Checking/extending validity and balance AIS from abroad

MarcelV · December 21, 2015

I got an AIS prepaid SIM card, but have been situated in The Netherlands since early October. I am afraid the validity of the SIM and thereby the card balance will run out. Since I won't be visitng Thailand before Jan. 28 next year, I wish to check on the status of the SIM card and, if needed, take the appropriate steps to keep it valid.

Please help me on this.

JohnC · December 21, 2015

If you have a Thai bank with Internet banking you can top up online, alternatively give a friend the number and they can top it up for you.

Aachen · December 22, 2015

Checkin is done by *121# - even from abroad...

KhunBENQ · December 22, 2015

If you have a Thai bank with Internet banking you can top up online, alternatively give a friend the number and they can top it up for you.

That would be easiest if you have any contact in Thailand.

E.g.:

He/she keys in your number at one of the self-service(!) machines outside of every 7/11.

Select topup 10 Baht, pay 12 Baht (2 Baht fee).

Give 10 Baht topup and one more month of validity.

Repeat x-times.

x:

what was the last status when you left Thailand in October?

If it was still valid in October and you come back end of January then four times 10 Baht should be enough (4 months extension, 40 Baht topup).

Edited December 22, 2015 by KhunBENQ

MarcelV · December 22, 2015

I cannot seem to top-up my balance from here. The AIS sim is inserted, roaming is selected, but *121# doesn't do anything but tell me that there is no network. Which means it cannot connect to the AIS network, nor can it connect to my own network, since I am not allowed to change my APN to my Dutch simcard's access point.

My Dutch friend in Thailand has bought me a 50 baht credit at 7-11, but says he can't top-up my number. Strange, since my (now ex-)girlfriend managed to top-up my balance just fine only a month ago.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm pretty sure my number is to expire before my next trip.

MJCM · December 22, 2015

Question, is the sim registered with an official ID? If not it could be that it is disabled because of NON registration.

Edited December 22, 2015 by MJCM

MarcelV · December 22, 2015

Question, is the sim registered with an official ID? If not it could be that it is disabled because of NON registration.

I am pretty sure it is. I had it registered way back in January 2014 before visiting Yala and had my sim registration confirmed during my holiday in June/July 2015. Also, I had no problem using mobile internet or making phone calls during my latest holiday in September/October of this year.

MJCM · December 22, 2015

Oke, ask your Friend to go into an Ais shop and ask them what is going on. Let him explain the situation and let him know under which name it was registered (maybe even passport number) as AIS will for sure ask for that info and let them check.

KhunBENQ · December 22, 2015

My Dutch friend in Thailand has bought me a 50 baht credit at 7-11, but says he can't top-up my number. Strange,

Did he describe what exactly happened, what message did he get?

I assume he tried it from his phone using the adequate code or did 7/11 staff try it?

If you registered the SIM to your name there is a good chance you can sort it out when back in Thailand at an AIS service centre (if that is good enough).

Edited December 22, 2015 by KhunBENQ

RichCor · December 22, 2015

My Dutch friend in Thailand has bought me a 50 baht credit at 7-11, but says he can't top-up my number. Strange, since my (now ex-)girlfriend managed to top-up my balance just fine only a month ago.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm pretty sure my number is to expire before my next trip.

What did your friend purchase? If it was a scratch-off card or receipt credit then those won't work while your SIM is out of the country (unless allowed by the roaming system).

The only Top Up options that will work will be those that credit the account/number directly -- like the top-up machine, or anything that requires furnishing the actual phone number during the Top Up process. I usually top up friend's accounts by visiting a mom 'n pop store and they either use a PC running Top Up website or a phone to transfer credit to the account.

Another option would be to ask a current AIS customer to transfer "Validity Days" from their number to your number.

AIS Transfer Validity

Transfer can be made for 5, 10 or 20 days at a time.

There is no limit on how many times you can make a transfer for each.

Transferee can accumulate validity days up to a maximum of 365 days.

3 Baht is charged for service fee (each time)

Either the Direct Top Up or Transfer Validity method should work if your account/number/SIM is still valid and operating.

MarcelV · December 22, 2015

Oke, ask your Friend to go into an Ais shop and ask them what is going on. Let him explain the situation and let him know under which name it was registered (maybe even passport number) as AIS will for sure ask for that info and let them check.

I already asked him to step into an AIS shop. The problem is, he is currently in his gf's home town of Phu Wiang, Khon Kaen and there is no AIS shop there. I cannot ask him to travel to the town of KK for this, can I?

My Dutch friend in Thailand has bought me a 50 baht credit at 7-11, but says he can't top-up my number. Strange,

Did he describe what exactly happened, what message did he get?

I assume he tried it from his phone using the adequate code or did 7/11 staff try it?

If you registered the SIM to your name there is a good chance you can sort it out when back in Thailand at an AIS service centre (if that is good enough).

He just told me the topping up was no success and apped me a photocopy of the 50 baht code slip.

By the way, I fail to see how he could top-up my phone number using his phone.

If all else fails, could I perhaps ask another BM to do the top-up for me? (10+2 baht x2 should do, as suggested)

I will arrive in Thailand/Pattaya on 28-1 and buy you a beer or coke as a thank you.

MarcelV · December 22, 2015

My Dutch friend in Thailand has bought me a 50 baht credit at 7-11, but says he can't top-up my number. Strange, since my (now ex-)girlfriend managed to top-up my balance just fine only a month ago.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm pretty sure my number is to expire before my next trip.

What did your friend purchase? If it was a scratch-off card or receipt credit then those won't work while your SIM is out of the country (unless allowed by the roaming system).

The only Top Up options that will work will be those that credit the account/number directly -- like the top-up machine, or anything that requires furnishing the actual phone number during the Top Up process. I usually top up friend's accounts by visiting a mom 'n pop store and they either use a PC running Top Up website or a phone to transfer credit to the account.

Another option would be to ask a current AIS customer to transfer "Validity Days" from their number to your number.

AIS Transfer Validity

Transfer can be made for 5, 10 or 20 days at a time.
There is no limit on how many times you can make a transfer for each.

Transferee can accumulate validity days up to a maximum of 365 days.

3 Baht is charged for service fee (each time)

Either the Direct Top Up or Transfer Validity method should work if your account/number/SIM is still valid and operating.

He bought this:

MJCM · December 22, 2015

- removed

Edited December 22, 2015 by MJCM

MJCM · December 22, 2015

Oke, ask your Friend to go into an Ais shop and ask them what is going on. Let him explain the situation and let him know under which name it was registered (maybe even passport number) as AIS will for sure ask for that info and let them check.

I already asked him to step into an AIS shop. The problem is, he is currently in his gf's home town of Phu Wiang, Khon Kaen and there is no AIS shop there. I cannot ask him to travel to the town of KK for this, can I?

It was Just a suggestion. Up 2 u.

Good Luck with your search

Edited December 22, 2015 by MJCM

MarcelV · December 22, 2015

Okay. If someone wants to help me personally, please send me a PM and I'll send you my number.

RichCor · December 22, 2015

He bought this:

Yea, that's not gonna work as it's a Top Up CREDIT RECEIPT (same as a Scratch-off or Cash Card/Refill Card) where the 'credit' can be applied to any phone by entering the USSD code while the phone is on an AIS or roaming on an AIS sister system (not the same as roaming on a foreign system).

So, as mentioned, anyone helping you needs to do a DIRECT Top Up that requires they provide your SIM phone number.

This can be done using the TopUp MACHINE in front of 7/11 or other shops, or at a Mom n Pop shop that uses a Website or Phone to complete the TopUp using the actual SIM phone number.

Oke, ask your Friend to go into an Ais shop and ask them what is going on. Let him explain the situation and let him know under which name it was registered (maybe even passport number) as AIS will for sure ask for that info and let them check.

I already asked him to step into an AIS shop. The problem is, he is currently in his gf's home town of Phu Wiang, Khon Kaen and there is no AIS shop there. I cannot ask him to travel to the town of KK for this, can I?

Your friend doesn't need to find an actual AIS shop, but anyone helping you needs to complete a TopUp that requires your actual SIM Phone Number to complete the transaction. (Not via a Register Receipt Cash Card / Credit).

My first post to you outlined the many methods of having a third-party achieve this.

KhunBENQ · December 22, 2015

I don't see why it is not possible to top-up another number with such a slip from 7/11 whether it is on or not.

*130*10-digit phone number (the one you wish to top up)*PIN number on the scratch panel on the back of your top up card#

Its *130 instead of *120 (which works on the active phone).

http://www.ais.co.th/12call/en/fill-money-service.html

If this results in an error message on the "sending" phone, then I am afraid that the receiving number is actually lost/deactivated.

I could try it during tomorrow.

Edited December 22, 2015 by KhunBENQ

MarcelV · December 22, 2015

@KhunBENQ:

Thanks! That solved it. I just had my friend use the *130* code and it worked.

Case closed!

Still it is odd I can't do it myself online unless I stay in Thailand.

Btw, I had him deposit 50 baht at once. How much time will that buy my sim?

Edited December 22, 2015 by MarcelV

RichCor · December 23, 2015

Your 50 Baht TopUp gained you 30 days.

The AIS TopUp using a Code Slip only allow 50, 100, 300, 500, 1000 Baht denominations, and as you can see from the above AIS graphic, would provide you with only 30 or 60 days extended validity.

Which is why we suggest using the TopUp MACHINE in front of the STORE to do multiple 10 Baht TopUps (so, 12 Baht with fees included).

I usually use a friendly Mom n' Pop store (a store run by a family) who are nice enough to do multiple 30 Baht TopUps for me (usually 3 or 4 per visit) to give me 3 or 4 months additional Validity.

BKKdreaming · December 23, 2015

Is this basically the same setup for Dtac and True with the 7 11 top ups of 10 baht ?

Thanks

Lannig · December 23, 2015

As a previous poster mentioned, roaming probably needs to be activated before you leave the country and the SIM must have been properly registered with your ID first to allow this. Not sure someone else can do it in your name.

At least this is what I had to do for my DTAC SIM which I keep active at all time when in my home country so that I can get my text messages.

Another hint: DTAC has this nice feature that your can buy lifetime for your SIM. It's incredibly cheap, like 6 baths for 3 months.

Don't know if AIS has the same offering. It's done using an USSD code from the phone and the prince for this is taken from your current credit.