So you’re wondering whether the AIS Tourist SIM is the best option for your travels in Thailand. We wondered the same, so we bought it, tested it, and found out there are better options. In this article, we’ll cover exactly why we think you should steer clear of the AIS tourist SIM, and go for a cheaper, better alternative, with more data and benefits.
If you want convenience, speed and coverage, then it is definitely the best SIM card in Thailand to get from the airport. However, if you want to save money, and get good coverage and speeds, read on.
Price Plans, Coverage and Speeds
Pricing & Plans
The AIS tourist SIM offers plans ranging from 299 baht to 1799 baht ($9-$50). This is incredibly expensive when compared to buying a SIM card from a convenience shop, or outside of the airport. To get an AIS SIM outside of the airport, you must go to a mall and locate a shop. As a tourist, they will try to sell you a tourist package, but just ask if you can buy a blank SIM (49-59 baht), then top up on the MyAIS app.
Here are the price plans for AIS Tourist SIMs:
| Plan Name | Price (THB) | Price (USD) | Data Allowance | Speed Limit | Validity Period | Additional Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Days Plan | 299 | ~$8.50 | Unlimited (Max 15 Mbps) | 15 Mbps | 8 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 8 Days Plan (Best Seller) | 519 | ~$14.80 | 25 GB | 25 Mbps | 8 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 8 Days Plan (Best of the Best) | 619 | ~$17.65 | Unlimited | No limit | 8 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 15 Days Plan | 699 | ~$19.90 | Unlimited | No limit | 15 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 15 Days Plan (Best Seller) | 799 | ~$22.75 | 40 GB | 40 Mbps | 15 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 15 Days Plan (Best of the Best) | 999 | ~$28.50 | Unlimited | No limit | 15 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 30 Days Plan | 999 | ~$28.50 | Unlimited | 1 Mbps | 30 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 30 Days Plan (Best Seller) | 1,199 | ~$34.15 | 40 GB | 40 Mbps | 30 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 30 Days Plan (Best of the Best) | 1,399 | ~$39.85 | 100 GB | No limit | 30 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 30 Days Unlimited Plan | 1,499 | ~$42.70 | 100 GB | No limit | 30 days | Unlimited social apps |
| 30 Days Plan (Ultimate) | 1,799 | ~$51.30 | Unlimited | No limit | 30 days | Unlimited social apps |
Speed & Coverage
In my experience using AIS across Thailand, even in rural locations, the speeds and coverage are incredible. I have used both True Move and AIS, and AIS is the clear winner out of the two. DTAC is considered the worst network in Thailand, so I would avoid it entirely.
I would use my phone as a hotspot and continually get up to 40mb/s download speeds, and when used directly on my phone I would get upwards of 140mb/s, when I was connected to a 4G signal. If you have a 5G phone, and signal available I guarantee the speeds will be much faster.
On islands, in the jungle and in mountains expect the service to be intermittent. It does drop out when you go to more rural places, but you are never too far away from good signal in Thailand, as the coverage is over 99% of the country.
The Tourist SIM is Overpriced
When compared to a normal, monthly SIM card, you are paying almost 3 times the price for the AIS tourist SIM, and there is no difference. For instance, the 8-day, 299 baht plan will only offer you 15GB of data. Instead, using the MyAIS app, and purchasing a blank SIM card, you can get an unlimited 30-day plan for ~300 baht.
Now, if you care about speeds, you will get a reduced speed on the unlimited 30-day plan, but considering you can get an entire month of unlimited on AIS with a capped speed, think about what you can get for 30 days at an uncapped speed. It’s much cheaper than the AIS Tourist SIM.
One bonus the Tourist SIM has over a normal SIM, is that you are connected right from the point of leaving the airport. This can be useful when ordering an Uber in Thailand, or avoiding common scams, so is worth it for most travelers.
To get the most bang for your buck, and to be connected from the start of your trip, we recommend getting the cheapest AIS SIM package.
Once this runs out, download the MyAIS app, and pay for a better, cheaper package that will last you your entire trip.
Convenience is Limited
If you have an AIS SIM, once it runs out you will need to top this up. This is usually fine for most tourists, but for some foreign cards, the top-up service doesn’t work. I know that for UK cards, the top-up service can be difficult, especially if you have a Monzo card. This means that you have to find a mall like Big C, or a Family Mart, since 7/11 stopped taking over-the-counter top-ups for AIS customers.
These shops are fairly common, but nowhere near as common as a 7/11 for instance.
The Better, More Convenient Alternative
This is why I suggest tourists to get a TrueMove SIM card. In terms of speed, they are very similar, but coverage is a little worse for TrueMove. However, the added convenience of being able to go to any 7/11 and get a top-up for your phone (as well as being able to pay on card for transactions over 300 baht), makes the TrueMove tourist SIM much more convenient for most holidaymakers.
With a TrueMove SIM, you can go to any 7/11 to, not only get a SIM, but also top it up over-the-counter with cash. DTAC top-ups are also now available as part of the True/DTAC merger.
You can additionally use the functionality of the True app to top-up using credit or debit card, meaning you don’t have to go to any 7/11 if you don’t want to. But I would be weary of using the apps, as some foreign cards do not work.
Where Can I Buy AIS Tourist SIM?
To purchase an AIS tourist SIM find:
- Any AIS shop (usually located in malls)
- Big C
- Lotus
When purchasing a SIM, you will need a passport and cash. If you do not want to pay for a package, you can simply purchase a blank SIM for 59 baht from any of the above shops. Then you can use the MyAIS app to top-up and choose a package of your liking. We recommend doing this over purchasing the AIS Tourist SIM. However, if you want convenience, it’s much easier to get a tourist SIM.
A happy-medium is purchasing the lowest-cost tourist SIM, then topping it up later on using the app. This will keep you connected from the get-go, and also allow you to get the best deal for your stay in Thailand.
I’m Harry – and I was tired of the same old “10 best places I’ve never been but I’m writing about for some reason” blog posts. So… I’m a young traveller on a mission to travel the world and share my true, unfiltered experience, including all the gristly details. From packing my life into one bag for a year, to traveling Vietnam by motorbike, to sorting out Visas for specific countries – I’ve done it all, am doing it all and only give my advice on things I have done – not regurgitated cr*p from another source *cough* most publications *cough*. So bear with us! This project will take some time to grow, and will take a fair bit of money. But I’m determined to make it the single best source of information about traveling on the internet.
