Thailand Sim Card for Tourists are physicals or esims better?

Thailand sim card for tourist

You can choose to get a physical SIM card or an ESIM.

ESims are convenient and very easy to set up and you can pre-pay your ESim before you leave and activate the date you land which is honestly amazing however ESims aren’t necessarily the best value. I would suggest going with Airalo as I found this to be the best value however the longest duration on there is 15 days, if you are going for longer I would get a physical SIM otherwise you would need to top up your ESim (which will end up being more money).

If you do decide to choose Airalo if you use my link you can get £2.50 off your ESim (for new customers only)

Physical Sims in Thailand are way better particularly if you are staying for 30 days – which is what I did. Also, I found it a lot cheaper to go to a shopping mall in Thailand to get my sim and it was A LOT cheaper than it is online. For example, I paid 532THB for a 30-day unlimited data physical card (it was 482THB for the data plan and 50THB for the sim card) Online it is coming up as 1199THB for the same thing so it is worth going into a store.

Note: If you buy a physical sim you need to BRING YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU they won’t give you a sim card otherwise.

Best Thailand sim cards

AIS – this is the best coverage in Thailand and the SIM I got – highly recommend.

True Move 5G Network – (more on this below)

Dtac – If you are staying in towns and cities this network will be fine however the coverage isn’t the best if you go further afield.

7-eleven sim card Thailand

True Move 5G Network – This is found in all 7/11 stores. There are great deals available with True and this may be more convenient to get as there are 7/11 stores everywhere in Thailand. You can have a choice of 7,15 or 30 day sims depending on how long you are staying in Thailand.

thailand sim card unlimited data

All Thailand SIM cards I found have a lot of data available (the lowest I found was 30GB) and most of them do offer unlimited data. Depending on how long you are in Thailand there are 7, 15 and 30-day SIMS available.

thailand sim card price for tourist

Esim price: from £8.50 for 10 days 50GB. £16.50 for 15 days of unlimited data. Airalo doesn’t have an option for more days however you can top up your ESim if you are staying for longer. These are will Dtac network.

Physical SIM Card price: AIS was 532THB for 30 days for unlimited data.

dtac sim card

All ESims with Airalo are with Dtac. You also have the option to go into a store to purchase a sim card if you prefer. I have been told the coverage of Dtac isn’t the best if you go to rural parts of Thailand however if you are staying towns and cities you will be fine.

sim card Thailand 30 days

I got the AIS 30-day unlimited data plan which cost 532THB (482THB and 50THB for the sim card). I got mine from the AIS store in the shopping mall. AIS also connects you to wifi when in range which is a really handy feature.

I would advise going into a store for a SIM as it was a lot cheaper than buying online. Make sure you bring your passport with you and the sim card will work straight away

Thailand sim card for tourists at the airport

You can get a Thailand sim card for tourists at Bangkok airport and they will try and sell it to you HOWEVER this is A LOT more money than waiting and getting one when you get to Bangkok and into a phone store.

Alternatively, you can connect to the airport wifi and activate your ESIM. You will need wifi to activate any ESim.

Thailand sim card for tourists Overview

I would check out Esim prices before you leave. You can check out MobiMatter, which is a comparison for ESims. This will give you a good idea of the cost before you leave.

I would suggest getting an AIS sim card if you can for the great coverage and fast speeds (if that is what you are after).

South East Asia Sim Card

If you are travelling around South East Asia there is a South East Asia sim card you can get as an ESim. This sim however is a lot more money but you do get coverage in all South East Asia countries so it may be worth the investment for the convenience.

If it is your first time in Thailand you may want to check out my Thailand travel guide for helpful tips and advice.