Purchase a tourist SIM card in the arrivals area using your passport.

The best SIM card for most visitors is a tourist SIM card from AIS or True, which you can purchase at the provider's counter in the arrivals hall. Both cost the same: 499 baht for 8 days, 699 baht for 15 days, and 1,199 baht for 30 days. Each of these cards offers unlimited 5G data and a Thai phone number. AIS offers the best network coverage on the islands and in rural areas; True is slightly faster in cities. Remember to bring your passport, as every SIM card in Thailand must be registered to a passport.

If your phone supports an eSIM, a travel eSIM installed before the flight is cheaper for short trips and bypasses the meter, which is the only reason not to get a SIM card at all.

Key facts

499 Baht for 8 days, 699 Baht for 15 days, 1,199 Baht for 30 days

AIS and True offer the same price, each with unlimited data at full 5G or 4G speed. AIS also offers 5-day packages (399 ฿) and 60-day packages (1,599 ฿), while True sells a data-only SIM card for 10 days at a price of 349 ฿.

Your phone must be unlocked.

A phone locked to your home mobile provider will not accept a Thai SIM card. Please check this before your flight, as your provider can unlock the SIM card, but the staff at the counter cannot.

Please bring your passport.

Each SIM card is registered to a passport, with a maximum of three per provider. Registration takes place at the counter and takes only a few minutes. A tourist SIM card is valid for a maximum of 60 days.

AIS for the islands, applies to city speeds

In August 2026, Opensignal reported that AIS had the edge in terms of coverage and consistency, while dtac, which uses True's network, had the fastest downloads.

The counters are located in each arrivals hall.

At Suvarnabhumi Airport, True's stores are located on the 2nd floor near gates 4, 5, 6 and 10, and True states that the counters at the airport are open 24 hours a day.

Roaming costs $10-12 per day

The T-Mobile Pass costs $10 per day, AT&T and Verizon charge $12, and EE charges £6. Eight days of roaming cost more than a 30-day SIM card for Thailand.

Comparison of AIS and True Tourist SIMs

The prices are taken from the respective product pages for tourist SIM cards from AIS and True and include VAT. AIS offers free calls to other AIS numbers and to its Super Wi-Fi hotspots; True offers unlimited calls to Thai landlines (15 minutes per call). Both providers include a 100 Baht credit for additional calls. True's FAQs still list the 8-day SIM card at 449 Baht, while the product pages show it at 499 Baht.

Which SIM card is better, AIS or True?

Both plans cost exactly the same, so choose based on your destination. AIS offers the widest network coverage and was recognized in the August 2026 Opensignal report for its network coverage, 5G coverage, and consistent quality – all important criteria on a ferry, in a national park, or in a village in Isan. For a trip to the islands, Khao Sok, or the mountains in the north, I would choose AIS.

True merged with dtac in 2023 and now uses a shared network. According to the same report, this network offered the fastest download speeds (dtac's average speed of 41 Mbps was the highest nationwide) and the widest 5G coverage. If you're mainly staying in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, True is at least as good, if not better. SIM cards valid for 8 days or more include unlimited calls within Thailand—useful for contacting hotels, drivers, and dive shops. True's 10-day SIM card for 349 baht is the cheapest option with unlimited data, but it doesn't include calls or texts.

Where to buy a SIM card in Thailand

The airport is the easiest option, as staff will register the SIM card in your passport, insert it into your phone, and check its functionality before your departure. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, the True shop is located on the second floor of the arrivals level near gates 4, 5, 6, and 10, and AIS has counters in the same hall. At Don Mueang Airport, you'll find the counters at exits 3, 4, and 6 of the international arrivals hall, in Phuket in Terminal 2 next to exit 3, and in Chiang Mai near exit 10. According to True, the airport counters are open 24 hours a day.

In the city, AIS and True shops offer the same tourist packages, and most large shopping malls carry one. You can top up credit for both networks at 7-Eleven, but the tourist SIM cards themselves are a product of the respective mobile network operators. Therefore, it's best to buy them at the airport or in a shopping mall, not at a corner kiosk.

You can also book the True tourist SIM card through Klook and pick it up at the Klook counter on the 2nd floor at Gate 1 of Suvarnabhumi Airport. This is especially convenient if you arrive at midnight and don't want to wait in line. Outgoing calls and SMS messages are disabled on these pick-up SIM cards until you have verified your identity at a True shop. Therefore, use them as a data SIM card.

Passport regulations and the 60-day limit

Thailand tightened SIM card registration in 2025 to combat phone fraud. Every SIM card must be registered to the holder's passport. Foreigners are allowed a maximum of three numbers per provider. Since a notice in the Official Gazette in August 2025, a tourist SIM card is valid for a maximum of 60 days and cannot be extended by topping up. Registration takes place at a counter; for online purchases, verification via app or in-store is usually required before making calls.

For stays exceeding 60 days, the number must be re-verified. With AIS, send your passport number via SMS to 4444161 and follow the link, or visit an AIS shop. Since the visa-free stay is now 30 days, the 30-day package covers most trips. Those with a longer visa are better off with a regular prepaid SIM card from a mobile phone shop.

Topping up a Thai SIM card

The flat-rate plans include unlimited data, so most users never top up their credit. Additional minutes beyond the included minutes can be purchased at 7-Eleven and in mobile network shops: for True in increments of 20, 50, 100, and 300 baht, and for AIS via the myAIS app or the AIS website. With True, *123# displays your balance, and *900*1756# adds 3 GB of data for 8 days at a cost of 150 baht if you have a data-limited plan.

Tourist SIM cards cannot be extended beyond 60 days. Therefore, purchase the required validity period right from the start.

SIM, eSIM or roaming?

Roaming is the expensive option. T-Mobile's international pass costs US$10 per day for 2GB or US$50 for 10 days; AT&T and Verizon charge US$12 per day; EE charges £6 per day or £50 for 15 days, and Three charges £7 to £8. Eight days with any of these providers cost more than a month with a Thai SIM card.

A travel eSIM is an alternative to a traditional SIM card. You install it at home; it works on the same AIS and True networks and allows you to use data while your home SIM card remains in your phone for bank codes. For one to two weeks of moderate use, it's cheaper than a tourist SIM card. The tourist SIM card is the better choice for high data volumes and long trips and is the only one that offers a Thai phone number, which is used by Grab drivers, hotels, and restaurants. If your phone is older than approximately 2018, it may not support eSIM; in this case, the SIM card itself determines whether an eSIM can be used.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about the Thai SIM card.

A tourist SIM card from AIS or True. Both cost the same: 499 baht for 8 days to 1,199 baht for 30 days, each with unlimited 5G data. AIS offers better network coverage on the islands and in rural areas; True is slightly faster in cities and includes unlimited calls to Thai landlines.

At AIS and True, an 8-day SIM card costs 499 baht (approximately US$15), a 15-day SIM card 699 baht, and a 30-day SIM card 1,199 baht. AIS also offers a 5-day SIM card for 399 baht and a 60-day SIM card for 1,599 baht, and True has a data-only SIM card for 349 baht.

There you can top up your AIS and True credit, but you buy the tourist SIM card itself at the airport or in a mobile phone provider's shop. The staff there will register the SIM card in your passport and set it up.

Yes. Every SIM card must be registered to the holder's passport, and foreigners can register up to three numbers per provider. The staff at the counter will take care of this for you in a few minutes.

It's easier at the airport, as the staff prepares everything and you receive the login details for Grab and the cards. True also states that the counters at the airport are open 24/7. The AIS and True shops in the city offer the same tourist packages.

An eSIM is a good choice if your phone supports it and your trip lasts one to two weeks. You install the eSIM at home and then have data available locally. For high data volumes, longer trips, or if you need a Thai phone number, a tourist SIM is more suitable.

The package you purchased is valid for 1 to 60 days. From August 2025, tourist SIM cards can no longer be extended beyond 60 days by topping up, and keeping the number for longer requires renewed identity verification.

AIS, which was recognized in the Opensignal report of August 2026 for its network coverage and consistent quality. True and dtac use a shared network with the fastest download speeds.

Where to stay in Thailand

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