Buying A Cheap Mobile Phone - Visit To Thailand

[californiabeachboy]

I am taking my next trip to Thailand next month. On my first trip in March I decided not to buy a mobile phone there, and just use the hotel phones. Of course that was a mistake. I will be back next month for three weeks. I have an old mobile phone from here in the US that I think still works, but it is so old it isn't even a flip phone (might be a bit embarrassing to pull out in a trendy Bkk bar). I don't really care. But I am wondering. How much would it cost if I go to a place in Bkk and buy and old used mobile and sim card. I will be there for three weeks, only to use the phone for some local calls, and will probably just give the phone away when I leave since I don't need it back here. How much would it cost, and where should I go to buy it? Thanks

[Lite Beer]

A new Nokia mobile can be bought for less than 1,000 Baht. Around $33.

[H2oDunc]

49 baht for a sim card from 7/11 and around 600 baht for an imobile phone. I noticed they had a buy 1 get one free in BigC last week.

[AussieKenny]

True Move give out new sims at the airport arrivals.

Cheap calls too. 1.5 baht min to USA, Europe,Australia etc.

Kenny

[CharlieH]

I suggest best place would be any Tesco or Big C supermarket, around 600 baht for a Samsung.

Can get old B&W 2nd hand Nokia for about 300 baht in most litttle stalls, if you are going to MBK there would be a very wide variety, a whole floor full to choose from including variety of sims.

[pisico]

Do not bother bringing your USA phone, no matter how old or new it is. Unless it is a phone you are planing to keep using in the USA for 2 more years and it is of good quality. To use a USA phone in Thailand you have to have it unlocked. It will cost you around $10 without any drawbacks. When you go back to Kalifornia simply pull out the Thai sim card and put in your ATT, T mobile r whatever your carrier is. The only thing that you will lose are the messages. Your phone book will be intact. Furthermore some old cell phones cannot be unlocked as there are no codes available for the hackers to work on. MBK is a good and quick place to have you phone unlocked. Other than that, if you follow the advice of other members in this forum to buy a 1,000 Baht Samsung, that is sound advise. You can use it in the USA too without trouble at all. As far as True Move being cheap, yes, it is but, their coverage is from fair to dismal. I live on the 20th. floor near the river without mountains or other buildings around blocking the signal and I an only dial or receive calls in one spot in my condo. The reason a dumped True for good.

1,2, Call is by far more reliable and if you will make only occassional use of it, who cares if you will spend $5 on buying minutes? You can call USA also using Skype at any internet point for cheap. I hope this can help you make a decision.

[californiabeachboy]

Thanks to all for the great responses. I will leave my old mobile here in the US - I don't want to look like Jerry Seinfeld in the old Seinfeld sitcom where he pulls out the phone that is so 90's.

Thanks again.