Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It is known for its beautiful beaches, grand temples, and the plethora of tourist activities it offers. If you are a tourist, paying roaming charges is not recommended because the fees are hefty. It is better to opt for local SIM cards in Thailand instead, as their telecom services are dirt cheap. Thailand’s local population is more than 70 million, making it a lucrative market for the telecom companies operating here. That’s why there are 15 mobile network service providers in the country—five are standard carriers, while the other ten are MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators).
The top three carriers, in terms of the number of subscribers, in Thailand are AIS, TrueMove H, and Dtac respectively. All three major players occupy 99% of the market share in the country. This sounds insane, but it is true. AIS alone has a market share of a whopping 50% which makes it the most popular carrier in Thailand. Thus, whether you are a tourist or a local, it is better to stick to the top three as their market share is huge, and their network coverage is significant. Let’s let you know more about these top three carriers one by one.
1. AIS
As already discussed, AIS has the largest market share in the country. Hence, it is the preferred SIM card provider, especially for the 1-2-Call SIM card. It is available for 50 Baht (around 1.60 USD) and offers various calling and data bundles. You can purchase this SIM card at any international airport in Thailand and any AIS outlet. It is recommended to avoid purchasing it at the airport as it is costly there. For top-up, you can visit any store having the logo of AIS or 1-2-Call. Nowadays, you can refill your balance using any third-party recharging website or app or the official app or website of AIS.
2. TrueMove H
TrueMove H has the second-largest network in the country. However, only 3G network (and sometimes just 2G network) is available in remote areas most of the time. 4G SIM cards are available for about 49 Baht (1.60 USD) at international airports in Thailand, official TrueMove H stores, and many other stores like 7-Eleven and Tesco. The company offers many lucrative plans for tourists and locals alike. For example, for tourists, there is a plan called Tourist Inter SIM plan which is worth 299 Baht (around 9.20 USD) in which you get 3 GB of 4G data with unlimited hotspot Wi-Fi for 8 days. There are lots of similar attractive plans, too.
3. Dtac
Dtac is the largest wireless bandwidth service provider in the country. It provides good internet speed in populated areas. Like other service providers, its tourist SIM cards are also available at international airports in Thailand. The Happy Tourist SIM card is worth around 599 Baht and provides unlimited data with a validity of 15 days. Its local SIM cards are generally worth 49 Baht and these SIM cards are 4G. There bring a plethora of calls, data, and combo bundles.
To wrap up, we want to remind you that you may use official websites and apps to top up SIM cards in Thailand anywhere in the world at any time. Mobile services are cheap in the country, so there is no point in relying on public Wi-Fi networks. There are other MVNOs, but they employ the infrastructure of carriers on our list. They can be costlier while having smaller network coverage, so their use doesn’t make sense.