Cheapest Way To Call Overseas From Bangkok?

[meowchawpnom]

What's the cheapest way to call the US from Bangkok? Internet phoning? I really never call abroad so have no idea what the cheapest way is. Thanks for your suggestions.

[meowchawpnom]

Also, can you call a US toll-free number from an internet phone in Thailand? Those normally only work from the US. Does anybody know? (I know it wouldn't be a free call, just want to know if you can access the number)

[BambinA]

skype is the final answer

www.skype.com/

other ways 001, 002, 007, 008 & 009

These confusing numbers are all generally good news. They are the different direct-dial telephone packages you can use to cut your international phone bills. They are offered by the CAT and TOT - traditionally coplementary companies however now the TOT are in competition by offering international services as well as domestic services.

To use any of the services, simply enter the three digit number and then the country code you wish to dial. Your charge will be added to either your CAT bill, your TOT bill, or will be taken from your cellphones pre-paid minutes.

001 ... is the most expensive direct-dial service. It works from al phones and should be the highest quality connection. We do not ercommend ever using this service as it is unnecessarily expensive.

002 ... is a TOT service designed to call only to Malaysia. It has two rates; calling between 7am and 6pm costs 11 baht per minute and between 6pm and 7am costs only 7 baht. This service does not work from cellphones.

007 ... is a hugh quality connection which can be used on TOT and TT&T lines only. Call to the following countries for 9.63 baht per minute (including 7% tax). It works to the following countries:

China, Germany, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, UK

008 ... is a TOT-only service which offers a flat rate of 7.49 baht per minute (including 7% tax) to 30 destinations:

Alaska, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Guam, Guyana, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Paraguay, Peru, South Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Suriname, Taiwan, UK, Uraguay, USA, Venezuela.

009 ... This is a CAT service which can be used from every phone. This is also known as the efone service. Rates for popular countries are now only 6.49 baht.

from http://www.calls.in.th/contents.php?id=186

[meowchawpnom]

Thanks Bambina, but I don't use a cell phone. What's the cheapest way for just using regular phones and internet?

[stevehaigh]

Thanks Bambina, but I don't use a cell phone. What's the cheapest way for just using regular phones and internet?

internet use skype

[BambinA]

using regular phones

press 001 008 009 be4 (as code)

[Thaiquila]

Does anyone here use a Vonage US account in Thailand?

I am wondering if it can be used to call within the US and to receive calls using a US phone number, while being hooked up a to a wireless router in a home, and also at hotspots.

[johna]

Dial 001 809 then country code, area code etc, 7baht per minute

[Noel]

Have a look at VoipStunt

[verzenden]

Skype really s#cks as there are many other and better ones. Skype uses there own protocal for their service while all the others work on a international standard and will be more compatable with future hardware or hooking up your old phone to the internet. Now i use Voipbuster. With this program i call for free to Holland and for free to all Thai landlines. Voipbuster has a major disadvantage and that is that they change their conditions every now and then. Check their website if you like to know which country's you can call for free, they change it all the time. Sometimes their list of prices is incorrect as well, my gf called 4ever with a gf in Sweden, which was free but the site mentioned costs of something like 0.01 usd/m. I'm sure there many others and some might be better but haven't tried them yet, got rid of Skype!

[meowchawpnom]

Dial 001 809 then country code, area code etc, 7baht per minute

BambinA wrote:

press 001 008 009 be4 (as code)

Thanks. Okay, are you guys talking about the same thing? Is this 7 baht a minute from a regular Thai pay phone? Can you use coins or do you need some kind of card? And which prefix is it? You each give a different one.

[meowchawpnom]

Dial 001 809 then country code, area code etc, 7baht per minute

Are you talking about The Efone Service & the 007 Service? I just googled 001 809 and that's what I got. Also I see there's something called "callback". Which of these gives you the best rate and can be used from a payphone?

[rainman]

i'd recommend skype. voipbuster has a crappy payment system ...skype does too but at least it works.

[Rinrada]

Have a look at VoipStunt

In the UK this is the one that we use ..internetcalls.com....

For some reason or other we seem to be able to call K.Ws mobile which she left over with relatives.

The only thing that we can think of is that she has an Orange...suppose Thai Orange Sim card in it and well... it seems to take the "free calls" from over "ere.....

[klrsmith]

Does anyone here use a Vonage US account in Thailand?

I am wondering if it can be used to call within the US and to receive calls using a US phone number, while being hooked up a to a wireless router in a home, and also at hotspots.

Hi,

I use often Vonage for inbound and outbound calling while in Thailand, and it works ok for the most part. I bring the ATA (the little box that plugs into a standard analog phone and your Ethernet connection). Vonage allows you to pick your number from the area code of your choice - pretty much any region from anywhere in the US, Canada or PR - so if you have family in Atlanta, you can pick a metro Atlanta phone number.

As for hotspots, you can use their softphone (a voip software client) on your PC with a decent headset with mic) I use this setup regularly from the patio of the JW Marriott's executive lounge (the connection there is free).

Or you can purchase one of the wifi handsets available now - if your in range of an 802.11b/g access point, these wireless handsets will log into your provider's account (vonage or otherwise) and you're all set.

Since Thailand isn't known for "real" high speed connections, If your broadband connection isn't so high speed, you'll likely have voice quality problems.

Regards,

Kevin

[meowchawpnom]

Fellows,

I got to confess...I am technologically illiterate when it comes to cellphone schemes and skype and vonage and all this. Have a cellphone but never use it.

What is the simple way for this technologically challenged person to get a cheap rate using a PAYPHONE? Do I buy a prepaid card of some sort? How can I get these 7 baht a minute overseas rates?

[Michael W]

Fellows,

I got to confess...I am technologically illiterate when it comes to cellphone schemes and skype and vonage and all this. Have a cellphone but never use it.

What is the simple way for this technologically challenged person to get a cheap rate using a PAYPHONE? Do I buy a prepaid card of some sort? How can I get these 7 baht a minute overseas rates?

Sorry, still not giving you the exact answer you want, but from my own apartment landline number (02-...) I always use 008 to call the U.S. from Thailand since my old Win98SE computer doesn't meet the system requirements for Internet calling. For example, to call a number in San Francisco (415 U.S. area code) from Thailand, I dial 008-1-415-555-1234. My experience with international calls from Thai payphones is from back when I lived in the U.S. and had an AT&T international calling plan for like US$3.50 a month which allowed calls back to the U.S. To use this from a Thai payphone I'd dial 001-80-110 then listen to a bunch of prompts, enter my AT&T calling card which was my U.S. home phone number plus PIN, and then finally the number in the U.S. I wanted to dial. Now imagine doing all that from a payphone on a typical night outside a Pattaya 7-11.