Thailand Roaming: Plans, Packages, and Options

Whether you are arriving for a holiday or moving to Thailand, staying connected is essential. For inbound travelers, figuring out whether to use roaming, a local SIM, or an eSIM is one of the first tasks after landing, often right alongside completing your Thailand digital arrival card.

If you are already living in Thailand and traveling abroad, instead of buying a new SIM card in your vacation country, it might be easier to activate roaming services on your Thai device. This lets you seamlessly use the internet, receive texts, and make phone calls. Let us take a look at everything you need to know when it comes to roaming, local SIMs, and eSIMs.

Roaming, Local SIM, or eSIM: Which One Do You Need?

If you are landing in Thailand, you have three main ways to get connected. Using your home carrier’s roaming service works immediately upon arrival but is usually the most expensive option per megabyte unless you have an active travel pass. Buying a local tourist SIM is the cheapest option for a short trip. An eSIM offers the fastest setup with no physical swapping required, and is priced in a range depending on the provider and data tier you choose.

Tourist SIM Options in Thailand

You can purchase a tourist SIM card at airport counters in Bangkok (BKK and DMK), Chiang Mai (CNX), and Phuket (HKT). They are also available at convenience stores like 7-Eleven or official carrier stores. Please note that all operators require your passport for SIM registration under Thai regulation. Prices are offered as ranges based on data allowances and duration, so be sure to check current rates before you buy.

Is eSIM Available in Thailand?

Yes, eSIM is widely available in Thailand. You can get one directly from local operators like AIS and True (which includes dtac), as well as from various third-party providers. To use this service, you will need a compatible unlocked smartphone.

If You Already Have a Thai SIM and Travel Abroad

Outbound: Why Do You Need Roaming?

The last thing you want to do when you get off a plane is stand in a long queue for a tourist SIM at the airport. Roaming lets you use the internet as soon as you land in your destination country, and there are even more benefits to roaming.

Of course, while eSIM is becoming more popular, I still think roaming is more convenient since it can be done in a few minutes without having to install a new eSIM.

The most important part about roaming is that you can receive SMS texts free of charge. This is necessary for those crucial OTPs (one-time passwords). You will need them for installing local apps you might need.

There is also a good chance you will need to receive an OTP for your mobile banking or even your email, because accessing some apps overseas can be flagged as suspicious behavior.

When accessing financial and confidential services, apps will often ask you to verify that you are the real owner of the account when connecting through a new internet connection. Especially if you have subscriptions that require two-step verification, you should activate roaming instead of buying a new SIM card when going abroad.

Another benefit is being able to make or receive phone calls immediately. But check your charges carefully. Receiving a call while roaming without a roaming package can be expensive.

Speed and Coverage

When you activate roaming, your Thailand service provider will connect you to a local service provider in the country you are traveling to. 

Usually this will be one of the biggest service providers, who can provide countrywide coverage. So, unless you find yourself in a very remote area, you shouldn’t have any problems with coverage.

When it comes to speed, it largely depends on the country where you are traveling. If that country has a good internet speed, your internet should be fast too. You might also be exploring a fixed home connection with an internet provider in Thailand, but for mobile data, roaming provides immediate access. 

Requirements 

You should be able to use roaming services right after activating your Thai SIM card. If you cannot do it for whatever reason, you will need to take your passport to your phone provider’s nearest store to register for roaming.

In the case that you are on a postpaid package, you should be register for roaming without any problems. But, if it is a prepaid package, you might want to take a Thai friend with you when visiting your service provider shop to explain what you need in case the shop assistants don’t speak English. 

How to Activate Roaming

There are three steps to activating roaming:

1. Activate a roaming service with your service provider
2. Buy a roaming package
3. Turn on roaming in your phone settings 

Activating a Roaming Service 

To activate a roaming service, you just need to dial one of the numbers below, depending on your service provider. They will have an English language option and after a short conversation to confirm your needs, you should receive a confirmation message within a few minutes.

In addition to dialing the number below, you can use an app from your SIM card provider and activate roaming inside their application.

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To activate a roaming service, you can use your provider’s official mobile app or visit their website. The app is the most reliable way to activate roaming. You can also contact their call centers or visit an official branch with your passport.

Buying a Roaming Package

Once you have successfully activated roaming abilities on your plan, you should buy a roaming package using you phone provider app on your phone before traveling outside of Thailand. 

Compared to general roaming fees, the price of roaming packages is relatively cheap and the peace of mind you get knowing you won’t be hit with heavy roaming charges makes pre-paying for a roaming package well worth it.

If you don’t buy a roaming package, you will burn through your phone credit very quickly.

In general, you should buy a roaming package on the same day of your departure, since the plan will start immediately after a successful purchase. 

Because prices vary depending on travel destination, days, and usage needs, you should check current rates before you buy.

Because prices vary depending on travel destination, days, and usage needs, you can click on one of the links below to find out what your perfect roaming package might cost.

• AIS Roaming Packages
• dtac Roaming Packages
• True Roaming Packages

To buy a roaming package, you can dial the number provided on your service provider’s website. 

Alternatively, you install the mobile application on your phone and buy a roaming package there. If you are on a postpaid package, you will be invoices automatically in your next bill.

Turn on Roaming in Your Phone Settings 

After you arrive at your destination country, you need to turn on roaming in your phone settings, which can be done easily within a few taps. 

Just don’t forget to turn it off once you arrive in Thailand to prevent any unexpected expenses.

Here’s what you need to do.

iPhone

Go to Settings, tap Cellular, and then you should be able to see “Data Roaming” there. Tap it to turn it on. 

Android

For Android phones, go to SIM Card settings. You should see “Data roaming” there. Then, turn on “International roaming”. 

You can set a daily data limit while roaming to make sure you won’t exceed your plan package. 

Smart Data Protection 

AIS and True have a feature called smart data protection that will automatically block your mobile phone from connecting to a carrier network that is not part of your roaming package, thus, preventing any unexpected expenses. 

You can do this once and leave it activated forever since there’s no need to turn this feature off. 

You can turn this feature on through your provider’s mobile app.

Check Remaining Balance

Similar to your regular package, you can check your remaining balance after you activate your roaming package by using your provider’s mobile app.

Or you can just check it in your SIM card app. Also, after you activate your roaming package, you will get an SMS telling you how to turn on roaming and check your balance.

Preventing Unexpected Expenses

Many people avoid using a roaming service because they are afraid of surprises and weird expenses that might occur while traveling overseas. But we promise, it is safe and convenient, as long as you follow our steps:

• Buy a roaming package on the day that you fly. This allows you to use mobile internet immediately after landing in a new country.
• If you stay overseas longer than the package you purchased allows, you can buy an additional package before the current package expires. 
• Never pickup or make a phone call unless it’s necessary. This is because most roaming packages only comes with good value internet plans.
• Set a daily data limit on your phone. If the package allows you to use 1 GB a day, set your limit to 900MB a day to be safe in case the phone and service provider calculate data differently. 

You might also want to decrease the credit limit of your phone package. When you are about to exceed your credit limit, your service provider will notify you via SMS. And if you go over your credit limit, the service provider will immediately cut your signal to prevent any extra expenses. 

The credit limit balance is normally set at 10,000 baht. If you want to decrease it, you can do so by contacting a call center or visiting official shops. 

What to Look Out For

There are certain things you should be careful about when using roaming outside of Thailand.

You should not pick up a call or make a phone call unless it’s part of your package. Otherwise, you can expect to pay high per-minute rates. 

It also incurs extra charges to send a standard text message. 

You should also set a data limit on your phone to make sure that you don’t go over your plan’s limit.

Disadvantages 

Roaming isn’t perfect. There are certain disadvantages you should know about.

Signal stability: Since your Thailand service provider needs to connect you to a local network, this may lead to connectivity problems. However, you might not notice unless you are using GPS on something like Google Maps. It might not show your location super accurately. 

Additional steps: Activating roaming requires additional steps. You need to also be careful not to accept random calls.

Roaming Vs Buying a SIM Card

To help you make a decision easier, let’s take a look at the pros and cons between roaming and traditionalSIM cards. 

Roaming is better than a new SIM in terms of convenience. It saves you time buying and installing a SIM card, and even potentially saved you from losing your tiny Thai SIM while on holiday as well.

With roaming, you can also use your current Thai number, receive SMS free of charge, and also receive and make phone calls. 

Buying a SIM is better in terms of controlling your internet expenses. You buy SIM one time with a tourist pre-paid package, and won’t need to worry about any unexpected expenses. A local SIM is also better in terms of signal being more stable. When managing your cost of living in Thailand, finding the most cost-effective connection matters.

If you are going to need to make and receive several local phone calls, buying a SIM is a better solution since you pay local rates instead of international fees through your roaming package. 

When it comes to pricing, there isn’t a noticeable difference between roaming and buying a SIM unless you need to make and receive calls as mentioned earlier. 

However, if you need to share the internet with your friends and families during your trip, buying a SIM is better for using personal hotspots.

Roaming Vs the eSIM

The eSIM is now another popular option. For those who’re unfamiliar with an eSIM, it’s basically a SIM card that’s embedded within your phone. You can use it without having to insert a physical SIM card. 

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With the eSIM, you have more options than just roaming since you can choose a plan from providers in Thailand or you can buy a package from international providers such as GigSky.

Here’s my honest take.

• Price: It’s quite similar. Depending on the country, I’ve found eSIM to be slightly more expensive.
• Convenience: Roaming is more convenient. You can activate it in a few minutes.
• Usage: eSIM is better. You won’t need to worry about picking up a call or anything. Once, my wife, who was on roaming while traveling in Japan, accidentally picked up a call. It lasted just a few seconds, and she had to pay extra charges for it.

It’s convenient to do since after the purchase, you can just scan an eSIM QR code and set it up on your phone. 

Now, on to You

It’s easy and convenient to activate roaming. Roaming packages have been getting cheaper too. 

Therefore, if you already have your Thai SIM and need to travel abroad, you might want to check it out first. It might be a better option for you than buying a new SIM or getting an eSIM. 

If you plan to access financial apps while on overseas, you can improve security on your devices by turning on your VPN app activated all the time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I use roaming or buy a local SIM in Thailand?

A: Roaming keeps your existing number and works immediately, but is usually the more expensive per-MB option unless your home carrier has an active travel pass. A local SIM or eSIM is generally cheaper for a trip longer than a few days and gives you a Thai number for OTPs and bookings.

Q: Is eSIM available in Thailand?

A: Yes, from Thai operators (AIS, True/dtac) and international eSIM providers, but only on unlocked, eSIM-compatible phones. Check compatibility before relying on it as your only option.

Q: Which network is best in Thailand?

A: AIS and True (which now includes dtac) are the two dominant networks with the widest coverage. NT is a minor state-owned operator, mainly enterprise and wholesale, not a typical tourist choice.

Q: How do I buy a SIM card in Thailand?

A: At the airport on arrival, at a carrier store, or at convenience stores like 7-Eleven. Bring your passport, since Thai regulation requires ID for SIM registration.

Q: Do I need my passport to get a SIM or activate roaming?

A: Yes for a new local SIM purchase, which is a regulatory requirement. For activating roaming on your existing home SIM, the requirements depend on your home carrier, not Thailand’s rules.

Q: Are True and dtac still separate brands in Thailand?

A: They merged into one company (True Corporation) in 2023 but continue to operate under both the True and dtac brand names. Check current offers under both names, since pricing and packages can still differ.

Q: What happens if I run out of data while roaming?

A: Most operators cut or throttle service once you hit your package limit or credit ceiling rather than charging automatically. Set a daily data cap on your phone and confirm your carrier’s overage policy before you travel.

Q: Can I keep my Thai phone number active while travelling abroad?

A: Yes. Activating roaming on your existing Thai SIM keeps your number live for calls, texts, and OTPs without needing a second SIM.

Sources Cited

• True Corporation, amalgamation of dtac and True
• True international roaming
• AIS tourist plan