Arrived In Lamai, Need Happy Sim Card And Money Exchange, Help Please?

[lifeissweet]

Hi everyone! Finally arrived last night and am currently staying near the IT complex. Tried to get the Happy unlimited 3G package for my phone, went to Family Mart but the guy said he didn't have it. Asked around and people told me to check out 7-11 but the closest one seems to be 1km away and I don't drive. Where else can I get this sim card?

I'm heading to Mae Nam tomorrow, should I wait till I get there? Am thinking of staying near Anong Villa.

Also, could you guys recommend a good place for money exchange?

Thanks a lot for your help, enjoy your sunny day!

[lifeissweet]

Okay, so I found the bank and exchanged there, but no luck at 7-11. Guy said they didn't carry the Internet sim cards, just the ones for phone calls... Had a nice walk on the beach though

[samuijimmy]

I think you'll find at the Tesco Mall, Lamai or Chawang .... there should be several providers there.

You may need your passport too.... if I remember ?

[Boater]

I think you'll find at the Tesco Mall, Lamai or Chawang .... there should be several providers there.

You may need your passport too.... if I remember ?

telewiz shop has them , plus most of the other phone shops, if it is PAYG , no passport needed, but you do ned to topup 500 THB i think

[lifeissweet]

Thanks samuijimmy and Boater. I got my Happy Internet sim card and 660 baht top up cards at one of the 7-11 near the Night Market. But I haven't been able to find anyone who can cut the sim card for me. Tried all the telecomm shops at Tesco but no luck. I think I'll try the DTAC center at Big C later today on my way to Mae Nam.

[jamesbrock]

Thanks samuijimmy and Boater. I got my Happy Internet sim card and 660 baht top up cards at one of the 7-11 near the Night Market. But I haven't been able to find anyone who can cut the sim card for me. Tried all the telecomm shops at Tesco but no luck. I think I'll try the DTAC center at Big C later today on my way to Mae Nam.

Silly question, but why didn't you just buy a microsim?

[NHJ]

you can cut the sim card by yourself it's very easy, every sim card can provide internet package, for dtac you have to call 1678 and ask to activate 3G signal(will receive sms to confirm) and then login online and change your package to internet prepaid.

[lifeissweet]

Silly question, but why didn't you just buy a microsim?

Not silly. I tried to indicate that I needed a sim card for my iPhone, but the cashier and the very friendly customer only spoke like two words of English and it took me half an hour to explain to them that I wanted an Internet sim card and 650 baht of top up cards. It wasn't until after I paid for and opened the card that I realized it was not a microsim.

[lifeissweet]

you can cut the sim card by yourself it's very easy, every sim card can provide internet package, for dtac you have to call 1678 and ask to activate 3G signal(will receive sms to confirm) and then login online and change your package to internet prepaid.

I finally had the card cut at Big C. Was looking for the DTAC center but the very kind folks at the corner shop on the first floor cut it for free for me

[lifeissweet]

Ran into another problem. Topped up my card and received SMS to confirm that I have 665 baht on it, but when I tried to subscribe to the 650 baht/month unlimited package, I got a SMS that said I did not have enough money. What gives? I'm following the instructions on this web page http://www.happy.co.th/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=333&Itemid=368〈=en

Right now I'm connecting via Edge, I think? As there is a "E" next to "dtac" at the top of my phone. Connection keeps dropping off when I'm inside the bungalow though.

Looks like I gotta spend another couple hundred baht to visit Big C to figure out why I can't subscribe to the package...

[NHJ]

Ran into another problem. Topped up my card and received SMS to confirm that I have 665 baht on it, but when I tried to subscribe to the 650 baht/month unlimited package, I got a SMS that said I did not have enough money. What gives? I'm following the instructions on this web page http://www.happy.co....mid=368〈=en

Right now I'm connecting via Edge, I think? As there is a "E" next to "dtac" at the top of my phone. Connection keeps dropping off when I'm inside the bungalow though.

Looks like I gotta spend another couple hundred baht to visit Big C to figure out why I can't subscribe to the package...

for the E stuff either bad signal or you didb't ring 1678 to activate 3g for your other problem : Service rates above exclude 7% VAT.

[BigC]

Why don.t u look on the street before asking the Internet. The I.t complex has money exchange and any family mart or 7 11 has sim cards. Sometimes I think people just post for the sake of posting

[lifeissweet]

Why don.t u look on the street before asking the Internet. The I.t complex has money exchange and any family mart or 7 11 has sim cards. Sometimes I think people just post for the sake of posting

And you know I haven't checked on the streets, checked FamilyMart, and checked 7-11 how? Because I already did all these things, as I have said so in my post. What's the point of a forum if people aren't allowed to post questions?

Maybe you're very familiar with Samui, but for someone who's traveling with a phone with an Internet connection that's dropping off every few minutes, being able to ask questions on a forum where there are tons of knowledgable people is a blessing. Don't know why you must keep non-contributing to my threads or you do this to everyone else, but maybe you should find another hobby, as Samui is a beautiful place and it's waste to sit in front of the computer picking on people all day IMO.

[lifeissweet]

for the E stuff either bad signal or you didb't ring 1678 to activate 3g for your other problem : Service rates above exclude 7% VAT.

You are absolutely right, NHJ! I come from a place where there's no sales tax and such so I keep forgetting about the 7%. I went to the DTAC center at Big C and they helped me fix everything, thank you so much for your help!

[longtom]

Why don.t u look on the street before asking the Internet. The I.t complex has money exchange and any family mart or 7 11 has sim cards. Sometimes I think people just post for the sake of posting

Self-irony I hope

[TonyGilbert]

Useful thread for me today as I was just trying to figure out how to buy a 3G microsim in Lamai! Arrived last night. Guess I'll head down to Big C and find the DTAC desk! Thanks heaps.

[beach04]

At Suva BKK airport there is a Dtac shop that can do everything and they speak good english. They also max out the expiration day of my happy card every time I stop by....

[TonyGilbert]

There's a small mobile phone shop in Tesco at Lamai that sells True Move 3G sim cards for 199Bt. They will get it working for you on the spot, but you have to go to 7-11 just up the street to buy a 300 Bt top up card. The staff there are good and will load the credit onto your account, but don't let them try to do it online as that doesn't work.

I had not used TM before but the coverage is great and I am only using about 10 Bt a day for my iPhone with google maps, browsing and email. Seems ok so far.