How to get an eSIM for travel to Thailand

Explore the various options and ways to get them.

Dec 12, 2023 · 3 min read

summary

Major telecom operators in Thailand
How to get a tourist eSIM in Bangkok?
How much are the tourist eSIM plans?
For longer trips, get a Nomad eSIM for Thailand

In the bustling city of Bangkok, staying connected is paramount for both tourists and residents. As technology advances, eSIMs have emerged as a convenient and efficient way to access mobile networks without the need for physical SIM cards. This blog will explore some of your options for getting an eSIM for your next trip to Bangkok.

Major telecom operators in Thailand

Thailand has three major telecommunications operators that dominate the market. These operators provide a wide range of services, including mobile telephony, data services, and internet connectivity.

AIS: AIS is the largest mobile operator in Thailand and is commonly known to have the best speeds and coverage.
dtac: dtac is another prominent mobile operator in Thailand. They offer cheaper prices than AIS, and is best known to offer a good balance between coverage and cost.
TrueMove H: TrueMove H ranks closely behind AIS and dtac, and also provides fairly decent coverage and speed.

How to get a tourist eSIM in Bangkok?

All three providers - AIS, dtac, and TrueMove H - offer eSIM variations of their eSIM plans.

All three providers have kiosks at the arrival halls in both Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang International Airport. So regardless which airport you will be flying into, you will be able to pick up an eSIM from their counters at the airport.

If you are planning to get an AIS eSIM or a dtac eSIM, you can also do so online on their web stores. Note that you will need to submit some identity documents to complete the purchase.

If you want to get a TrueMove H eSIM, you will have to pick it up from the airport counters.

Alternatively, you can also choose to get your eSIM (or SIM) from their retail stores nationwide or from convenience stores.

How much are the tourist eSIM plans?

All three providers offer various eSIM plans, including both day packages (unlimited data) and volume packages.

AIS Tourist Plans

AIS offers eSIMs for the following tourist plans, available for purchase online:

25GB valid for 8 days: 399THB (~11.50USD)
35GB valid for 15 days: 599THB (~17.26USD)
50GB valid for 30 days: 899THB (~25.90USD)
300GB valid for 30 days: 1299THB (~37.42USD)
Unlimited data for 30 days: 1699THB (~49USD)

All plans come with free data for social apps including TikTok, Facebook, LINE, Instagram, WhatsApp, WeChat, and Twitter.

dtac Tourist Plans

dtac offers eSIMs for the following tourist plans, available for purchase online:

Unlimited data for 8 days: 449THB (~12.60USD)
Unlimited data for 15 days: 699THB (~19.64USD)
Unlimited data for 30 days: 1,199THB (~33.70USD)
50GB valid for 10 days: 349THB (~9.80USD)
30GB valid for 15 days: 599THB (~16.80USD)

The volume plans all include unlimited data for Messenger, Line, WhatsApp, WeChat, and KakaoTalk.

TrueMove H

You cannot buy a TrueMove H eSIM online, and can only get it at the local stores. They have the following plans available:

Unlimited data for 8 days: 449THB (~12.60USD)
Unlimited data for 15 days: 699THB (~19.64USD)
Unlimited data for 30 days: 1,199THB (~33.70USD)
15GB valid for 8 days: 299THB (~8.40USD)
50GB valid for 10 days: 349THB (~9.80USD)
30GB valid for 15 days: 599THB (~16.80USD)

The volume plans come with 10GB free data for TikTok, and free data for 14 social applications including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Line, WhatsApp, Twitter, and others.

For longer trips, get a Nomad eSIM for Thailand

Nomad offers a variety of data plans for Thailand. One of the best plans to get would be the 50GB plan valid for 10 days at 8USD on the dtac network. The plan also includes a local phone number and unlimited local calls. Similar to the dtac tourist eSIM plan, this plan also includes unlimited data for Messenger, Line, WhatsApp, WeChat, and KakaoTalk.

If you will need an eSIM for a longer period of time, Nomad also offers many plans with 30-days validity. A 15GB plan valid for 30 days will cost you 26USD. Although the price per GB might be higher than if you were to get an eSIM from a local provider, the longer period of validity would make Nomad a great choice for staying connected during your trip in Thailand.