Extend the validity of a Thai sim card while not in Thailand

[sumrit]

I know you can get a Thai sim card switched on to roaming to enable you to receive messages etc but can you also further extend the validity of that sim card while you are not in Thailand?

 

I keep a friends sim card active here in Thailand to enable me to receive OTP's for him from his Thai bank when he want to do a transaction from the UK. But the maximum length of time I can extend the validity of the sim card for is 180 days at a time and I use the 'True *934*180# code to do this. I want to give him the sim card to use and receive his OTP's in the UK so, assuming there is more than enough available credit on the card can he increase that validity, as required, from the UK using the same code? 

 

Also, assuming he can do it, does anybody know what charges are incurred for receiving an MMS message while in the UK?  

[topt]

 

2 hours ago, sumrit said:

Also, assuming he can do it, does anybody know what charges are incurred for receiving an MMS message while in the UK?  

If you mean SMS then no charge for receiving an OTP

[mtls2005]

Personally, I maintain ~ 12 SIMs for friends and colleagues by topping up each number at a Boonterm machine with 10 baht (12 baht total with the 2 baht fee) each month, maintaining each at a max. validity of 366 days. So it's 144 per year, with a resulting 120 baht credit. The monthly top-up - I also maintain a pool of six or SIMs of my own for visitors - also addresses the need for activity in a 90 day period. These machines are everywhere (in front of every 7/11, inside BTS stations, etc.), easy to use.

 

 

He should be able to add value to his own pre-paid account when in the U.K. via a credit card, although the minimum value is 50 baht. On their web-site or via the iService app.

 

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/topup?ln=en

 

https://iservice.truecorp.co.th/

 

Yes, receiving SMSes, even when roaming internationally, are free.

 

 

 

[sfokevin]

Fwy... True’s validity can be extended to a maximum of 365 days... so you could use the True code *934*180# twice for 360 days...

[HampiK]

For topup you not even need the mobile to be in Thailand.

 

Option 1: you have internet banking and refill by internet topups.

Option 2: Someone in Thailand who know your number is toping it up for you.

 

For DTAC the easiest is, when you do in in bangkok for example at central world.. they have a machine, where you can refill 10 baht for 1 month extension (or 20 now i am not sure). So do this 12 times and you safe for 1 year.

[sumrit]

Thanks for the replies. I understand how to top up while here in Thailand, I do that with the card now (I prefer to do it using the *934*180# service). 

 

Using the mobile app and/or on line top up service to top up his credit is ideal but if I my mate has the sim in his phone in the UK does anybody know if he can use the *934*180# service to extend the validity from the UK? Does that code work directly from the UK or is there a country code for example that has to be added?

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, HampiK said:

For topup you not even need the mobile to be in Thailand.

 

Option 1: you have internet banking and refill by internet topups.

Option 2: Someone in Thailand who know your number is toping it up for you.

 

For DTAC the easiest is, when you do in in bangkok for example at central world.. they have a machine, where you can refill 10 baht for 1 month extension (or 20 now i am not sure). So do this 12 times and you safe for 1 year.

For AIS I would have given a similar answer.

AIS now wants 20 Baht/month extension by topup (240 Baht per year).

With the thousands of vending machines you can still topup 10 Baht but pay 3 Baht fee.

(just seen it's already described in post #3)

Everyone in Thailand can do that for any number.

No need for the mobile with SIM being on.

Edited March 1, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[sumrit]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

For AIS I would have given a similar answer.

AIS now wants 20 Baht/month extension by topup (240 Baht per year).

With the thousands of vending machines you can still topup 10 Baht but pay 3 Baht fee.

AIS Is still 2 baht per month when using the*934*180# option. I've just added another 180 minutes after sfokevin advised it was possible to extend for more than 6 months. 

 

But I don't want to extend the validity for him, I do that already with the card here with me, but then I have to be available to tell him the OTP via skype as and when his Thai bank send him one. But it's not always convenient to sit at the end of skype waiting. 

 

I want to know if he can use that extend validity code himself from the UK.

[mtls2005]

21 minutes ago, sumrit said:

I want to know if he can use that extend validity code himself from the UK.

 

Yes, assuming he has international roaming enabled and has a local roaming signal, then he can initiate USSD services like the "Prepaid Day" service while in the UK. He'll also need a balance to cover the fee, obviously.

 

 

There are three 'day packages' available:

 
30 days/ 2 baht dial * 934 * 30 # send
90 days / 6 baht dial * 934 * 90 # send
180 days / 12 baht to dial * 934 * 180 # send

[geisha]

Il have à Dtac number. Before I go back home, I put in a 100 +++ Baht, and it’s  good for 365  days, been doing this for years. 

[Cricky]

You can pay top up over the internet and be located anywhere in the world with your credit card. I pay through A AIS and on occasions Lazada.

[edwardflory]

Keep it simple:

 

Top-up thru your bank application,

3-5 seconds to process, a receipt saved to your mobile gallery ...  target cell number also notified, you can also use the APK in a foreign country.

 

You can also / maybe ( I can on mine ) set the application to automatically top-up on a certain date... I use this methodology.

 

OR (AIS) Top-up 20bt 6 different times / days a month for 2 months and service is good for 1 year from →last← top-up date ( or 20bt x's 12 days in a month )

 

or use a online provider at a premium cost and loss of minutes

Edited March 2, 2018 by edwardflory
spelling

[pby92]

You can use tawagpinas.com for top up any prepaid sim from any country 

[Yme]

Activate international roaming and buy a bunch of prepaid top up scratchies and add them each month as needed. No charge for updating by UDD from anywhere in the world. If he runs out of pre-paid coupons you cna always buy them here and send him the numbers.

 

[sumrit]

4 hours ago, Yme said:

Activate international roaming and buy a bunch of prepaid top up scratchies and add them each month as needed. No charge for updating by UDD from anywhere in the world. If he runs out of pre-paid coupons you cna always buy them here and send him the numbers.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. That's probably the best option so far for extending the validity.

 

I finally found somebody in the True shop who understood what I was asking today. But then he wasn't sure whether the *934*180# code would work from outside Thailand. So got no further unfortunately.

[timendres]

3 hours ago, sumrit said:

Thanks for the suggestion. That's probably the best option so far for extending the validity.

 

I finally found somebody in the True shop who understood what I was asking today. But then he wasn't sure whether the *934*180# code would work from outside Thailand. So got no further unfortunately.

I cannot say with certainty, but I suspect the "*934*180# code" is not going to work outside of Thailand, because that mechanism is going to depend on the cellular network. When in Thailand, you are connected to True's towers, and they can "preprocess" that number and understand it. If you are not on their towers, the code will likely not be understood. Even if it is understood, it would require that the roaming tower somehow understand how to forward that code to True for it's special processing.

[HampiK]

9 hours ago, timendres said:

I cannot say with certainty, but I suspect the "*934*180# code" is not going to work outside of Thailand, because that mechanism is going to depend on the cellular network. When in Thailand, you are connected to True's towers, and they can "preprocess" that number and understand it. If you are not on their towers, the code will likely not be understood. Even if it is understood, it would require that the roaming tower somehow understand how to forward that code to True for it's special processing.

But is this not the same system as when you check your balance? This works perfectly outside of Thailand.

 

On the Other site, when you stay outside of Thailand less than 1 year there is no problem at all... Only refill your mobile before leaving, so it stays valid for 365 days. When you do this always before you leave then you will never have a problem.

 

I see a lot go the way of the 2 baht extra, why?

If you fill with 10 or 20 Baht you will have this money in your account and become an extra month. And as most people will use this money for an internet connection or something I not see a problem. With 120 or 240 Baht you can make your SIM valid for 1 year and if you stay then in Thailand for 1 month per year you use as Internet package for this time.. then refill again so your card is again valid for 1 year.

 

The system with buying cards and refill from outside only is needed if you left Thailand for more than 1 year

[timendres]

2 hours ago, HampiK said:

But is this not the same system as when you check your balance? This works perfectly outside of Thailand.

 

On the Other site, when you stay outside of Thailand less than 1 year there is no problem at all... Only refill your mobile before leaving, so it stays valid for 365 days. When you do this always before you leave then you will never have a problem.

 

I see a lot go the way of the 2 baht extra, why?

If you fill with 10 or 20 Baht you will have this money in your account and become an extra month. And as most people will use this money for an internet connection or something I not see a problem. With 120 or 240 Baht you can make your SIM valid for 1 year and if you stay then in Thailand for 1 month per year you use as Internet package for this time.. then refill again so your card is again valid for 1 year.

 

The system with buying cards and refill from outside only is needed if you left Thailand for more than 1 year

Yes. If you are saying that using the same type of codes to check your balance works, then any other code should work just the same. Thanks for confirming that it works.

[mtls2005]

IME, USSD codes for Thai operators work fine when roaming on international partner's networks.

 

I've never heard of "preprocessing" USSD codes at the base station?

 

Once registered on the partners' network they 'know' your home network/account based on the IMSI details contained on your SIM, and the features/functions/capabilities you are allowed.