Phone Cards At Suvarnabhumi

[isabelle17]

Hi,

I was wondering if there are any shops in the airport that sell thai phone cards (you know like, true move, happy, etc.) I am sure that there are some...but I just want to make sure there are places in the airport that sell them because I need to call someone as soon as I can when I arrive! Also, this might be a bit off topic, but I haven't used my thai phone for a few months since I have been back in the states. So...I assume that I just need to get a new phone card and it should work again, right? I know...these questions are really simple, but I just want to make sure that my phone will work. Thanks!

[hkt83100]

I was wondering if there are any shops in the airport that sell thai phone cards

You can buy these cards at the Family Mart in the Departure Hall.

[wileycoyote]

Where the best pace to buy Don Muang ?

[Juzrelax]

When I was there last year there was a DTAC stall near the taxi rank. The sim cards are valid for 12 months from your last recharge.

[Aichitan]

At Suvanarbhumi, there are at least 2 booths selling phone cards, located in the international arrival hall. I use One-2-Call (AIS) which is cheap and reliable. You buy the chip and prepaid calling time altogether. You can ask at the counter your account to be activated. Do not forget to unlock your phone beforehand ! If it is not unlocked, you can do it easily at MBK, the temple of mobile phone. Once your credit is burned, you may find refills at Family Marts or AIS shops within Bangkok.

Of course, for you Isabelle17, you should just need refill; so, proceed to your operator's booth...

Edited May 18, 2008 by Aichitan

[isabelle17]

Thanks! That helps a lot!

[Lancashirelad]

When I was there last year there was a DTAC stall near the taxi rank. The sim cards are valid for 12 months from your last recharge.

I rather think the validity time depends upon the amounty of pre-paid credit that has been added. That's certainly the case with one2call.

Whilst we're on this. I used to be able to do a credit check & send sms messages from here in uk on my One2call sim, But it seems to have fairly recently stopped working. Anybody else experienced this?

[PattayaParent]

My missus has one2call and every top up has a validity of 12 months.

[SeaVisionBurma]

I rather think the validity time depends upon the amounty of pre-paid credit that has been added. That's certainly the case with one2call.

Whilst we're on this. I used to be able to do a credit check & send sms messages from here in uk on my One2call sim, But it seems to have fairly recently stopped working. Anybody else experienced this?

Not sure if this helps - but you may have to manually force a network search through your phones menu, and try a few different carriers. Some mobiles will automatically connect to a preferred network, and remembers the last network it had a connection with for a particular SIM card. If this is different to the affilliated network for One2call in blighty, you'll need to manually search networks after you insert the thai sim card.

One2call website should have some info on affilliated networks in the UK - may help to look there first so you know which network to choose with a manual search.

My missus has one2call and every top up has a validity of 12 months.

Depends on (1) service provider,

and possibly (2) how many times you have topped up since purchasing the sim card. eg some operators only give 3 months validity the first time you recharge, then 6 months, then 12 months etc. I can't say for certain what validity periods for what provider - but it does vary between providers, and can be dependant on recharge history/frequency.

Isabelle17 - have you tried using the sim card in your phone while in the US?

There's also 2 Family marts/convenience stores to buy top up cards in Swampy, landside.

One is on departures level at the extreme West side of the bulding near the Post Office/CAT office. (far right if you were standing outside the terminal looking from the road into the terminal)

The other is on level 3 next to boots pharmacy (ie upstairs from arrivals, downstairs from departures.

Both of these are landside.

Does anyone in Australia know if a DTAC 'happy' pre-paid sim card can be topped up in Oz? Either through the phone or by website? I can only get evil Telstra GSM coverage where I am, and it doesn't recognise the SIM. I haven't registered roaming on it.....

[isabelle17]

No, I haven't tried using my sim card while in the US. My friend mentioned I should use 1-2 call...is that just another company like happy, true move, etc? I used true move the last time I was in Thailand. I am pretty sure that I will need a new sim card...as I haven't been in Thailand for at least 12 months.

[whimsy]

There is also a Family Mart outside on the ground level (level 1) in front of the food hall that the airport workers use. Go to level 1 and head to your left as you come out of the doors. The entrance faces the road that runs along the front of the terminal. I bought a phone recharge card there last year.

[wpcoe]

You can extend the validity of prepaid accounts with both AIS and DTAC by "buying" time from your account balance. The price is something like 10 or 15 baht for 180 days. I have DTAC, so only saved the info relative to extending the expiration date of prepaid DTAC accounts. I have done it twice:

From any Happy Dtac package (even the cheapest ones 25 Satangs/min), do the following:

- Dial *1013, listen to the prompt and dial 9 for English

- Follow the step by step procedure ( press 1 for promotion )

- You will get an SMS confirming the new validity of your SIM card.

I copied the above from a post somewhere on the internet, probably here on ThaiVisa.com, but didn't copy the source, so my apologies to the original poster. I do recall there was a similar process for AIS prepaid accounts.