For some years we have used a 'Phonecheap' 0844 access number to phone Thailand from the UK. These were charged at 1p per minute plus the 13.4p connection charge from my phone company (Utility Warehouse). I have just got a my August bill and a bit of a shock! Utility Warehouse have increased the rates to 08 numbers considerably. e.g an hours call to Thailand that cost about 75p last month now costs nearly £5. (My wife phones her mum frequently).

There are alternative cheap access numbers, but all I have found start with 084, so would still incur this charge.

Can anybody advise of an alternative cheap method please?

Why not use an Internet app which is free - no cost at all to call like Skype or Line. Line is popular in Thailand so easy to make phone or video calls with nearly everyone in Thailand.

www.18185.co.uk

You can dial a freephone access number (0808) then it's a 4 or 5 p connection charge and 1.5p per minute to Thai mobiles and landlines.

You can register both your landline and mobile and there are various billing methods.

I have been using them for years and they are very reliable.

I use Skype these days, I think it's about 5 pound a month for unlimited land line calls. Calls to mobiles are more expensive.

It helps to have a proper microphone (like a radio station) and some wireless headphones.

Hi, I think it all depends on what your mother in law can use and what she feels comfortable with.

If she has a smart phone and a Skype account, she could get a post-paid unlimited 3G from DTAC - only 650baht per month. Then just install the Skype app on her phone and you can call at any time. The unlimited data packages work by giving you a certain amount of data at 3G and then switching to a much slower speed, however it's still fine for Skype voice calls and better than paying £5 per hour.

Thanks very much for all your replies so far - keep 'em coming!

Jadee has hit the nail on the head... the muvver in law can barely work a door bell! No way cold you teach her in a month of Sundays how to use Skype / LINE etc. There is no landline connection and she wouldn't be able to use a smart phone.

Years ago we did use Skype to call her mobile but it wasn't very cheap that time - maybe that's changed?

'The Weight Challenged Controllers' suggestion of the 0808 number might work. I'm waiting to hear back from Utility Warehouse to check that it doesn't incur the same charges as the other 08 numbers.

Thanks again and I welcome any more ideas.

"the muvver in law can barely work a door bell!"

Classic! Thanks for the laugh sam

Get a GiffGaff sim, 3p a minute, or as suggested one of the many apps etc, if the MIL cant use one, get one of the relatives to organise it for her, once on the phone she only has to answer it.

Viber is very easy to use. I bought my mum a samsung galaxy and installed it and she managed it ok. Much easier than Skype.

I use lycamobile. Put the SIM in a unlocked phone and get 1000 minutes to Thailand and 1 gb data for £10 per month.

Posted from my phone using predictive text, please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors.

Why not use an Internet app which is free - no cost at all to call like Skype or Line. Line is popular in Thailand so easy to make phone or video calls with nearly everyone in Thailand.

Because you can't call phones for free with Skype or line, you can call other users of the same app for free.

Same same but different.

If it is to call Thailand from the UK, Skype has an unlimited world plan.It's 8.49 Pounds/month for unlimited calls if you pay monthly, better rates if you pay 3 monthly or annual.

https://secure.skype.com/en/calling-rates

What is even better is that you can try it out 1 month for free.

Change SIM and Skype account every month and you have free calls for life.

I use skype and it is one of the easiest apps I have used although I havent loaded Line.

I use skype on my tablet (nexus7) with no sim card and it is 100% free. If I call anyone whether UK or Thailand, and they are using a mobile phone, then it will use their data so effectively will be a cost to that person. If 2 people are talking on skype both on tablets (with no sim cards involved) Its free for both

If it's really basic, get a talkhome phonecard for five pounds. You get ten hours to any number in Thailand for that long as you can call an 0800 number from a UK landline for free. It's what i did with my Mrs years ago before Skype viber etc

giffgaff is 3p per minute, landline and mobile numbers, no codes just dial the Thai number

Lebara sim and calls to asia are cheap.

Why not use an Internet app which is free - no cost at all to call like Skype or Line. Line is popular in Thailand so easy to make phone or video calls with nearly everyone in Thailand.

I am guessing the wife's mother has yet to embrace smart-phone technology.

OP, investigate the O2 Unlimited pre-paid (or International SIM), if you top up £15/month you can call mobiles for 3p/minute.

I was over in UK last year on visit. I found the best one from Tesco. I bought a SIM card from there and they said this one is very cheap and it is very cheap. LYCA MOBIL. even my nephew bought one to phone me when I went back.

"Viber"....free.

Try this from the UK, try localphone from either landline or mobile, you register numbers you want to call from and then dial a local number with the same are code, 1p or 2p a minuite, plus connection charge depending on UK provider

https://www.localphone.com/

I use Skype these days, I think it's about 5 pound a month for unlimited land line calls. Calls to mobiles are more expensive.

It helps to have a proper microphone (like a radio station) and some wireless headphones.

Yes Skype has a few good packages, I pay 34 Euros for 1 hr per month to allow me to call ANY number in Oz as opposed to the unlimited package. I can call my brother who is on a wireless package in Oz anywhere he is connected for free, Just use my smartphone or laptop with no special microphone and its great and includes a pretty good video connection depending on internet stability off course.

I use Skype these days, I think it's about 5 pound a month for unlimited land line calls. Calls to mobiles are more expensive.

It helps to have a proper microphone (like a radio station) and some wireless headphones.

Yes Skype has a few good packages, I pay 34 Euros for 1 hr per month to allow me to call ANY number in Oz as opposed to the unlimited package. I can call my brother who is on a wireless package in Oz anywhere he is connected for free, Just use my smartphone or laptop with no special microphone and its great and includes a pretty good video connection depending on internet stability off course.

I think it's time to review your subscription, because nowadays is 400 minutes of Skype to ANY number in OZ only 14.99 Euros, or 2.59 Euros for 1 hour to ANY number.

https://secure.skype.com/en/calling-rates

Internet based LINE or Whats App.

Both free....can't get cheaper than that.

If it's really basic, get a talkhome phonecard for five pounds. You get ten hours to any number in Thailand for that long as you can call an 0800 number from a UK landline for free. It's what i did with my Mrs years ago before Skype viber etc

I use a calling card from this website, think it's 1p a minute,

http://www.digicallingcards.com

Internet based LINE or Whats App.

Both free....can't get cheaper than that.

You can't call landlines or mobiles that aren't smartphones for free with any app.

Internet based LINE or Whats App.

Both free....can't get cheaper than that.

You can't call landlines or mobiles that aren't smartphones for free with any app.

So, get a smartphone and enjoy free calls.

Cheapest calls worldwide Facebook totally free as long as you want use it everyday call my daughter in Austrralia from Thailand

Another one:

http://www.call18866.co.uk/rates.php#t

Why not use an Internet app which is free - no cost at all to call like Skype or Line. Line is popular in Thailand so easy to make phone or video calls with nearly everyone in Thailand.

Agree Sir

Line can be installed on a windows pc Also.All line to line free worldwide and video session too

Internet based LINE or Whats App.

Both free....can't get cheaper than that.

You can't call landlines or mobiles that aren't smartphones for free with any app.

So, get a smartphone and enjoy free calls.

Did you notice that the purpose of the OP is to call to Thailand.

Maybe the person in Thailand isn't comfortable with a smartphone. A smartphone also involves a monthly data plan otherwise the app will be of no use.

Other than that, it would be a perfect solution if there was only one app alike, but in reality there are tens of them and not everyone is using the same app, which makes that you should have them all on your phone.

I personally use Line Premium call to call landlines in Europe, and at 0.64 Baht a minute for a good quality call to a landline and 1.64 Bht to a mobile phone, I think that is affordable for me.