Internet & SIM Cards
Thailand has an excellent digital infrastructure — fast 4G/5G network in most areas, free Wi-Fi in almost every café, restaurant, and hotel.
Thai SIM Card (recommended)
The simplest and cheapest solution: Buy a tourist SIM card at the airport. All three major providers have counters in the arrival hall of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang:
- AIS: Best network, largest coverage (even on remote islands). Tourist SIM: 299 Baht (€8) for 15 GB / 8 days, 599 Baht for 50 GB / 30 days.
- TrueMove H: Second-best network, good coverage. Similar prices to AIS. Has the best 5G rates.
- DTAC (now: True): Merged with TrueMove, same network.
Required: Passport (will be copied). The SIM is inserted and activated directly. Nano-SIM and eSIM available.
eSIM Alternative
If you don't want to open your phone: eSIMs (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad) can be purchased online before the trip and activated upon landing. Slightly more expensive than local SIMs, but convenient. Note: Data only, no Thai phone number (which you need for some apps like Grab).
Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is available in virtually every café, restaurant, shopping mall, and hotel. The speed is usually good (10–50 Mbit/s). On the islands and in remote areas, Wi-Fi can be slow — here, the SIM card is invaluable.
💡 Tipp
The "Grab" app (Southeast Asia's Uber) requires a phone number for registration — with a Thai SIM, this is immediate. Grab is the best and cheapest way to get around in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket: Fair prices, no haggling, air-conditioned.