USA Sim cards in Thailand?

[Hal65]

Hi, can USA sim cards generally be used in Thailand (with roaming charges)?

[RichCor]

'ANY' GSM SIM can be used to roam in another country, but

Your current mobile operator must have roaming agreements in place with a Thailand mobile operator (AIS, DTAC, True, TOT3G, etc)

Your account must be enabled to allow roaming in foreign countries

Your mobile phone/device being used must be capable of operating in an active BAND of the Thailand mobile operator (roaming partner)

If your mobile phone/device supports 850 ,900, 1800 or 2100 MHz then there is a good chance you will have roaming coverage.

Otherwise, buy an inexpensive mobile phone/device there or in Thailand and put your USA SIM Card in and use it.

[Mrjlh]

True move and I think one other company has a free "Tourist" SIM card package. You can pick it up for free at the airport, hotels, and several places, go to any 7/11 or phone dealer and activate it after paying 100 to 500 Baht, Good for 90 days and works in all 4 band phones and many 3 band phones. You get a few advertising text messages but it works for the short time and you can add time to it as you go. Throw away when you leave.

[NamKangMan]

Why bother with a sim card at all?

Have you considered a Skype subscription to Thailand. Last time I looked, they were about about $12 for the month and unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in Thailand.

Also, buy yourself a "Skype-in" phone number, which allows anyone in Thailand to ring a local Thai number that goes to Skype, who then forwards the call to you. The Thai person ringing you just pays the price as if they were ringing a phone in Thailand.

I haven't looked at the cost of a Skype-in number for a while, but they weren't expensive, either.

If you would like long conversations with a spouse, why not buy two Skype subscriptions, one for USA and one for Thailand? From memory, both can ring unlimited to mobiles and landlines for each country.

[ryanhull]

Why bother with a sim card at all?

Have you considered a Skype subscription to Thailand. Last time I looked, they were about about $12 for the month and unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in Thailand.

Also, buy yourself a "Skype-in" phone number, which allows anyone in Thailand to ring a local Thai number that goes to Skype, who then forwards the call to you. The Thai person ringing you just pays the price as if they were ringing a phone in Thailand.

I haven't looked at the cost of a Skype-in number for a while, but they weren't expensive, either.

If you would like long conversations with a spouse, why not buy two Skype subscriptions, one for USA and one for Thailand? From memory, both can ring unlimited to mobiles and landlines for each country.

Correct but then you would need to be connected to the internet which would require a package with true or dtac etc. Unless of course your in a wifi area, but from my experience of using skype over the last few years to call the UK you need a fairly good wifi signal to hold a decent call, public wifi's usually are not good enough and make the call drop out.

[lomatopo]

"Hi, can USA sim cards generally be used in Thailand (with roaming charges)?"

"Generally"? No. In some cases, Yes.

It really depends on the SIM, service provider, phone and coverage in Thailand. Can you share any details re: what prompted your question? Please share as much information as possible.

My T-Mobile pre-paid SIM now roams in Thailand - I get coverage in metro-Bangkok via AIS on 2100 MHz 3G. I mainly use it to receive OTP SMS - I can monitor voicemail via alternate means.

Edited October 10, 2014 by lomatopo

[NamKangMan]

Why bother with a sim card at all?

Have you considered a Skype subscription to Thailand. Last time I looked, they were about about $12 for the month and unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in Thailand.

Also, buy yourself a "Skype-in" phone number, which allows anyone in Thailand to ring a local Thai number that goes to Skype, who then forwards the call to you. The Thai person ringing you just pays the price as if they were ringing a phone in Thailand.

I haven't looked at the cost of a Skype-in number for a while, but they weren't expensive, either.

If you would like long conversations with a spouse, why not buy two Skype subscriptions, one for USA and one for Thailand? From memory, both can ring unlimited to mobiles and landlines for each country.

Correct but then you would need to be connected to the internet which would require a package with true or dtac etc. Unless of course your in a wifi area, but from my experience of using skype over the last few years to call the UK you need a fairly good wifi signal to hold a decent call, public wifi's usually are not good enough and make the call drop out.

I've had the opposite experience. I find the wifi internet in most bars and cafes, as well as my residence, more than sufficient to handle a decent Skype call. It's sometimes not so clear running video and voice, but for voice only, never really a problem.

Skype to Skype - both parties need to be on the internet.

Skype to landline and/or mobile (Thai to USA or USA to Thai) only one party needs to be on the internet.

Thai Moible to a Thai Skype-in number can be made straight from the Thai mobile sim card. The receiver in USA needs to be on the internet, but I believe, with some Skype credit also added, the incoming Skype call can be forwarded to a USA mobile/landline.

I only offer this as something so consider, but for regular and lengthy calls, it would be certainly one of the most cheapest methods, with the added bonus of also having video available.