Cell Phone Sim Card And Calling Card?

[gk10002000]

I typically go to Thailand twice a year. Some visits have been 55 days or so long. I have a Thai Cell Phone (old rock solid simple Motorola). It works fine. Simple phone with text messaging. I typically just buy whatever 123 or contact Sim Card or minutes. Sometimes my Sim card and number have expired and I buy a new one. No big deal. I don't have any regular calls from the states. I keep my US Cell phone for that, I just don't use it overseas. It is an old phone that doesn't work with the Thai GSM network.

So the 123 or contact or whatever minutes I buy for my Thai phone cost me about 10 baht a minute I think. Not bad as I usually just call home and check my voice mail every other day or so. But, sometimes I have some daily telecons to dial into, or a contract job interview etc. On the longer stays those bahts add up. I saw somebody post something about buying some calling card/number that lets you dial for like 1 or 2 baht a minute. That sounds great, but doesn't the Cell Phone still charge the 10 baht a minute for using the 123 or contact setup to dial that calling card number?

And I would prefer that my Thai Cell Phone SIM did not "expire" or the minutes don't bleed out via some monthly fee, especially if I don't go to Thailand for 6 months or more sometimes. This year, for example, I haven't returned yet since December 2011. I can't seem to get that expiration issue handled well. Sometimes it goes, sometimes it stays.

Thanks

[Rimmer]

Moved to mobile internet and devices

[Jiu-Jitsu]

TrueMove Inter SIM 49 baht

[Chivas]

TrueMove Inter SIM 49 baht

Reading another Forum couple of weeks ago and a Guy posted you had to register that particular Sim now to enable International Calls. Was news to me, but he was sure...........

Perhaps someone could confirm bullshit or otherwise ?? Seemed strange to say if no axe to grind.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Since it is an Inter(national) SIM, that would rather obviate the point. What is likely is that it is actually mandatory to register all SIMs. But as we know, that is not universally enforced.

DTAC was recently fined for not forcing their customers to do so. So perhaps True are on their guard for grassing them up.

Though it's hardly an imposition to register, it will put potential customers off. They give the things away at airports in conjunction with AOT. How would that work if customers have to then visit a TRUE outlet to use the thing?

How did TRUE get away with it, whilst DTAC was fined?

Edited September 23, 2012 by Jiu-Jitsu