Which Pre-Paid SIM Card for the North-East (Nan etc.)

[henrik2000]

Hello, what is the best PRE-PAID SIM card for tourists for North-EAST Thailand? (I mean Nan, Phayao, Phrae, Uttaradit; not Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai; not Isarn.) I need the SIM card 59-89 days (aware of visa requirements). I will be 2 weeks in Bkk and Jomtien, then 4-8 weeks in Nan etc.

I need mainly some domestic calls and lots of mobile data. NOT many international calls, no gaming, no streaming, no outrageous downloads. Expect to have wifi in accommodations. In remote areas, I might feed internet from phone to laptop for internet searches if no wifi is available.

I'd love easy top-ups without scratch-cards or typing endless numbers into the message app (maybe at 7-11 just telling them my phone number). I'd also love easy operation, esp easy checking on remaining credit and easy voice mails with rational English menu. I'd appreciate logging into Wifi hotspots they might offer.

On previous trips to Thailand I often had DTAC. I thought it was easier to handle for foreigners (more service messages in English, and more more easy to understand, etc.) than AIS. Anything other than DTAC would scare me, but I'll listen to your reasoning. (Also in Bangladesh DTAC was a very good option.)

I will get the Thai SIM card in the arrival hall of Suvarnabhumi airport, if not totally overcrowded, otherwise in a phone company's brand store in Pattaya. Or would you recommend another place to buy the the SIM card? I will ask staff to change all my phone settings as required, and will get a lot of credit ("top-up"). If there is any useful way to purchase it already from the west, you could tell me.

I guess that after 29 days I need to buy some more credit ("top-up") to keep the SIM card active.

I don't need the cheapest, but also not the superfastest. Mainly it should be very reliable and smooth. I might return as a tourist to TH 1 year later, but who knows. I won't pay to keep the SIM card active for a year.

If you are an expat in Thailand and have a POST-PAID SIM card (monthly billing), it might get a better signal than a PRE-PAID SIM card from the very same company. At least that's what Thai people told me. And sometimes Thai people (with POST-PAID) had a signal somewhere where I had not (with a PRE-PAID SIM card from the same company).

Thanks for your advice!

[sometimewoodworker]

There is no 1 answer. It all depends on where you are and where transmitters are. However AIS has a wider coverage in general. But of course you could be in a place where the AIS coverage is poor and DTAC is good.

[henrik2000]

4 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It all depends on where you are and where transmitters are. However AIS has a wider coverage in general. But of course you could be in a place where the AIS coverage is poor and DTAC is good

Woodworker, thanks.

[KhunBENQ]

In general AIS has best coverage.

DTAC fails if you are far out from populated areas (I have my own experience with that, DTAC as 2nd SIM, next year will use AIS only).

But DTAC goes the very unusual way of 5G on 700 MHz which could give them better coverage. But 5G phone needed.

 

Tons of options for internet packages.

Keeping it alive does not cost a fortune, topup 20 Baht twelve times and you are good for a year (there might be other ways).

Only you know whether it's worth to keep the number.

 

Post-paid has better signal?

Urban or rural myth or lost in translation.

At the bottom edge of signal strength the phone model makes a difference.

Aside from that it's not easy to get a postpaid as a temporary/tourist visitor.

 

SIM cards available about everywhere.

 

To use a typical Thai saying: you think too much

It's about a 100 Baht for a SIM. If it's c.rap buy another one.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[KhunBENQ]

12 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

I guess that after 29 days I need to buy some more credit ("top-up") to keep the SIM card active.

Not that simple. Very low credit might get lost but deactivating the card takes longer. And as written you can fillup credit for one year without breaking the bank (240 Baht).

[henrik2000]

Thanks Khun B.

 

To all, would you say AIS is just as easily as DTAC usable FOR A NEWBIE who cant read Thai?

 

Years ago i had troubles getting my way around possibilites with AIS, while i found DTAC comfortable. Does everything go as expected with AIS?

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

12 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

for North-EAST Thailand? (I mean Nan, Phayao, Phrae, Uttaradit; not Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai; not Isarn.)

Sorry but I can't resist to give geography lessons.

All areas that you name are north not north-east.

And Isaan (Isan, Isarn, Esarn...) IS north-east.

[henrik2000]

2 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

And as written you can fillup credit for one year without breaking the bank (240 Baht).

Thanks, i will ASK staff to give me 3 months right away.

[KhunBENQ]

Just now, henrik2000 said:

To all, would you say AIS is just as easily as DTAC usable FOR A NEWBIE who cant read Thai?

Both AIS and DTAC has all relevant information in English.

I don't see a noteworthy difference.

DTAC is often considered more "foreigner related" because of the ownership/management.

[Photoguy21]

Look at Lyngsat.com for coverage and who provides it. AIS has the most coverage in Thailand but DTAC was increasing their coverage.

[henrik2000]

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

Look at Lyngsat.com for coverage

Thanks for that. It inspired me to check nperf website (below) for the north AND the north of north-east TH that claims to display mobile coverage (don't know if legit). Below is mobile coverage per provider and a comparison.

 

 

Source Nperf: https://www.nperf.com/en/map/TH/-/1885.dtac/signal/?ll=17.465952690145564&lg=99.77783203125&zoom=7

 

[Golden Triangle]

I've had the same pre paid SIM card since I first got here around about 2005, AIS, never had any connection problems & I've been to each & every province since I settled here in 2011.

[henrik2000]

2 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

nperf website

Opensignal may have a larger data base (or not). As far as i can see, they don't show coverage maps on their website, only (perhaps) in their app. Anyway the website has lots of rankings for mobile providers' competition in TH, with a bit of regional differentiation: https://www.opensignal.com/reports/2022/05/thailand/mobile-network-experience