AIS eSIM purchase

[NanLaew]

My friend flew in to BKK on his semi-annual break this morning, and stopped to get a SIM at an AIS booth in the baggage claim, as he usually does. Since he bought a new Samsung about five months ago, I told him to ask for an eSIM so he doesn't need to mess about swapping them in and out. The staff at the booth said they couldn't do that so he went ahead and got the regular SIM which they installed, and he bought a 1-month package.

 

Is there a restriction on who can get an eSIM, or is it just some limitation on what's available for people arriving at the airport?

[novacova]

No restrictions. The shop there probably doesn’t have the ability/authorization to do esim.

[scubascuba3]

I thought a benefit of an esim is to buy and setup before arrival 

[JakeC]

Easier to get it converted after the fact, if from the airport. You know they do things differently there.

He can contact a service centre or call centre for assistance in doing so.

 

Best to do it from abroad if possible, but you'll be limited to certain packages initially. But cheap enough; https://www.ais.th/en/consumers/package/prepaid/prepaid-sims/Net-Marathon-Max-3-Months and choose the eSIM option. 590 baht for three months.

In fact it's a nonsensical system, as you need an AIS number or any Thai number, in order to create an account to buy an eSIM. I didn't check if International mobile numbers are suitable.

 

 

[NanLaew]

21 minutes ago, novacova said:

No restrictions. The shop there probably doesn’t have the ability/authorization to do esim.

 

That's my thinking too, nothing discriminatory.

 

19 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I thought a benefit of an esim is to buy and setup before arrival 

 

Indeed it is, but my mate is the total and self-admitted technology Luddite, and he only bought the new phone when I was visiting him earlier this year and badgered him into dumping the ancient, slow own that he already had.

 

I looked at AIS's offerings online and saw that it can all be done online and enabled before he got here, but he would never have managed to negotiate his way through that process. It took him over 30 minutes to file his digital arrival thingamabob, and he had another mate who is computer savvy help him do it.

[NanLaew]

5 minutes ago, JakeC said:

In fact it's a nonsensical system, as you need an AIS number in order to create an account to buy an eSIM.

 

That's probably the key. Now he has the SIM and an account, he can move on (with some help). I may catch up with him in a couple of weeks, and we hit the AIS office together and get him "converted." He is still a bit app averse, but I assume AIS have installed it on his phone at the airport. That way, he can do the ritual, minimal monthly top-up while he's away and keep the account alive and never need to faff with getting one again. He still thinks it's like the olden days when he sent his girlfriend to the 7-eleven, buy the top-up chitty, and load it on the phone for him... sad.

[JakeC]

No need to do a monthly top up whilst he is away. Just do them all in one go before he leaves, to max it out to the full twelve months. 220 baht maximum. Then he doesn't need to remember, if he is due to visit before that twelve months is up.

The 220 baht in credit can go towards his next package.

 

Best packages need to be applied within seven days.

 

• 5G internet 20GB (+15Mbps internet speed 60GB per month)
• FUP 1Mbps
• Unlimited free calls to all networks (15 minutes/call)
• Free unlimited AIS WIFI
• AIS Play family free
• Free internet for the first month (20GB) *777*7693#
• Free internet for 2-6 months (20GB) *777*23002#

Automatically renew for 6 months

30 days

300 baht

[NanLaew]

6 minutes ago, JakeC said:

No need to do a monthly top up whilst he is away. Just do them all in one go before he leaves, to max it out to the full twelve months. 220 baht maximum. Then he doesn't need to remember, if he is due to visit before that twelve months is up.

The 220 baht in credit can go towards his next package.

 

Best packages need to be applied within seven days.

 

• 5G internet 20GB (+15Mbps internet speed 60GB per month)
• FUP 1Mbps
• Unlimited free calls to all networks (15 minutes/call)
• Free unlimited AIS WIFI
• AIS Play family free
• Free internet for the first month (20GB) *777*7693#
• Free internet for 2-6 months (20GB) *777*23002#

Automatically renew for 6 months

30 days

300 baht

 

Good reminder, thanks.

 

Yes, the consecutive top-ups was what the chap at the DTAC shop did several years ago when I bought a second SIM for data-only. He whacked on several 20 baht top-ups in quick succession to give my new account about 6-months of life, and that somehow enabled a better selection of data packages.