Thailand SIM Card Prices (How To Save Money)

So, you want to get a SIM card in Thailand, and you need to know the prices. You’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll share the prices of both airport, and store-bought SIM cards, alongside showing you a way to save money, and get more data for a lower cost.

Airport Bought SIM Card Prices

AIS Tourist SIM

The best SIM to get in Thailand is hands down AIS’s Tourist SIM. It has the fastest speeds and best coverage, and is relatively inexpensive. For convenience, we recommend getting a SIM card from the Airport. If you do this you will pay a lot more, however, you’ll be connected right from the get-go, which will help you with getting an Uber in Thailand, and general things like navigation.

The AIS SIM is a little less convenient than the True SIM, but in general, this convenience issue can be mitigated using the MyAIS app. However, some foreign cards do not work in the AIS app.

If you want to save money, we recommend getting a blank SIM card for 59 baht (covered below).

Plan NamePrice (THB)Price (USD)Data AllowanceSpeed LimitValidity PeriodAdditional Benefits
8 Days Plan299~$8.50Unlimited (Max 15 Mbps)15 Mbps8 daysUnlimited social apps
8 Days Plan (Best Seller)519~$14.8025 GB25 Mbps8 daysUnlimited social apps
8 Days Plan (Best of the Best)619~$17.65UnlimitedNo limit8 daysUnlimited social apps
15 Days Plan699~$19.90UnlimitedNo limit15 daysUnlimited social apps
15 Days Plan (Best Seller)799~$22.7540 GB40 Mbps15 daysUnlimited social apps
15 Days Plan (Best of the Best)999~$28.50UnlimitedNo limit15 daysUnlimited social apps
30 Days Plan999~$28.50Unlimited1 Mbps30 daysUnlimited social apps
30 Days Plan (Best Seller)1,199~$34.1540 GB40 Mbps30 daysUnlimited social apps
30 Days Plan (Best of the Best)1,399~$39.85100 GBNo limit30 daysUnlimited social apps
30 Days Unlimited Plan1,499~$42.70100 GBNo limit30 daysUnlimited social apps
30 Days Plan (Ultimate)1,799~$51.30UnlimitedNo limit30 daysUnlimited social apps

True Tourist SIM

True is the 2nd best SIM in Thailand. The speeds and coverage are similar to AIS, only slightly worse. However, it is more convenient than AIS, because you can top-up at any 7/11, over-the-counter, with cash. This is why we usually recommend the True Tourist SIM over AIS to most travelers, due to its convenience. While you can top-up using an app, and a debit or credit card. A lot of foreign cards do not seem to work in the apps, so it’s easier to just top-up at a convenience store.

Here are the prices for the TrueMove Tourist SIM:

DurationData AllowancePrice (Baht)Price (USD)
8 DaysUnlimited 5G449$12.80
8 Days15 GB299$8.50
15 DaysUnlimited 5G699$19.90
15 Days35 GB599$17.10
30 DaysUnlimited 5G1,199$34.20
30 Days50 GB899$25.60
90 DaysUnlimited 5G1,599$45.60
90 Days90 GB1,199$34.20

DTAC Happy Tourist SIM

DTAC is the worst out of the three SIM cards (or used to be). Now, they have merged with TrueMove to provide a better service, so arguably DTAC will now give you similar speeds, and coverage that you will find on TrueMove. DTAC also benefits from the easy, over-the-counter, cash top-ups that you can find in any 7/11, making it much more convenient. However, due to its past reputation, we would still avoid using DTAC.

Here are the prices for the Happy Tourist SIM by DTAC:

DurationData AllowancePrice (Baht)Price (USD)
8 DaysUnlimited 5G449$12.80
8 Days15 GB299$8.50
15 DaysUnlimited 5G699$19.90
15 Days35 GB599$17.10
30 DaysUnlimited 5G1,199$34.20
30 Days50 GB899$25.60
90 DaysUnlimited 5G1,599$45.60
90 Days90 GB1,199$34.20

Notes on Speed Limits

  • All “Unlimited” plans are at max speed (5G where available), but may have a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) that slows speeds after a certain threshold.
  • AIS seems to have the most data-heavy options, with up to 100 GB & unlimited on different tiers.
  • True & DTAC have nearly identical plans, offering a balance of unlimited & capped GB options.

Store Bought SIM Cards

If you have a little extra time and don’t need the convenience, or are staying in Thailand longer than a few weeks, we recommend getting a store-bought SIM card. These usually cost around 49-59 baht ($1-2) and come blank with no data or minutes installed. You can purchase TrueMove and DTAC from any 7/11. With AIS, you will have to go to an AIS store, which are generally more annoying to find.

This is why we commonly recommend getting a True SIM card, because you can top it up, with cash pretty much anywhere you go in Thailand.

After you have purchased a SIM card you can top it up, using an app such as TrueMove or MyAIS to add a plan/data. This will cost you a lot less. For instance, 300 baht ($8-9) on a TrueMove SIM card purchased from 7/11, will give you unlimited data for 30 days.

Using AIS this is a little more expensive, and comes in at 300-450 baht for unlimited data for 30 days. I have heard reports of tourists just putting 200 baht on and it lasts them a month, but this will not be unlimited, so it depends on your usage.

Be advised that not all foreign cards are accepted in the MyAIS or True apps, so make sure yours is. We often have problems with UK cards and accepting payments, which is why we personally always opt for True SIM cards. They’re simply easier to top-up and you don’t have the annoyance of things not working, you can just walk in, ask for 30 days data, pay, walk out and it works!

The Most Convenient, Cost-Efficient Option

Put simply, get the lowest cost SIM card from the airport (usually 8-day plan), use the data on this, and then top-up accordingly at a shop, or using the app after your plan has run out. This will give you data to get a taxi from the airport, navigate around, and save you money when you top-up later.

Alternatively, you could just get an eSIM before arriving in Thailand. This will allow you to keep your SIM card in your current phone, preventing you from losing it, and keep you connected from the start. Although eSIMs are a lot more expensive than Prepaid SIMs, it can be nice to pay a little extra for the convenience, especially when you’re on holiday!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *