SIM Card for Thailand

[StreetDog]

i will need a SIM card for my unlocked quadband phone while in Thailand.
The last few trips I would buy a SIM card at local shops and they didnt work in my phone.
Does anyone have a good carrier or brand of Cell Chip to buy at 7-11 or another shop?

I would hate to buy a temporary phone just to get access.

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Phones are so cheap it's worth buying one and then chucking it away. New ones start at around 900 baht. Used ones are even cheaper.

DTAC seems to get the best reviews for coverage when using a quadband phone from outside Thailand.

Of course you need to make sure that your provider has activated your hand set for international roaming. This is a free option offered by most providers and all you need to do is call them to make sure that it's done. Then you're phone should be able to use any SIM card.

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Here's a great link!

[Snick]

I don't know why a quad band phone would not work with a local sim card, but if it doesn't go to Big C or Tesco where they sell new phones for as low as 700 Baht.

For something better go to MBK or Fortune Town.

[EyeMahk]

(StreetDog @ Mar. 06 2011,23:35) i will need a SIM card for my unlocked quadband phone while in Thailand.  
The last few trips I would buy a SIM card at local shops and they didnt work in my phone.

I'm surprised at this.

FYI, the bands used in Thailand are:

AIS (1-2-call) - 900 mHz
True, DTAC - 1800 mHz

[StreetDog]

Thanks for the tips.
I have had a quad band unlocked phone and gone to Thailand many times but i bought a Sim card from two different carriers from 7-11 (cant remember the carriers) and 2 times in a row, they would not work. Then some Brit I met told me which one to use and sure enough, it worked. But that was a long time ago and I do not remember much from all the alcohol and raging. I did not take a mental note.

I dont think it is my phone so much as it is the brand of carrier of the Sim card you buy.
So I know there is one that works fine but had to ask so I dont go through the same process of elimination. This time I need one for work and is critical it works.

If anything, I will buy a cheap phone and chuck it as some of you said. But if i can save that money, it is one more shag!

[kahuna]

Don't buy a card at 7 Eleven...If in BKK go to MBK or if in Pattaya go to Tuk Com...You can buy a card for as little as 50 baht and they will put it in your phone
and activate it for you...12 Call works well for me in all my phones...Thai or USA...

[SiamSam]

Kahuna,

What is "12 Call"? I currently have TRUE but they charge me more for texting (10baht) than an international call which is 4baht per minute. I think they fleece me on the local calls and SMS to compensate for the low international rate.

I need to buy another SIM card early April. I need low international to the US and Canada and reasonable local rates for texts and calls. Any suggestions?

[EyeMahk]

If you look at the 8th post in this thread:

1-2-call Promotion

I detailed info on calling USA (and other countries) very cheap.  The rate is now 1 baht/min, which makes calling USA cheaper than a local call.  It works from any Thai mobile (1-2-call, True, DTAC) and does not take any money off the SIM for the call, as it is calling 1544 which is "toll-free" from any mobile.

Call quality, in my experience, is just fine.

If you can't be bothered with this because you make very few calls, as of now, you can dial the USA using 00500-1-xxx-xxx-xxxx for 4 baht/min.

[StreetDog]

Thanks for the valuable information. I will probably go to MBK and take care of this.

Last time in LOS involved 11 barfines in 3 days and I was not in any condition to keep track of a SIM card.

Thanks mates!

[spare wheel]

My D-tac sim works here in the UK

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