eqeqeqx

Not difficult. Normally they get extended every time you pay to "top up" (add credits), which you can do at e.g. 7-11. Different providers also have different codes you can you can enter to deduct existing credits to extend directly, but you'll have to google your specific provider (TRUE, DTAC, AIS) to see what codes and how to do that.

transpac

Most SIMs' expiry can be extended by simply making a top-up. For normal SIMs a single 10 baht top-up at a machine (found outside every convenience store) adds 30 days expiry, with a fee of 2 baht, so 12 baht in total. The act of topping up does not necessarily extend the enclosed data plan. Keycodes (USSD) for extending expiry often have additional requirements, like being a customer for at least 90 days, which you may not meet.

How many days, beyond the original eight were you planning on extending?

The challenges become: adding the proper amount of money, and extending the data plan, or subscribing to a new one.

Some Tourist SIMs actually have 30 days expiry, but have 7, 8 15 day expiry on the mobile data portion. AIS for example...

AIS TRAVELLER SIM

You can also add one day, 10 days internet for a fee taken from your balance.

There are also gazillions of daily plans available for re-subscription.

The simplest solution might be to get a 15-day tourist SIM, or a standard SIM add value, subscribe to a single 30 day plan.

Did you have a provider in mind?
Were you planning on getting this SIM at the airport on arrival?
How many extra days?
Any budget considerations or limitations?

LAXlocal

I extended both my sims at the AIS shop in Terminal 21 , there is a top up machine , you just keep throwing 20 baht bills in it and the whole 20 baht is added to your account and also extended 1 month ,

You can only extend up to 12 months , I assume you could come back in 11 months and do it again ,

And the staff cannot do it on their tablets , they were the ones that showed me how to do it at the top up machine , one month at a time !

sokolov

Is​​​​​ there a way to get a Thai data SIM shipped to a hotel in BKK?

My friend will isolate in a BKK Hotel for two weeks, and she doesn't want to use the hotel's WiFi.

Afterwards she will spend several months in another part of Thailand and use the SIM there as well.

She would also be interested in buying a mobile hotspot (4G).

Diplomatico

Your friend could buy a Thai SIM card from AIS on Amazon prior to leaving (more expensive than buying in Thailand, though.)

Otherwise, she could probably have it shipped to the Thai hotel by ordering on Lazada, the Thai e-commerce site that is a poorly organized Amazon imitation:

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=...1125719cppoMqf

transpac

Some ASQ hotels offer complimentary SIMs, not sure about adding value, changing plans etc. Inquire of the hotel when deciding.

Some ASQ hotel allow guests to order on-line and have deliveries made to the hotel, even via COD. If so, quite easy to order. Ask.

Some ASQ hotels will go out and buy a SIM for you. Ask.

SIMs do need to be registered to a valid passport or Thai ID, think this is still enforced.

There are FB groups where this sort of thing is covered daily. I'd look at some of those

Does your friend only need a data SIM? No voice calls?

WIll the mobile hotspot be purchased before travel, or in Thailand? These aren't really used much here anymore, but they can be purchased.

This one seems good (couldn't shorten URL, go to Lazada.co.th search for "4G hotpsot), narrow to Local, COD.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/be...freeshipping=1


There are millions of individual plans for mobiles here, impossible to choose one without some parameters on usage and budget.

You can order a SIM on Lazada (search for AIS SIM, or DTAC SIM, or TRUEMOVE H SIM) but a lot of those are reseller promotions, bundled with volume data, and can be somewhat inflexible.

Let me think about this one, follow up.

But getting a comp SIM at the hotel, which you can manage, would be easiest.

transpac

I reviewed some FB groups for BKK/THL ASQ interests.

The easiest solution is that the ASQ hotel offers a SIM, complimentary or for a fee. After ASQ you can buy your own SIM. A lot of mobile phone shops are open now as they are deemed an essential service.

The next best solution would be to ask the hotel staff to purchase a SIM for you, maybe at a nearby 7/11. I'd try to get them to register it, maybe in 7/11 with a copy of your passport (there are some self-registering options, need the barcode on the SIM packaging), and then have them add value. Once you have the SIM set up your account, or use the service providers app. There are some all in one Traveler SIMs which come with bundles, and can be extended, topped up and modified.


I now realize that most ecom platforms here require a mobile number to register and for 2FA. Lazada might work, use the hotel phone number and your email for 2FA. I use Lazada at least 3 times per week, for me they require 2FA via email. I order COD exclusively. On Lazada I would stick to the Flagship Stores. All providers have FB pages.

Any SIM can be extended, topped up, and plans can be changed/modified at will.

AIS is the largest provider. This SIM seems like a good one to start with https://www.ais.th/theonesim/ seems widely available.

TrueMove H (a leading mobile provider) is part of the same conglomerate which owns 7/11, so that may be the only option from a 7/11 run by hotel staff.

transpac

I tried to buy a SIM at 7/11 a few minutes ago. TrueMove H, 49 baht.

Was asked for an ORIGINAL passport, I had a copy, which they could keep, but they have a registration process, maybe app-based on their phone where they scan the barcode and take a photo of your passport, so no-go.

Just one 7/11, with just one mini-general manning their post.

SKT-DK

They're just doing as they are told - front-line 7/11 employees do not make the rules and quite understandably do not dare not to follow them (why would you just because you think they should?). Any telco/internet connection in the country requires original ID for Thais and original passport for foreigners in order to set up - has been like that for years.

What is bizarre though is that it has become required to provide ID/passport when topping up your Rabbit (BTS) card at a ticket office!!

transpac

It is possible to buy a SIM online, then register it at home using the service provider's app.

https://www.ais.th/one-2-call/howto_.../en/index.html


And I've purchased SIMs in shops using a copy of my passport.

Been like that for years.

The 7/11 mini-general was all attitude, which I accepted with the full fake Thai smile, head bow and mai bpen rai. I did not make a scene, I apologized for not my having my passport, and everyone was smiling.

But thanks for the useless and silly observations.

ft101

I don't know if it's still possible, but you used to be able to do it via USSD (Thai) or SMS (others) too.

transpac

You're confusing Activating with Registering.

SIMs auto-activate (once registered here). Maybe 10 - 20 years ago here you did have to Activate a SIM with codes.

Registering associates a SIM with an ID card. That can be done in person, or remotely using the service provider's app, to scan the SIM bar-code and take a photo of your ID.

Many of the promotional SIMs, e.g. 4 Mbps unlimited for 1 year sold online, come preregistered to someone. An obvious hole in the national security rationale (we're told) unenforced in recent years. There may have been a mini-crackdown when some of those massive SIM-farm operations were discovered a few years ago?

The link I provided above details this process (for AIS).

ft101

Not me. It's a while ago, but in I have noted for registering you dial *161*2*ID No#Send then follow the instructions. Foreigners text Passport No to 170.

To be fair, I don't fancy risking screwing up a SIM to try it out, but the point was to backup the statement that registering could be done at home - this may have been a pre-app method.

sokolov

Thank you for all your responses. They are very helpful! Please allow me a couple more questions:

I see that AIS has a "Working from Home" package with 50 GBytes for 500 Baht. However, the page doesn't say "order" or "buy", it says "Apply".
https://www.ais.th/workfromhome/en/i...n-workfromhome
Is that offer available to anyone, or are there specific requirements?

What is the bandwidth for that offer?

Are there any (other) data packages for more than 10 Mbit/s?

Thank you!

transpac

To me it looks like this USSD code simply results in a URL being returned which puts you into the same registration system as the app.

https://aiscallcenter.ais.co.th/ikm/...kmid=KM1064481