I will be leaving Thailand soon and want to keep my mobile number for banking OTPs for when I return next year (hopefully). The AIS app says my number is valid until June 2021. I am using a monthly package that costs B200 a month. What happens to the number when the monthly package expires when I am overseas? Can I keep the number regardless until June 2021 without topping up from overseas? Thanks for any advice.

 

Top it up via your internet banking.

Thanks. That’s what I have been doing in Thailand. Do you suggest paying B200 a month to keep the package even when I am not in Thailand?

If that's one of the 200 Baht per month for 12 months unlimited data plans where you pay each month (I've got one of those plans) then I was told that the plan ends after 12 months.  It doesn't renew for another year or anything like that. 

 

While it's always possible they can extend the plan for another year, that's totally up to AIS.  More likely they'll replace the plan with something else.

 

As for paying for the plan each month, you can top up via Lazada each month (using bank account, credit card...) or just top up in advance with enough funds to cover every month you'll be gone.

OK, so if I don’t top up for each month then I lose the number before June 2021? I am not sure when I can return...

 

The package is a pre-paid monthly unlimited data package using a Tourist SIM. There is no contract AFAIK.
 

 

12 minutes ago, dastott said:

Thanks. That’s what I have been doing in Thailand. Do you suggest paying B200 a month to keep the package even when I am not in Thailand?

Depends on how long you will be gone I guess.  Just figure the total cost of keeping it for 11 months.  Then divide that number by how many months you will actually be here....

 

11 months * 200 baht/month = 2200 baht to keep the sim alive

 

If you will be here for 5 of those 11 months, 2200/5= 440 baht per month

If you will be here for 3 of those 11 months, 2200/3 = 733 baht per month

 

3 minutes ago, dastott said:

OK, so if I don’t top up for each month then I lose the number before June 2021? I am not sure when I can return...

 

The package is a pre-paid monthly unlimited data package using a Tourist SIM. There is no contract AFAIK.
 

 

 

Prepaid is no-contract.  I used to use True Pre-paid, and you have to keep topping up (or paying a small fee of a 2 or 3 baht every 30 days) to keep a number active with them.

 

I suspect with the AIS you have to pay in full each month to keep it alive, but I don't know the answer to that one.  Probably best to call them on that question.  They have service reps who speak English.  Their number is 1175.  If you do call, please post back here what you find out.  I'm curious to know the answer to that one too.

 

 

is access to your Thai bank while in forced absence not worth 200 bath to you ? approx. 7 USD , 5.52€, 5.02 GBP

If you're out of the country, then the 200/month data package is a waste of money. Monthly topping up does keep the number alive and I think the lowest AIS monthly top-up via ibanking is maybe 20 baht? That's on my AIS SIM which is a voice service with a data add-on. I am working all over the place but I've managed to keep the same number for about 16 years or so. Every so often, there's a technology change and I need to upgrade the SIM at an AIS shop but that's about it really.

 

The OP should maybe drop 500 baht in the SIM before he leaves, cancel the data package and top it up with the minimum monthly via online banking or through the AIS app. I have found the former easier than the latter.

Many thanks for the info. Yes, I will call and report back. Just curious as to what the validity meant TBH, and saving $7 a month is better than spending $7 a month.

3 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

If you're out of the country, then the 200/month data package is a waste of money. Monthly topping up does keep the number alive and I think the lowest AIS monthly top-up via ibanking is maybe 20 baht? That's on my AIS SIM which is a voice service with a data add-on. I am working all over the place but I've managed to keep the same number for about 16 years or so. Every so often, there's a technology change and I need to upgrade the SIM at an AIS shop but that's about it really.

 

The OP should maybe drop 500 baht in the SIM before he leaves, cancel the data package and top it up with the minimum monthly via online banking or through the AIS app. I have found the former easier than the latter.

Yes, this is my situation. I can top up using ibanking app but not using the AIS app. So, if the balance falls to O baht the number disappears even if the app says it has a longer validity period?

18 minutes ago, dastott said:

OK, so if I don’t top up for each month then I lose the number before June 2021? I am not sure when I can return...

 

The package is a pre-paid monthly unlimited data package using a Tourist SIM. There is no contract AFAIK.
 

 

 

You do not need to do anything. Your SIM will stay active until the date shown. 

The only issue is that it will soon eat 200 baht out of your credit. 

Unfortunately, you are being given some confusing replies. You can cancel the package and take note if the validity period has changed. If not, you need to do nothing. If so, you can go to a Boontherm machine outside 7-11 or Family Mart, and do multiple 10 baht top-ups(costing 12 baht) until your validity date maxxes out to July next year.

If you are not back by July next year, then you can top up 20 baht via your banking app or apply a package that gives you 30 days of extra validity for 30 baht, from your existing credit.

4 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

 

You do not need to do anything. Your SIM will stay active until the date shown. 

The only issue is that it will soon eat 200 baht out of your credit. 

That’s what I was hoping. So, just top up with credit before the expiry date and I can use the same number when I return to Thailand.

Stupid question but how do I cancel the package? Call them, visit an AIS shop or do via app? Thanks for all the advice.

Just now, dastott said:

Stupid question but how do I cancel the package? Call them, visit an AIS shop or do via app? Thanks for all the advice.

 

Possibly any of the three. 1 or 3 would be my choice, unless 2 is an actual service centre.

4 minutes ago, dastott said:

That’s what I was hoping. So, just top up with credit before the expiry date and I can use the same number when I return to Thailand.

Make sure that Roaming is activated before you leave the country.

 

http://www.ais.co.th/roaming/en/faq.html

1 hour ago, dastott said:

 I am using a monthly package that costs B200 a month. What happens to the number when the monthly package expires when I am overseas? Can I keep the number regardless until June 2021 without topping up from overseas?

Yes, you can, your number remains valid until June '21 regardless of whether you keep the added internet package valid.

1 hour ago, stouricks said:

Top it up via your internet banking.

There's no need for him to do that, his number has validity until June 20121.

46 minutes ago, dastott said:

OK, so if I don’t top up for each month then I lose the number before June 2021? I am not sure when I can return...

 

The package is a pre-paid monthly unlimited data package using a Tourist SIM. There is no contract AFAIK.

If AIS says that your number is valid until June 2021 then it is valid until June 2021, it is not dependent on keeping the internet package live. 

 

If you want the internet here while you're away make sure that there is enough phone credit to cover the monthly deduction; if you don't need it until you're back forget about it and renew the package when you return.

 

You could always phone AIS to confirm, they do speak English!

42 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

11 months * 200 baht/month = 2200 baht to keep the sim alive

"...2200 baht to keep the sim alive..."

That's wrong, a valid internet package is not needed to keep the SIM valid, he's already been advised that he has validity until June 2021.  Validity is linked to phone credit top-ups, not added packages.

Many thanks. So, I’m good to go until June without further action but will contact AIS before I leave, just to confirm. Believe it or not, this is my first SIM card and first smartphone anywhere so it’s still quite a learning curve. 

20 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

Make sure that Roaming is activated before you leave the country.

 

http://www.ais.co.th/roaming/en/faq.html

Sorry to ask but why is that necessary? Do it via the app?

39 minutes ago, dastott said:

So, if the balance falls to O baht the number disappears even if the app says it has a longer validity period?

No, the number does not become invalid.   You have validity now until June 2021!  Even if your phone credit balance drops to B0 within the validity period all that means is the number cannot be used for calls.

 

29 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

Unfortunately, you are being given some confusing replies. You can cancel the package and take note if the validity period has changed. If not, you need to do nothing. If so, you can go to a Boontherm machine outside 7-11 or Family Mart, and do multiple 10 baht top-ups(costing 12 baht) until your validity date maxxes out to July next year.

If you are not back by July next year, then you can top up 20 baht via your banking app or apply a package that gives you 30 days of extra validity for 30 baht, from your existing credit.

The particular package I have is a data only plan.   If you stop paying on it (without paying a fee to keep the number active) then you would loose the number, yes?

 

I did not consider the option of cancelling the plan but keeping the number, so yeah, that might work.  I'd stop by an AIS store of call their support number. (1175)

 

 

29 minutes ago, dastott said:

That’s what I was hoping. So, just top up with credit before the expiry date and I can use the same number when I return to Thailand.

If you're able to cancel the data plan while keeping the number of course.  If you can't cancel it then... ???

8 minutes ago, dastott said:

Sorry to ask but why is that necessary? Do it via the app?

 

If Roaming is not activated, you won't receive SMS abroad or indeed have any signal.

43 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

If you are not back by July next year, then you can top up 20 baht via your banking app or apply a package that gives you 30 days of extra validity for 30 baht, from your existing credit.

@dastott - to get an extra 30 days validity for 30 THB from existing credit you simply dial *500*9# (at least that's what I do every 30 days to keep my prepaid AIS SIM card alive).

2 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

 

The particular package I have is a data only plan.   If you stop paying on it (without paying a fee to keep the number active) then you would loose the number, yes?

 

I did not consider the option of cancelling the plan but keeping the number, so yeah, that might work.  I'd stop by an AIS store of call their support number. (1175)

 

 

If you're able to cancel the data plan while keeping the number of course.  If you can't cancel it then... ???

 

No. The SIM validity is not linked to the plan. That's why you can have a SIM with no data package at all, but still with up to a year of validity.

Ahh, never mind.  You since replied to another post answering this question!  I've deleted this post content.

Just now, asiacurious said:

Does it not depend on the package terms and conditions?  The package I have is a data only package that requires 200thb per month top up.  You may be right that the number remains active.  But it could also be that it doesn't.  Which is why a call to AIS is a good idea. 

 

No. Data package is not linked to the SIM package. The SIM package is completely separate from the data package. 

Example of SIM package. 99 satang per minute for call. 2 baht for SMS. 1 baht per MB for data. That is what is linked to a SIM. Data package has no bearing on that.

2 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

Does it not depend on the package terms and conditions?  The package I have is a data only package that requires 200thb per month top up.  You may be right that the number remains active.  But it could also be that it doesn't.  Which is why a call to AIS is a good idea. 

 

No need. When you cancel the pack you will see the validity date via the App. If perchance it changes to an earlier date, all you need to do is to top up 20 baht at a time at an AIS machine or 12 baht at a time at a Boontherm machine, up until it reaches a year of validity.

No need to have a data package connected.