Has anyone purchased a SIM from a neighboring country? Is so, any problems using it in Thailand?

[JimmyJ]

The announcement of a special phone SIM for non-Thai citizens is alarming and not something I'm interested in accepting.

 

Rather than not travel to Thailand, was wondering if a neighboring country's SIM would be effective.

 

I've checked with my USA phone carrier but the rates are exorbitant [20 cents/minute; 2GB free data at a reduced speed or it may be free data at 2GB speed? either way it sounds useless; free texting (Wow)]

Edited November 8, 2017 by JimmyJ

[Crossy]

I thought that idea had "gone away".

 

Anyway, my Singapore and Malaysia visitors have no problem using their (roaming enabled) phones here. Charges are however "somewhat steep" and they make good use of free WiFi and Line. Actually, if you live in the conurbation there's likely enough free WiFi that (with a little planning) you could get away with no local SIM.

 

Way back when we first came to LoS my good lady got me a phone SIM in her name, I'm still using the same account (had a couple of new SIMs) and it's still registered in her name.

 

[tgeezer]

I use a sim in my host's name too. Because I am away for seven months I most of my expenses here are handled that way. I feel that I should change the account to my name in December to comply with the new law, can anybody see a problem with that?


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[Crossy]

53 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

I feel that I should change the account to my name in December to comply with the new law, can anybody see a problem with that?

As noted earlier, I must have missed this new law, "Tourist SIMs" were certainly mooted a while back but I've heard nothing much since.

 

Is it related to the (apparent) roll-out of biometrics for the registration of new SIMs?

 

I for one will not be doing anything, I will happily continue using my wife's phone (she has two others). I have a spare phone into which any special "Foreigner SIM" can be inserted, it's currently in a draw with a flat battery, where it will stay.

 

EDIT Here we go, does look like new SIMs only, buy early for Christmas.

 

 

[MaeJoMTB]

Wifi and 'Line' (Whatsapp,, Messenger, BeeTalk), why would anyone need a local SIM?

[Peterw42]

5 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

The announcement of a special phone SIM for non-Thai citizens

OP, can you elaborate on this ? AS I am sure many are unaware that this is the case, other than it was talked about before but not put into place.

To answer your question, any sim with global roaming should work, but at global roaming calling and data rates (and you pay for incoming calls).

Are you possibly confusing what are currently called "tourist sims", which is a marketing and branding term, not a specific non-thai sim.

Edited November 9, 2017 by Peterw42

[keeniau96]

Same as Crossy, my wife registered phone for me about 10 years ago, maybe longer. Still same.

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Way back when we first came to LoS my good lady got me a phone SIM in her name, I'm still using the same account (had a couple of new SIMs) and it's still registered in her name.

 

Thai wives and GFs may have more uses than previously thought.

 

On top of your SIM card registration, other board members use their GFs name to avoid speeding tickets:

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1008873-speeding-tickets/

 

[JimmyJ]

40 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, can you elaborate on this ? AS I am sure many are unaware that this is the case, other than it was talked about before but not put into place.

 

I came across a recent discussion of it in another forum, but perhaps they were incorrect and discussing an older article.

(I'll go back there and see if they cite a specific article and will post it here if so).

 

The biometrics is also not acceptable to me if that's referring to an iris scan or something like that.

Edited November 9, 2017 by JimmyJ

[JimmyJ]

1 hour ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Wifi and 'Line' (Whatsapp,, Messenger, BeeTalk), why would anyone need a local SIM?

 

I've heard of Whatsapp, but not Bee Talk - will look into both of those.

 

"Messenger" - which Messenger are you referring to?

 

And I take it that all of those 3 can make free VOIP calls from anywhere to anywhere?

 

I have a USA VOIP service which will allow me to call the US for free when abroad.

Need something when I'm in SE Asia to call within SE Asia, or at least within Thailand.

Edited November 9, 2017 by JimmyJ

[Crossy]

3 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

The biometrics is also not acceptable to me if that's referring to an iris scan or something like that.

Nah, that's way too high tech. As a foreigner it's a facial photo to compare with your passport. If you have a Thai ID it's a fingerprint scan to compare with the one stored in the smarts of your ID card.

 

[JimmyJ]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

 Charges are however "somewhat steep" and they make good use of free WiFi and Line. Actually, if you live in the conurbation there's likely enough free WiFi that (with a little planning) you could get away with no local SIM.

What is "Line"?

 

[conurbation - new word for me, had to look it up]

[Crossy]

Just now, JimmyJ said:

What is "Line"?

[conurbation - new word for me, had to look it up]

It's probably the most popular chat / call / video application in this part of the world.

 

https://line.me/en/

 

[MaeJoMTB]

24 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

 

I've heard of Whatsapp, but not Bee Talk - will look into both of those.

"Messenger" - which Messenger are you referring to?

And I take it that all of those 3 can make free VOIP calls from anywhere to anywhere?

I have a USA VOIP service which will allow me to call the US for free when abroad.

Need something when I'm in SE Asia to call within SE Asia, or at least within Thailand.

You need to be able to write Thai for BeeTalk.

Messenger as in Facebook messenger.

[Peterw42]

40 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

 

I've heard of Whatsapp, but not Bee Talk - will look into both of those.

 

"Messenger" - which Messenger are you referring to?

 

And I take it that all of those 3 can make free VOIP calls from anywhere to anywhere?

 

I have a USA VOIP service which will allow me to call the US for free when abroad.

Need something when I'm in SE Asia to call within SE Asia, or at least within Thailand.

There are literally 100s of voip apps available, so long as you have one on your device and the person you want to talk to has the same, you can talk. How you access the internet, via wifi or via cellular is irrelevant.

As others have said, LINE is the most widely used in Thailand, to the point that people dont exchange phone numbers they exchange LINE details. Messenger is the voip built into facebook.

Most people are on Facebook nowadays so messenger seems like the one most people (thai and US) would have access to.

This still leaves calling people who still have only have a plain old telephone, lots of voip apps (skype etc) will take you as close at they can to the party then complete the call using the local telephone network, that usually costs something as the phone call at the end needs to be payed for.

Edited November 9, 2017 by Peterw42

[wabear]

I think you need to figure out your needs first.

 

1) Do you want a Thai phone number that can work with anyone in Thailand? This gives you the most convenience. This also give you access to location based APPs. If so get a Thai SIM.

 

2) Are you trying to keep in contact with people back at home for emergencies? Turn on the international plan on your home phone number and ask your friends to text or email you while you are gone.

 

3) If it's OK to have access only while you are in your hotel room or shop that has free internet, get a WiFi tablet. You can check emails and use APPs such as Line, Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp, etc to chat or talk to your friends. Your friends would have to have the same APP installed on their phone or PC. I believe iPhone Facetime allows you to call iPhones from a WiFi in Thailand free. Facebook Messenger also works great over WiFi.

 

4) If you are worried about the new SIM, which apparently are for both Thai and Visitors, and would allow the Thai government to track you, well you will be photographed both entering and existing Thailand, and all hotels notify the local police when you check in.

 

For the average Visitor that wants the convenience of a Thai phone number, they are cheap. There will be times when internet will be iffy so signing up for a few GIG of data and your phone can drive your laptop while you check your emails.

[phuketrichard]

i have my thai sim(AIS post paid)  and use all the time,

'also have a Cambodia sim ( Metfone) and Burma sim ( MPT)

they both work as well here

[Ulic]

I have bought SIM cards at the airport on arrival in Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam,

but I only used them in those countries. I would not worry about the biometric

verification to buy a local Thai sim card. They will probably just scan it out of your

passport.

[Sydebolle]

My Lao SIM card works perfectly fine here in Thailand with reasonable roaming charges

[edwardflory]

When I see a post question like this, the first thing I wonder..WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO HIDE!

 

YOU CHOOSE to stay / visit this country, but some people  look for EVERY way to get around the "laws / regulations" of this country.  What wil happen if you get caught?  (  Article 44 is very nasty and can be used for anything!! )

 

Do I like ALL the things I am required to do to have a extended stay here....NO!!!!!

Do I do what is required to stay here....YES!!!!, because I choose to stay here and enjoy my life here free from the stress of elswhere. 

 

When I do the 90 day report ( and retirement extension of stay ), I have a folder with ALL my Imigration / housing paperwork with me, not always required, but have anyway - and do 4 / 5 days early..my girlfriend and a trusted expat friend have copies.  Its a two hour waste of time and stress in my opinion every 90 days, retirement """ visa""" every year a 2 day stress - done 30 days early, but required to comply with "regulations", so I do as required.

 

Comply with the law / regulations, YOU choose to 'make your bed' in this country!!  Respect this country!!!

 

~~~~~Sorry NOT, the Rants of a 72 year old~~~~~

 

Edited November 9, 2017 by edwardflory
spelling

[JimmyJ]

42 minutes ago, edwardflory said:

When I see a post question like this, the first thing I wonder..WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO HIDE!

 

 

"Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say.

 

 When you say, ‘I have nothing to hide,’ you’re saying, ‘I don’t care about this right.’ You’re saying, ‘I don’t have this right, because I’ve got to the point where I have to justify it.’ The way rights work is, the government has to justify its intrusion into your rights."

- Edward Snowden

 

 

Daniel J. Solove stated that a government can leak information about a person and cause damage to that person, or use information about a person to deny access to services even if a person did not actually engage in wrongdoing, and that a government can cause damage to one's personal life through making errors.^[3] Solove wrote "When engaged directly, the nothing-to-hide argument can ensnare, for it forces the debate to focus on its narrow understanding of privacy. But when confronted with the plurality of privacy problems implicated by government data collection and use beyond surveillance and disclosure, the nothing-to-hide argument, in the end, has nothing to say."^[3]

 

 

Julian Assange states: " Jacob Appelbaum (@ioerror) has a clever response, asking people who say this to then hand him their phone unlocked and pull down their pants.

 

My version of that is to say, 'well, if you're so boring then we shouldn't be talking to you, and neither should anyone else', but philosophically, the real answer is this: Mass surveillance is a mass structural change. When society goes bad, it's going to take you with it, even if you are the blandest person on earth."^[19]

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_to_hide_argument

 

Sorry not, as well.

 

`

Edited November 9, 2017 by JimmyJ

[edwardflory]

As I stated, """YOU"""" CHOOSE to stay / visit this country, but some people  look for EVERY way to get around the "laws / regulations" of this country.

 

Privacy IS a thing of our past, "private" companies share and collect any information we give ( as well as information from a variety of sources - be the information be true or FALSE ) to them with "others" for cash and etc.  We all know the huge data bases credit agencies have, and going back to birth, government(s) also have massive "files" on people.

 

There is basically NO privacy anymore.

 

Suppose I was a security agent / agency of ANY government ( any country ) and a FOREIGN SIM was in constant use in my country, do you think this would draw attention AND be closely monitored? ALL countries take the position of """Privacy be dammed""" when it comes to a nations security.

 

Think about it, a ~~Foreigner~~ constantly using a ~~Foreign Sim~~ in a ( ANY ) country, if you were a security agency, who would be looked ( conversations monitored ) at first, a 'registered' sim, or a "unregistered foreign sim" in constant use.

 

Take the hint!!!

[Lee4Life]

10 hours ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Wifi and 'Line' (Whatsapp,, Messenger, BeeTalk), why would anyone need a local SIM?

I'm no phone whiz...but how can you use those apps which all require internet without a sim? Or do you only make and receive calls when you are in range of your home wifi?

Edited November 9, 2017 by Lee4Life
spelling

[MaeJoMTB]

2 minutes ago, Lee4Life said:

I'm no phone whiz...but how can you use those apps which all require internet without a sim? Or do you only make and receive calls when you are in range of your home wifi?

 I'm in range of wifi most of my life, home, coffee shop, restaurant, bar they all have free wifi.

You just hand the waitress your phone, she then enters her name and phone number (for later) and the places wifi password.

[JimmyJ]

17 hours ago, Crossy said:

As noted earlier, I must have missed this new law, "Tourist SIMs" were certainly mooted a while back but I've heard nothing much since.

 

Is it related to the (apparent) roll-out of biometrics for the registration of new SIMs?

 

I for one will not be doing anything, I will happily continue using my wife's phone (she has two others). I have a spare phone into which any special "Foreigner SIM" can be inserted, it's currently in a draw with a flat battery, where it will stay.

 

EDIT Here we go, does look like new SIMs only, buy early for Christmas.

 

I looked at the posts on another site's forum which I'd seen discussing this last month. It turns out the article they linked was from summer 2016.

Glad that they've apparently dropped the idea, or at least have not implemented, a SIM only for non Thai citizens.

 

But I had also just read the "biometric checks" article you link to before I posted.

 

Showing ID when buying a SIM card I can deal with.

Being fingerprinted or iris scanned is not acceptable to me.

 

I don't see how every shop in the country selling SIMs will be able to have the equipment for the fingerprinting or even more so for the iris scans. (Unless the shops which sell SIMs is extremely restricted which doesn't seem to be the case as someone mentioned 7-11's sell them.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2017 by JimmyJ

[Crossy]

4 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

Being fingerprinted or iris scanned is not acceptable to me.

There is no iris scan and fingerprinting is only for holders of a Thai ID card. Foreigners will simply have their digitised photo verified against their passport, whether they will read the biometrics (which is still just a photo) in the passport is unclear at present.

 

[jphasia]

I have a pospaid AIS registered in my name years now as I live in Thailand. I have a Myanmar Simcard as I am working in Myanmar. Both cards work perfectly in both country (and any other countries) with their respected roaming. However, my phone (dual sim) is set on roaming data disable to avoid extra cost. So whenever i am in Thailand, my Myanmar simcard is able to receive calls, sms and keep any applications (Line, Whatsapp, viber, messenger...) online using either the mobile data from my Thai sim or wifi whenever available. It work the same when i am in Myanmar for my Thai sim.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[baneko]

Wifi and 'Line' (Whatsapp,, Messenger, BeeTalk), why would anyone need a local SIM?

No wifi? Need mobile data!

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SiSePuede419]

Why are you worried, if you got nothing to hide.

 

Oh. 

[Monomial]

Metfone from Cambodia. Sign up for roaming in Thailand.

 

Free incoming minutes. 10 cents per minute for outgoing calls to either Cambodia or Thailand. $2/month for unlimited internet.

 

Speed is very restricted though.