I want a thai sim card and plan that  allows me to keep the phone number for years. I know some can be topped up now and then to keep them valid and working,  but some seem to have limit such as good for one year, etc.  I am guessing some are designed for tourists while others are for more long term.  I read that so e dtac plans may last literally as long as you keep topping it up?  I'm just trying to get a Thailand  number and keep it long time. Dtac, true,ais, et ?

Which ever has the best signal where you live, can buy on Lazada/Shopee 1 year sims, AIS seems generally the best overall

I bought my current True SIM as a one month tourist SIM in 2022.  In the beginning could not keep it valid for more than 90 days so I had to remember (calendar reminder) to add validity every so often.  At some point in time it morphed by itself into a regular SIM with a 1 year validity.  Never had issues extending the validity from outside Thailand using the app, never an issue now I'm here full time.

Are you in Thailand, or outside?

 

For most prepaid services, a 10 baht top up adds 30 days, so 12 top-ups yield close to a year.

 

You can top up here at a orange boon term terminal (10 baht + 2 baht service fee), or remotely via a Thai bank app (20 baht minimum).

 

 

16 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

Are you in Thailand, or outside?

 

For most prepaid services, a 10 baht top up adds 30 days, so 12 top-ups yield close to a year.

 

You can top up here at a orange boon term terminal (10 baht + 2 baht service fee), or remotely via a Thai bank app (20 baht minimum).

 

 

I will be in country starting December 2. I won't be shopping online. I would like to buy sim and plan right at bkk airport. I can wait until I get down to o Pattaya if there is better buying choices there.. be it tuk com or any other recommendation.  Thanks 

2 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

I will be in country starting December 2. I won't be shopping online. I would like to buy sim and plan right at bkk airport. I can wait until I get down to o Pattaya if there is better buying choices there.. be it tuk com or any other recommendation.  Thanks 

I bought at the airport while waiting for my bags.  By the time they arrived I had 30 days unlimited data and calls and was all set.  That package is now ฿1199.  Everybody will tell you that's the most expensive way to do it, and they are likely correct, but I only wanted the easiest, not cheapest.

I recently got my AIS sim from the AIS shop in Big C Pattaya. They did the p/p registration and sold me the 1 month calls and net package for 300 BT. It renews monthly if you have enough credit. I don't make many calls so will just go for the cheap 1 gb net package next month. The expiry date of the sim extends by 1 month every time you top up ,up to a maximum of 1 Yr,  I think. 

I have my AIS prepaid number since 2009 (after phone stolen on holiday). Never stumbled upon "one year" SIMs (which max exist).

The SIM as such might have been changed some years ago to keep up with new standards?

Can't remember.

 

For mobile on the road I have a second SIM from GOMO.

110 GB volume , unlimited speed for 699 ฿ for max one year. Refill if used up. Misc other packages available.

Unfortunately a Thai person (ID) necessary for registration.

6 hours ago, Upnotover said:

I bought at the airport while waiting for my bags.  By the time they arrived I had 30 days unlimited data and calls and was all set.  That package is now ฿1199.  Everybody will tell you that's the most expensive way to do it, and they are likely correct, but I only wanted the easiest, not cheapest.

Is it valid for many years? The ability to keep the number a long time is what I want

25 minutes ago, gk10012001 said:

Is it valid for many years? The ability to keep the number a long time is what I want

3.5 years so far.  Just remember to keep it valid when not in Thailand.

If you need a SIM as soon as you land, then pay a premium for a Tourist SIM it at the airport. If you can wait until you get into town, then get a normal SIM.

That's as simple as it gets.

9 hours ago, FrankieGoesToHolly said:

If you need a SIM as soon as you land, then pay a premium for a Tourist SIM it at the airport. If you can wait until you get into town, then get a normal SIM.

That's as simple as it gets.

I do not need a simply as soon as I land. What i want is a simply that has many years validity 

Folks it just seems odd . Surely thais  get a phone number and keep it for years. I understand the tourist thing and it's limits or quirks, and some posters seem to have been able to keep their number for years.  How do thais get their number? I'm looking for a definite,  I will know up front, way to get very long lasting number, for banking and other reasons.  

3 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

Folks it just seems odd . Surely thais  get a phone number and keep it for years. I understand the tourist thing and it's limits or quirks, and some posters seem to have been able to keep their number for years.  How do thais get their number? I'm looking for a definite,  I will know up front, way to get very long lasting number, for banking and other reasons.  

 

Most people have prepaid a SIM and top up their balance whenever needed and buy an on top package for data.  That keeps the number alive.  A tourist SIM initially can only have a validity of 90 days but as I mentioned earlier my own number changed to a 1 year validity with no input from myself.  I had previously asked True about this but at the time they said it could not be done.  Either way it really doesn't matter as it's easy to extend the validity by topping up the balance or by buying additional days.

 

For example, and it doesn't matter whether you are outside Thailand, for a 90-day extension, dial *934*90#. The cost is 6 Baht taken from your balance.  You only need to make sure you have turned on international roaming.

 

A postpaid number is a definite way of keeping a number, I had one for 11 years, but it's harder to get the account initially and I think more expensive, especially if you are not full time in Thailand.

 

Whatever SIM you buy you can keep that number for years.  If you are outside the country for an extended period you might have to make a tiny bit of effort to do so. 

Some carriers are easier to extend the expiry date up to 18 months or 2 years. Here's a recent thread. 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1379142-keeping-a-sim-card-alive

Some carriers make you buy load, others you can just extend the expiry date. Always cheaper to get online or away from the airport.

 

11 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

How do thais get their number? I'm looking for a definite,  I will know up front, way to get very long lasting number, for banking and other reasons.  

As others have said - by keeping a sim card/no valid.

Not sure what it is like in the US but in the UK if you have a PAYG you still have to make a chargeable event every 180 days minimum to keep it alive. 

 

Here PAYG is I think called Pre-paid and it is about making sure you have validity which is completely separate to your credit. There have been stories on here about people having hundreds of baht credit only to find that the validity has expired........

 

I can only talk for AIS but if I top up 1000 baht it will only give me an extra 1 month validity on top of what I already had - as long as that was not more than 1 year ahead. For validity I can add that month with a top up of only 20 baht.

 

When you top up it tells you what you have added, what your credit is and what the valid to date is.

Dude doesn't seem to get that whatever choice he makes, he will have to set up a system where he can top up if out of the country. As long as he can do that, he can continue to extend Validity Days indefinitely.

If all too much to understand, then buy a 12 month SIM and renew the package every 12 months. But you'll still need to find a way to top up after 12 months.

 

https://www.ais.th/consumers/package/exclusive-plan/sim-netmarathon-max

 

10 hours ago, FrankieGoesToHolly said:

Dude doesn't seem to get that whatever choice he makes, he will have to set up a system where he can top up if out of the country. As long as he can do that, he can continue to extend Validity Days indefinitely.

If all too much to understand, then buy a 12 month SIM and renew the package every 12 months. But you'll still need to find a way to top up after 12 months.

 

https://www.ais.th/consumers/package/exclusive-plan/sim-netmarathon-max

 

No, you don't seem to understand.  I want a guaranteed up front long term sim and phone number that can be extended indefinitely.  I understand the topping up extending , but most do not seem to be assured of permanent validity .I prefer to get one and only one phone number and know that when I get it, it can be kept as long as I want.

 

 

On 11/27/2025 at 4:10 PM, gargamon said:

Some carriers are easier to extend the expiry date up to 18 months or 2 years. Here's a recent thread. 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1379142-keeping-a-sim-card-alive

Some carriers make you buy load, others you can just extend the expiry date. Always cheaper to get online or away from the airport.

On 11/27/2025 at 4:10 PM, gargamon said:

Some carriers are easier to extend the expiry date up to 18 months or 2 years. Here's a recent thread. 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1379142-keeping-a-sim-card-alive

Some carriers make you buy load, others you can just extend the expiry date. Always cheaper to get online or away from the airport.

 

Yes. I understand.  I just am not seeing any sim up front guarantees that I can ex tend validity indefinitely.  I prefer to get one number initially and stick with 2it by whatever method is required

Why do you have to replace SIM cards in Thailand? I am in the West, never replaced mine in 12 years, even though I bought a new phone, still using the old one.

8 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

No, you don't seem to understand.  I want a guaranteed up front long term sim and phone number that can be extended indefinitely.  I understand the topping up extending , but most do not seem to be assured of permanent validity .I prefer to get one and only one phone number and know that when I get it, it can be kept as long as I want.

 

 

A postpaid account would give you what you want.  But, if you are not going to be in Thailand for an extended period you'll be paying the monthly amount for nothing.  But it will be harder to get as it is effectively a credit application and will require some guarantees, I had a Thai guarantor for instance.

Everyone understands and has explained it again and again. It's the OP who doesn't understand. Even though I explained everything quite clearly, he still comes back with the same thing. A hopeless case, if you ask me.