Postpaid or Prepaid for AIS sim card?

[jiangaq]

As I am now out of Thailand in a long run, but I need to get OTP message from Thai bank. Normally, I'm using AIS postpaid 2xx baht package which is the cheapest postpaid package that I can apply, is there any other solution to reduce the cost?

Or how about I change to prepaid and just leave a few money in the account, will it be expire if using prepaid solution?

Thanks!

[sharktooth]

AIS prepaid lasts 12 months from last top up.

[VBF]

AIS prepaid lasts 12 months from last top up.

And if you're out of Thailand for longer than 12 months, you can top it up online from some Thai banks - SCB for example. Do make sure AIS set your international roaming on - just call them on 1175 if you're not sure - I've found them to be very helpful.

Edit: Just noticed that you're already out of Thailand - go to their website http://www.ais.co.th/roaming/postpaid/smart-roaming-menu.aspx?language=en and call on the call centre number you find there.

Edited June 8, 2016 by VBF

[hkt83100]

You will normally not get a post paid account unless you have a work permit. On the other hand, top-up can be done on the website by using a credit card.

[jiangaq]

AIS prepaid lasts 12 months from last top up.

And if you're out of Thailand for longer than 12 months, you can top it up online from some Thai banks - SCB for example. Do make sure AIS set your international roaming on - just call them on 1175 if you're not sure - I've found them to be very helpful.

Edit: Just noticed that you're already out of Thailand - go to their website http://www.ais.co.th/roaming/postpaid/smart-roaming-menu.aspx?language=en and call on the call centre number you find there.

Actually, I do like this, I top up every month 220baht to my postpaid account. If I switch to prepaid account, top up 500baht or something like that, what time expire for my top-up, is it possible? coz i think 220baht every month is too much for me to just receive some SMS

[jiangaq]

You will normally not get a post paid account unless you have a work permit. On the other hand, top-up can be done on the website by using a credit card.

I already get postpaid account. What if switch to prepaid account, then top up a few money, how long will be expire? Can I also top up via online thai bank for my prepaid account like what I do for postpaid account?

[sharktooth]

12 months. Can top up via kasikorn internet banking.

[jiangaq]

12 months. Can top up via kasikorn internet banking.

What if after 12 months, cannot top up? The phone number will be expired?

[MadMac]

AIS prepaid lasts 12 months from last top up.

No, it doesn't. For AIS a top up of 50B adds validity of one month up to a maximum of 12 months. That is if you top up 12 x 50B separately. Higher amounts add I think up to 90 days maximum, but this have to check for a particular promotion.

With TRUE there is a specific code where you can use a small amount of money to extend the validity. 3B give you 30 days, also up to 365 days maximum. I think it was *9344. As TRUE has the better network I'd just go for the latter.

[kaptainrob]

AIS postpaid a/c gives me a credit of ~1,000 bt to allow for non-payment/extra charges ... I'm on 199 plan with one phone and 299 the other, both have the same credit buffer to allow for things such as travel.

[sharktooth]

[MadMac]

That happens if your remaining validity is still close to a year and you top up. It will add the new validity on top of the previous one. So if you had let's say 9 months left and you top up adding another 90 days you have a full year again. But that depends on your promotion.

[cheeryble]

I am a modest user of an AIS phone, modest number of SMSs too.

Don't use internet via the phone except WIFI.

I'm not sure but I think a call costs 3 bt/minute and SMSs a similar amount.......correct?

So a ten minute call's up towards 30 baht?

Now I use LINe quite often I'm starting to begrudge that.

I occasionally see an offer by SMS but whats the best deal where I just stick with one package......is there one?

Thanks!

[Lannig]

The actual cost per minute depends on the promotion you have subscribed to and Thai operators have a real way of offering a maze of countless, ever-changing promotions.

Anyway, if you pay anything more than 1B/mn for domestic calls, you should find out a better promotion depending on your needs.

Good luck, it can be a full-time job. If you have access to a Thai under 30 yo, ask him/her. They're really good at keeping up.

AIS and DTAC (I don't use True) have half-decent web sites in English now that can help you choose among the offered promotions.

Edited June 9, 2016 by Lannig

[VBF]

AIS prepaid lasts 12 months from last top up.

No, it doesn't. For AIS a top up of 50B adds validity of one month up to a maximum of 12 months. That is if you top up 12 x 50B separately. Higher amounts add I think up to 90 days maximum, but this have to check for a particular promotion.

With TRUE there is a specific code where you can use a small amount of money to extend the validity. 3B give you 30 days, also up to 365 days maximum. I think it was *9344. As TRUE has the better network I'd just go for the latter.

The following is what I learned from a conversation with AIS 14-2-16 and what I subsequently actually DID:

Top up < 150 Baht extends validity by 30 days (Applies to top up at AIS or 7/11, Family Mart etc) – See Note

Top up > 150 Baht extends validity by 60 days (Applies to top up at AIS or 7/11, Family Mart etc) – See Note

Maximum validity is 1 year

Top up online using card requires Thai bank credit card with minimum = 100 Baht

Cannot use my SCB card online because it’s not a credit card but set up using SCB Easy channel

17-02-2016 – topped up 50 Baht from SCB and got an additional 30 days as expected (see above)

20-02-2016 – topped up 150 Baht from SCB and got an additional 30 days as expected (see above)

Note: Must be more than not equal to 150 Baht to get 60 days. Can do multiple top ups, so 50+50+50 would get 90 days extension of validity. Similarly, when in Thailand, 20+20+20 at 7/11 machine would get 90 days.

[MadMac]

The lowest you can do online is 50B, this adds 30 days. As I wrote you can do this 12 times to come to a one year validity. That's the cheapest option as higher topup amounts do not add validity progressively. Or just get a TRUE SIM and pay 36B for a whole year.

[sometimewoodworker]

12 months. Can top up via kasikorn internet banking.

What if after 12 months, cannot top up? The phone number will be expired?

Yes

[sometimewoodworker]

You will normally not get a post paid account unless you have a work permit. On the other hand, top-up can be done on the website by using a credit card.

I already get postpaid account. What if switch to prepaid account, then top up a few money, how long will be expire? Can I also top up via online thai bank for my prepaid account like what I do for postpaid account?

Yes

[sharktooth]

50baht top up? Good grief. Welcome to the Farang poverty forum.

[MadMac]

50baht top up? Good grief. Welcome to the Farang poverty forum.

You probably missed the point. It's about validity, not balance. If one wants to top up remotely/from abroad, thus through online banking (to not lose the number) the cheapest option for AIS is 12 x 50B which leads to 365 days of validity. Alternatively a one time topup of equal 600B will give you something like 3 months, depending on promotion, could also be less.

TRUE offers a validity extension using the existing balance that cost 3B per month or 36B for a whole year and may be the better option. The SIM/number could survive almost 3 years with a single topup of 100B before leaving Thailand and yearly extension of validity before expiry.

[MadMac]

One more option and probably the cheapest to extend SIM validity - the orange top up machines in front of every 7/11. The minimum possible topup amount is 10B + a fee of 2B. This gives you 10B balance and 30 days for 2B. Or 1 Year for 24B, can't beat that.