Thailand is a popular destination for travelers because it offers great prices and quality service. This is also true when it comes to internet access. In Thailand, you can connect to the internet almost everywhere. In addition, you can also have unlimited data or a local phone number even with eSIM Thailand. This pays off if you want to use local apps like inDrive or Grab. In addition, it may happen that the agency through which you have booked your tour wants to contact you. Let’s take a closer look at what the prices and package options are.
eSIM Thailand – most valuable plans
Prices start at $4 for which you get 1 GB for a week. That may not be enough if you want to use your data to its fullest. Fortunately, the offerings are varied and you have many options.
💸 Try our discount code for first puchase 💸
Airalo $3 code MAREK7858
Nomad $3 code MARE67aw
MobiMatter 50% cashback up to $5 code KODYT79445
Airalo
PLEASE NOTE: Airalo eSIM from dtac newly require identification (upload passport photo).
If you don’t want to limit yourself, we recommend Airalo, which offers unlimited data for 15 days for $19.95. Perfect for a two-week vacation. You also get a Thai phone number from dtac, unlimited calls and texts, which can also come in handy. Plus you can reduce the price when you use our code when you register.
Airalo also offers a package for shorter vacations. 10 days of basically unlimited internet (because who uses 50 GB in such a short time) will set you back $9.90. You can find our review of Airalo here and we can definitely recommend the app.
MobiMatter
MobiMatter has a wide range that can fit your requirements. For example, if you’re in Thailand for 10 days or less but want to make the most of your data, it offers 50 GB for 10 days for $8.99. In addition to the package, you get a Thai phone number and 100 minutes of calling within Thailand. MobiMatter offers an eSIM from operator dtac.
Moreover, with MobiMatter, you can also buy a package that includes Malaysia and Singapore, for example, which is suitable for tourists who want to travel to all these countries. For $13.99, you get 30 GB for 30 days. In Thailand, it uses the network of the best operator AIS, but you don’t have a Thai phone number or any minutes to call.
Nomad
In Thailand, in addition to those mentioned above, we also used the eSIM from Nomad. It also offers tariffs with unlimited data, but they are not currently worth it (they often have some promotions, so we recommend checking the prices in the app before buying an eSIM). So the best deal is 10GB for 30 days for $20 or if you will be in Thailand for less thand 10 days, you can choose 50 GB eSIM for $12. The advantage may be that it offers data from AIS, which has the best coverage in the country. However, you have to do without a Thai phone number and calling minutes, which seems like a trivial expense, but believe me, it can pay off.
eSIM from thailand provider dtac
You can also buy an eSIM directly from local operator dtac, where 15 days of unlimited data costs 599 baht (about $17). You can also choose your own number. The downside for some may be that you have to show your passport (if you buy online, you have to take a picture of it when you buy).
Many different smaller providers also offer good prices. As this is a popular destination, there are often promotions.
Overview of the best packages
| Provider | GB | Price | Validity |
| Mobimatter | 50 GB | $9.99 | 10 days |
| MobiMatter | 30 GB | $13.99 | 30 days |
| Airalo | 50 GB | $9.90 | 10 days |
| Airalo | unlimited | $19.95 | 15 days |
Standart SIM cards in Thailand
If you want to stick to the classics or your phone doesn’t have an eSIM option, you also have plenty of options. Right at the airport, you’ll find many kiosks of local operators offering tourist packages. The choice is quite large, but expect that the price at the airport may be slightly higher than then in the centre (for example 7eleven). For example, an eSIM from dtac bought at the airport will cost 699 baht (about $20), so in this case it’s worth getting it online e.g. through Airalo or directly from dtac.
What main operators offers
In Thailand you have a choice of three main operators: dtac, AIS and True Move.
AIS has the best coverage, but is also the most expensive. But if you’re not going to the jungle for a few days and you’ll be mainly in tourist areas and big cities, dtac and True Move will do just as well. We used dtac in Thailand and we had coverage in rice fields or almost the entire train route, which is not often the case even in other countries.
Their offer is very similar in price. The only differences are basically how many extra minutes of free calls they offer, whether they offer chat apps or all social networks without data usage, etc.
Plans examples:
- 8 days, 15 GB for 299 baht ($8.5)
- 10 days, 50 GB for 349 bath ($10)
- 15 days 30 GB for 599 bath ($17)
- unlimited data for 30 days for 1199 baht ($34)
You can also buy a SIM card for 49 baht, which has 1GB of data for 24 hours, and gradually recharge it and choose packages as you like. dtac offers recharging conveniently in their app, so you don’t even have to go anywhere. If you want to buy such a SIM card from 7eleven, they will probably offer True Move, where recharge packs will set you back 150 baht for 30 days of unlimited internet at 4 Mbps speed or 350 baht for a 10 Mbps speed pack, which is enough for the average user.
Please note that not all SIM cards will be available in the store you visit. Some SIM cards can even only be obtained over the internet as an eSIM directly from the operator.
If more of you are going and you all want your SIM, you can take advantage of promotions (for example, on our visit they had 3 + 1 SIM for free).
You can also buy a SIM card in advance with on-site pickup through klook.com, where it will work out cheaper (you can also get cheaper tickets to some sights there, by the way 😉 ).
Prices may vary according to operators’ actions.
What I need to buy a regular SIM
Expect to be asked for your passport when buying from a kiosk at the airport or in a convenience store in town. Each SIM card is attached directly to the person, so we recommend not handing it to anyone when you leave.
What I need to buy an eSIM
When you buy an eSIM, all this is eliminated and you can manage everything directly on your mobile phone. All you need is a credit card and an email to register. To find out if your mobile supports eSIM, see our article Can I use an eSIM on my phone?
If you want to learn more about eSIM and how it works, check here.
Summary
Whether you are going to Thailand for a holiday or you want to work and be online, eSIM is definitely a good choice. Of course you can find bargain local SIM packages, but with an eSIM you’re online as soon as you land the plane. Plus you don’t have to deal with anything at the booth, complicated communication and showing your passport to register for a number. Thailand’s eSIM providers are quite keen on overcharging, and you can often come across various promotions to bring the price down even further.
Plus, in our experience, eSIMs are reliable because the providers use local operators directly, so often a local number with calling capabilities is included in the packages (this came in handy a few times).
