Buy cheap SIM cards for your Thailand trip: Hack I used to save money.

After conducting extensive research on how to buy cheap SIM cards for my Thailand trip, I discovered a hack that you can benefit from. I learned this hack not just by reading content online but by actually purchasing and experiencing it hands-on, whether it’s SIM cards, attraction tickets, etc.

During my trip to Thailand, I saved nearly 10-15% of the actual amount by employing this. Many people unknowingly spend a lot of money without being aware of the actual prices of the things they purchase or book, or they tend to spend a significant amount of time bargaining during their trip. Thankfully, this blog will help you save both time and money when planning your purchase of SIM cards for your Thailand trip.

Most common mistakes people make when buying a SIM card as a tourist in Thailand.

Most of the time, the purchase of SIM cards or attraction tickets is done after landing in the destination country, especially when travelling without the assistance of a travel agency or agent.

Upon landing, people tend to buy directly SIM cards from the service provider’s counters in the airport, or some may acquire SIM cards from external sources such as 7/11 stores, etc., in the case of Thailand. If you compare the prices of SIM cards at the airport’s SIM company counter, 7/11, or even on the service provider’s official website, you will notice that they are on the higher side.

Example

To provide you with a real-life example, during my trip, I purchased a DTAC physical SIM card with a package offering 10 days of unlimited internet – 50 GB for just 7 USD / 245 Thai Baht / 585 INR. I was able to avail a 10% discount coupon during the Diwali festival when I made the booking.

In contrast, if you check the actual MRP of the SIM card on the DTAC website, it is listed as 9.71 USD / 349 Thai Baht / 805 INR, which is way higher. This price difference is consistent whether you purchase the SIM card from the official service provider’s counters or 7/11 stores.

Here, I managed to save nearly 30% on the SIM card purchase alone when compared to the MRP mentioned on the official site. That’s a significant savings, especially when it comes to tourist SIM cards.

How to buy cheap tourist SIM cards, attraction tickets, tours, etc., in Thailand?

As you saw, I saved a massive 30% on the SIM card purchase. I achieved this by purchasing the SIM card on a travel booking platform. During my research, I came across many travel booking platforms such as Headout, Klook, Viator, Thrillophilia, etc. These companies specialise in the travel booking space.

Headtout, Klook, Viator, Thrillophilia travel platforms

I strongly recommend Klook for purchasing the SIM cards simply because I found it to be cheaper compared to other platforms/official sites, convenient for redeeming the purchase and positive reviews from other travellers. I also used Klook for booking attraction tickets such as Mahanakhon Skywalk, Chao Phraya princess Dinner cruise, Sanctuary of Truth Museum.

I also utilised Headout for booking one of the attraction tickets, Sriracha Tiger Park, Pattaya. where I saved nearly 50% on the booking—another massive saving. I’ll be discussing this purchase in my upcoming blogs.

As you can see, I personally used multiple booking apps for different scenarios, all because of the affordability and convenience they offer. As a tourist, leveraging these platforms to purchase SIM cards and attraction tickets, tours is the best hack to save a significant amount, especially if you are on a budget.

Why Klook?

Klook is a very familiar and well-established travel company, primarily in South East Asia. It is simple to purchase/book, much like any other booking platform, and is trustworthy. Some of the factors that made me choose Klook include,

Firstly, the positive reviews about the Klook platform. Many people find Klook a trustworthy platform to use.
Second, as a new user, you get a 5%-10% discount on your first purchase (you can obtain the exclusive coupon code in the next few parts).
Third, the price of each listing is almost approximately 10-20% cheaper when compared to other travel booking platforms/official sites, as I mentioned above.
And fourth, you can cancel even at the last moment without any cancellation fee. Free cancellation.
24/7 chat support

I leveraged the new user discount coupon for one activity. You may ask, ‘Only for the first purchase, people can use the new user offer, right?’ But the hack is, if you are travelling as a group, try using each person’s email ID/phone number to create a new account and use them for each purchase on this app.

I did the same thing when I travelled with my 4 friends, so we had 5 new accounts. That’s how I booked 4-5 different activities and saved 20-30% on average. This way, I saved nearly 12 USD / 1000 INR / 430 Thai Baht per booking for 5 people

Let’s assume you purchase a SIM card and do 7-10 activities in one trip; you save almost 100 USD / 8000 INR / 3500 Thai Baht. Even if you are travelling solo, you can use multiple email IDs under your name to save money.

How much does a SIM card cost in Thailand when you purchase it in person or from their official website?

I had the same doubt when I started using these platforms to buy SIM cards or attraction tickets. However, I was able to refer to their official websites, for example, DTAC SIM card, King Power Mahanakhon Skyscraper Skywalk, Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise, etc,

Klook.com

Even when you go in person and buy the ticket, it is going to be the same as mentioned in their official sites or even higher. For attractions with limited entries, such as shows, cruises, etc., you may not get the tickets at the last moment. So, it’s best to book in advance using these platforms. This is the case with attraction tickets like King Power Mahanakhon Skyscraper Skywalk, Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise, Alcazar show etc.,

After my personal experience, I realised that the actual cost of purchasing/booking these for your trip in advance using these travel platforms is actually more convenient & affordable than directly buying it from Airport counters/ 7//1 stores/Malls etc.,.

Which is the best travel platform that provides the most affordable rates to buy SIM cards in Thailand?

Now that the doubt is clear, the rates are much cheaper on these platforms. It can be difficult for many people to find the platform that provides the most affordable rates.

To answer the question, I’ve conducted a detailed analysis of costs from different travel booking platforms, which I checked during the planning phase of my trip to Thailand. This analysis could be helpful for you decide the best travel platform to buy SIM cards.

All the purchases/bookings that I’ll be talking about have been personally purchased and used by me.

Tourist SIM Cards in Thailand – An Analysis

There are multiple service providers in Thailand that offer tourist SIM cards at affordable prices. I have identified some of the most popular service providers based on usage, network coverage, availability, and experience, among other factors.

Most popular Tourist SIM Cards in Thailand

The top 3 popular tourist SIM cards, in no particular order, that have been used by most of the Tourists coming to Thailand are,

DTAC
Truemove H
AIS

DTAC, Truemove, AIS service providers

As mentioned previously, I used the DTAC physical SIM card with a package of 10 days of unlimited internet – 50 GB. Since the property I stayed at had Wi-Fi facilities, 50 GB of internet was more than enough. Feel free to check out my best Airbnb experience in Bangkok to know more.

Cost-wise comparison of DTAC vs. Truemove H vs. AIS from different travel platforms.

You can use the comparison table below to find the best service provider in terms of pricing and determine which travel platform to use to buy SIM cards in Thailand. Costs may vary in these platforms based on season/country/currency.

Service provider & Plan	Klook	Headout	Viator	Service provider Official website	Best of all	Exclusive Coupon for my Readers
DTAC – 10 days unlimited internet 50 GB / Unlimited calls	644 INR / 7.77 USD / 279 Baht	645 INR / 7.79 USD /280 Baht	NA	805 INR / 9.71 USD / 349 Thai Baht	Klook offers it at 611 INR / 7.37 USD / 265 Baht, with a 5% discount.	Klook Coupon – ‘BetterOnApp’ 5% off on your first purchase on the mobile app. (Tap the code after installing the app on mobile)
Truemove H – 10 days unlimited internet 50 GB / Unlimited calls	574 INR / 6.9 USD / 248 Baht	NA	NA	805 INR / 9.71 USD / 349 Thai Baht	Klook offers it at 545 INR / 6.6 USD / 237 Baht, with a 5% discount.	Klook Coupon – ‘BetterOnApp2’ 5% off on your first purchase on the mobile app. (Tap the code after installing the app on mobile)
AIS – 8 days plan 15 GB data, limited calls.	NA	NA	NA	690 INR / 8.33 USD / 299 Baht	Official site, since there is no intermediate.
Links	Buy Sim from Klook	Buy Sim from Headout	Buy Sim from Viator	View DTAC / Truemove / AIS

Cost-wise comparison of DTAC vs Truemove H vs AIS

Klook.com

On which Travel platform did I buy the SIM card?

I bought the DTAC SIM card from Klook. As you can see above, the SIM card space in Klook provides a variety and the best price with additional discounts. I personally found it to be the best platform to buy SIM cards. Speaking of Thailand, Klook also has its own counters in airports.

Is the DTAC Tourist SIM card best to buy? My experience.

I chose DTAC mainly because of positive feedback from other tourists. From the above table, Truemove seems to be the best in terms of pricing. But, I cannot comment on their service since I haven’t used it personally.

To tell about DTAC, I used a physical SIM card (they provide both eSIM and physical SIM), and the service was good with high-speed internet. It was sufficient for my trip. The only issue I had was with calls. Since I was using the prepaid plan, I was only able to talk for 30 minutes, even though it is mentioned as unlimited calls within the DTAC to DTAC network. However, my friends who used a DTAC eSIM with the same plan were able to talk for unlimited minutes from DTAC to DTAC.

I am not sure if the issue was only with the physical SIM cards. To overcome the issue, I used WhatsApp calls, and the speed and voice clarity were up to expectations.

DTAC SIM Card Redemption Experience at the Airport Counter.

I arrived at Terminal 4 of Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok. Both DTAC and Truemove have their own counters at most of the airports. The convenience of redeeming at the airport right after immigration is another reason to go with DTAC.

Once you purchase the SIM Card on Klook, you’ll get a QR code. All you need to do is show the QR code and your passport to the DTAC representative, and they’ll take care of the rest.

The representative asked for my mobile phone to insert the SIM card into the slot, and within 2 minutes, the SIM card was activated. The activation was quick.

DTAC e-SIM Redemption

Redemption of the e-SIM is simpler, where you need not have to stand in queues. My friends who were part of the trip used the DTAC e-SIM. For redemption, you can simply scan the QR code on your mobile, which you’ll receive within a few minutes of purchase, and activate the e-SIM on the day you arrive in Thailand.

Which Service provider & package to use in Thailand?

Honestly, there won’t be much difference between the service providers in terms of service and coverage. AIS seems to be the most familiar among locals, but the less convenience of buying it online makes it less preferable compared to DTAC & Truemove. All these service providers cover almost all the tourist destinations in Thailand.

As a mobile user, only you will know the amount of data that you’ll consume. I would say 50GB for a week would be enough because the airport has free WIFI, the hotel, Airbnb, or hostel that you’ll stay in will have free WIFI, and the restaurant you eat at will have free WIFI. So, decide and buy SIM cards based on how much you use.

Buy cheap SIM cards for your Thailand trip: Hack I used to save money.