

If a new phone can give me 12-18 months of continual smooth operation I'd be pleased.

 

I use the phone for

Surfing web

Typing content such as this

Skype app

Regular phone calls

Whatsapp

 

That's it really.

 

So has anyone got a phone they are very happy with and purchased it in thailand and the cost/name of this device and any other info?

 

Dual sim would be great.

 

I like Android OS.

 

 

Try the Asus Laser 4. Around 12000baht maybe less. Good touch screen. Good camera easy to use for internet, Skype and whatsapp. Had mine 18 months with no prolems

[jay1980]

I have had this Lenovo phone for nearly a year and am very happy with it, good spec, good battery life compared to the Motorola smart phone I was using before, camera is better than my Thai partners iPhone 6+ which cost way more money.

 

Bought it in Jaymart, and it is now on promotion for 5990 baht.

 

http://www.jaymart.co.th/productdes1.asp?proID=9702

 

Lenovo are a big enough company to have a customer service network in Thailand should you have any issues.

 

http://www3.lenovo.com/th/th/contact/

 

 

 

[The Deerhunter]

Just released right now in Thailand.  Samsung J7+.  There are several J7s.  This one is J7Plus!!!  It has it all for under 13k.  or. LG V20 on Lazada 13 to 16k.  Removable battery.  Both above phones have dual lens camera.  Also Anything Huawei or Xiaomi are class acts.   Just select by the features you like.

[realenglish1]

5 hours ago, travelerjim said:

I recently purchased the OPPO r 9s plus smartphone from AIS.

 

Got a great purchase price of 11,900...

Now it's 12,900 on AIS Store

https://store.ais.co.th/en/

And it's loaded with many features including 6GB Ram, Android dual SIM card phone. 

 

This is my second time owning OPPO and very pleased with it.

 

http://www.oppo.com/th/smartphone-r9s-plus

 

I bought mine from the AIS store in the Central Festival Mall in Pattaya.

I will also say OPPO is a good brand Very well supported locally and Good quality for little money

[Jonmarleesco]

Vivo. Chinese, but even so, not a bad buy, and not very expensive for the quality and functionality.

[Jonmarleesco]

19 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

I will also say OPPO is a good brand Very well supported locally and Good quality for little money

Very well supported? It took my son and me three days to track down their service centre in Rama 9. We eventually had to take a lift in one building, walk out and onto a flat roof, across to the adjacent building, and down one floor, to find Oppo the only company on that floor, and fitted into cubby hole. Presumably, they didn't want to be found.

[Grumpy Duck]

I previously had an Oppo Joy POS. Only 4gigs ram and the OS took nearly 3 gigs. But at ฿3200 I got what I paid for. Could not install Line or any apps as memory is full, (not even installing to SD card). I just lost the phone somewhere and looking for a replacement. I have had the best luck with my (US locked) iPhone 6plus using wifi and magicjack. I notice most of the newer androids only have 3gigs ram now. I found several refurbished iPhone 6 plusses 64gb for around ฿13,000 on Lazada (with warranties) the mushroom or newer android os may be better than the oppo color os. 

I understand many Thais love Samsung, due to previous support issues with samsung I refuse to use any of their products. 

(Yes, a stubborn duck as well as grumpy)

[DogNo1]

There are lots of inexpensive phones around so choose whichever one suits your fancy.  I usually wait for Power Buy in Central Chidlom to mark down one of their phones.  Last year, I bought an ASUS Zenphone 6 there but have forgotten the price.  I like it a little better than my iPhone 6 Plus.  I'm now in California and planned to bring my Experia 3 to use here but since it won't go any higher than Android 5, the present version of Skype wouldn't install, so I ended up bringing my iPhone.  One factor to consider is that phones, tablets and computers become obsolete after a while and won't run the latest OS and applications.  In the future I plan to buy the latest and best model of each that I can afford.  I recently bought an MSI Cheyenne Pro laptop with an i7-7707 Proc and an Nvidia 1060 GPU.  I hope that it will last me for 6+ years.  I will soon be giving away two Viao laptops that were great machines for their time which has now passed.

[Jonathan Fairfield]

If the OP is in Bangkok he should go to the Thailand mobile expo this weekend: http://www.thailandmobileexpo.com/en/

 

[hatewaitin]

On 9/26/2017 at 3:37 PM, Rc2702 said:

Been using a Samsung A7 for nearly 3 years and it's on it's last legs.

 

Got another new Samsung about 6 months ago on a UK contract that lasted 5 weeks.

 

I'm ready to explore the Thai Market for a phone. I have read good reports on lesser brands such as xiaomi. 

 

If a new phone can give me 12-18 months of continual smooth operation I'd be pleased.

 

I use the phone for

Surfing web

Typing content such as this

Skype app

Regular phone calls

Whatsapp

 

That's it really.

 

So has anyone got a phone they are very happy with and purchased it in thailand and the cost/name of this device and any other info?

 

Dual sim would be great.

 

I like Android OS.

 

 

Xiaomi are excellent.  I am using one right now to write this post.  It is a Remi4 with a deci processor.  I think K it's every bit as good as any.  2 things I have found that I don't like. The dictionary like to take over what you write. And because the screen has a bevelled edge a hardened glass protector doesn't go right to the edge and the protector can break easier than normal.

[Rc2702]

Thanks for these first hand experiences chaps. I am not in bkk but I have listed all phones on a piece of paper and will shortly be visiting the phone sellers. 

 

Skype has saved me at least £140 in less than 2 months so this is my main concern. Compatibility mow and later to this App is crucial to my needs.

 

 

 

 

[Pdavies99]

On 26/09/2017 at 7:07 AM, Rc2702 said:

Been using a Samsung A7 for nearly 3 years and it's on it's last legs.

 

Got another new Samsung about 6 months ago on a UK contract that lasted 5 weeks.

 

I'm ready to explore the Thai Market for a phone. I have read good reports on lesser brands such as xiaomi. 

 

If a new phone can give me 12-18 months of continual smooth operation I'd be pleased.

 

I use the phone for

Surfing web

Typing content such as this

Skype app

Regular phone calls

Whatsapp

 

That's it really.

 

So has anyone got a phone they are very happy with and purchased it in thailand and the cost/name of this device and any other info?

 

Dual sim would be great.

 

I like Android OS.

 

 

Lenovo K6 really great  5000 baht, but hard to find, as sold out most places, except Big C, Pattaya Klang who had a large stock. (Dual SIM)

Quoted as a best buy for lower priced android phones on many comparison sites.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Pdavies99

[prettyawsm]

Check out nubia phones. The best phone so far that i could find for its price. Bought it off lazada for 10k and willing to sell you cheaper if you keen, as i just bought while was waiting for asus. I know it comes to one's tastes and preferences but IMO, it's the most beautiful phone so far as well.  

[doodle]

I bought a Flash Plus 2 (originally branded Alcatel) from Lazada in February this year. 5.5" screen, Octa core, decent cameras, 32gb onboard memory, memory card slot, dual SIM, 3gb RAM and Android 6. 

So far, best phone I've ever bought and it only cost just over 5000 baht with accessory pack (screen protector, earphones etc). 4100 baht for just phone. 

Edited September 27, 2017 by doodle
Added extra information

[2008bangkok]

Can't go wrong with Xiaomi, IV had 4 of them, current one redmi pro is.solid, been researching extensively and my next phone will be an Xiaomi MI5x around 220 dollars solid battery, great camera and will serve the purpose for the next year or so.

[tutsiwarrior]

if yer not in BKK I've found the selection of cheap phones at lazada.com to be convenient out here in the boonies; zenfone, xiaomi, huawei, cash on delivery, etc...

 

I'm not too picky as I bought my first smartphone last Dec and only use it for phone calls, SMS and the camera...I got a full feature laptop on the go at home most of the time and it's my 'primary device'...I fire up the smartphone wireless infrequently only to see if there are any OS updates, etc...

 

my cheap huawei (2/16 with 32GB card) is currently running android 6 with no apparent facility to upgrade to android 7...what's this about devices becoming obsolete (outdated and unsupported OS and etc)?

 

 

[sandyf]

A few months back I got a TP Link Neffos C5 from Lazada at 3800 Baht. Ticks all the boxes and particularly as it has a replaceable battery.