I can top up my 1 2 Call sim with just a couple hundred baht and it'll last a month!. But if I need to reply to a number of txt messages from the UK, at 10 baht a text, runs out of credit very very quickly!

Is there any alternative? I had a contract with AIS before for two mobiles but got sick of paying 2 thousand baht (for both) each month when the actual local usage would have been around 100 each, max. Thanks

International calls and texts are expensive. you can not "reply" to international sms, what you do is you send one overseas. So not same as answering a call from uk which is free.

I use skype quite a lot for both. There is probably cheaper options but skype works for me.

Call 1175. AIS speaks excellent English. Tell them the problem and no more text.

Simple

.Don't text to the UK!

You could use Skype, but you have to buy Skype credit to do so and you can't reply to a text message.

You're not in the UK.

Email is the best bet. It's free!

as nobody actually replied to the OP's question, here: DTAC charges 5 Baht for international SMS, as does TRUE (at least if you buy their prepaid "international" SIM-card, which is not so international as u may think as there is no roaming available.... pathetic). i am not sure about prepaid DTAC these days, as I changed to a postpaid plan 2 years ago, but I guess it's the same. TRUE is ok if u do not need roaming, but their support suxx.

the DTAC-Hotline on the other hand is pleasant to deal with and they usually have good English-speakers, clearly my favorite network nowadays, recommended.

Never forget one thing: AIS = THAKSIN = THAIRAKTHAIonly = LET'S RIP OFF FOREIGNERS

IIRC you can send SMS free via the Internet to UK