Bangkok – known for its palaces, markets & tuk-tuks.
It is also the largest city in Thailand while also being its capital.
And there is a high probability that you will fly into Bangkok before taking a domestic flight to your final destination.
Writing a list of all the cool things to do in Bangkok would require another blog post (or a dedicated Bangkok blog), so I will save you from that because you want to know what SIM card and eSIM options are available at the airport.
This guide is about Bangkok's regional budget airport (or the old airport), not Bangkok's main international airport called Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. You can also get SIM cards at that airport, which you can read in my Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport SIM card buying guide.
Anyway, which SIM cards are available at the airport?
You can get an AIS Thailand, TrueMove H, or Dtac Thailand SIM card for between 259 THB (7.30 USD) and 1650 THB (46.40 USD) at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport (DMK).
That is quite a spread – what gives?
The validity of these SIM cards ranges from seven days to 30 days.
And some SIM cards give you unlimited data and minutes, which adds up (but these plans are still reasonably priced).
Before COVID-19, SIM cards sold at airports were often overpriced.
When I revisited Thailand in March 2023, SIM cards were sold at the official listing prices (again – based on four international airports I visited, including Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport) 🥳.
So you do not have to worry about getting scammed by airport sales staff anymore (as they tried doing to me in 2017 🙄).
Anyway, let's review all your options and see if getting a SIM card at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport is even worth it.
Original publication: 6th of April 2023. Last updated: 15th of January 2024.
Table of Contents
Mobile Operators in Thailand
Before I tell you about the SIM card and eSIM options you have at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport, you first need to know about all the mobile operators in Thailand.
Thailand has three mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- AIS Thailand
- TrueMove H
- Dtac Thailand
As of March 2023, TrueMove H and Dtac Thailand have become one entity (True Corp). According to CommsUpdate, the two companies must operate as separate corporations for at least three years. So, there will still be dedicated TrueMove H and Dtac Thailand stores, stalls, booths & SIM cards for now.
Thailand is also home to various Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), including My by CAT and Pengiun SIM.
But they heavily throttle their speeds to 256 Kbps, 512 Kbps & 1 Mbps – anything below 6 Mbps is intolerable, I have to say.
You cannot get these SIM cards at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport, so you do not have to worry about them.
But I still wanted to let you know in case you cannot or do not buy a SIM card at the airport and buy one in Bangkok proper.
Check out my Thailand SIM card buying guide for more information about Thai SIM cards.
Alright, back to what Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport has to offer to us.
Where to Buy a SIM Card (or eSIM) at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport?
Several booths and stores at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport sell SIM cards (and eSIMs) from the three Thai mobile operators: AIS Thailand, TrueMove H & Dtac Thailand.
Unlike some Thai airports (like Phuket International Airport), the arrival halls of the domestic and international terminals at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport are connected.
Luckily, the distance between the two terminals at Phuket International Airport is only a two- to three-minute walk… it could be worse, like in Australia (up to 45 minutes at Brisbane and Sydney airports!).
If you are reading this, you will most likely be an international arriver, so I will write this guide from that angle.
But those arriving from another international airport and taking a domestic flight to Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport (arrivals from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Phuket, etc.) can still use this guide due to the interconnected arrivals hall at the airport.
If you take a domestic flight to Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport, there is an AIS Thailand booth you cannot miss.
Initially, I thought that was the only booth selling SIM cards at the airport… only for me to find out that I was still in the domestic terminal 🗿.
If you wonder why I did not realize this early on, it is because I did not arrive in Bangkok through this airport – I flew into Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) instead. I spent about half a day getting to this airport and exploring its SIM card options for you. Just like how I took a detour from Koh Samui (USM) through Phuket International Airport (HKT) before flying back to Australia. Yes… all to help you find the best SIM card and eSIM options at airports 🥰 (and I am crazy, lol).
But I do not recommend buying a SIM card here because it only sells two SIM cards with speed caps (@ 4 Mbps and @ 15 Mbps – more about that later).
The roughly five-minute covered walk to the international terminal will be worth it because more AIS Thailand booths and stores are available, selling better SIM cards than the two at the domestic terminal.
Moreover, SIM cards from TrueMove H and Dtac Thailand are also available there.
And if one AIS Thailand/TrueMove H/Dtac Thailand stall or store is busy, you always have two or three other booths to choose from, saving you queue time.
Which more airports should implement, I believe!
The airport does not have many nighttime arrivals, resulting in the AIS Thailand, TrueMove H & Dtac Thailand stores and booths being closed late in the evening (but before midnight).
Luckily, you can still get a SIM card from the 7-Eleven in the international arrivals hall (maybe the domestic one too, but I did not ask).
There, only TrueMove H SIM cards are available (and this is a good moment to inform you that if you want to get a SIM card from a 7-Eleven, they only sell TrueMove H (tourist) ones. Familymart sells Dtac Happy Tourist SIM cards).
Because Thai SIM cards have to be registered at the point of sale (you cannot self-register SIM card later, as previously possible), the 7-Eleven salespeople activate the SIM card for you (as long as you have your passport with you… which you do… as you just flew into a new country!).
While 7-Eleven does not have any special deals or promos TrueMove H itself may have, you do pay regular prices for any TrueMove H tourist SIM card (as in, you do not pay a tourist tax or airport convenience fee).
And this applies to any SIM card sold at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport (or any other Thai airport, for that matter), which I love.
Let's go through each mobile operator to see what they offer us at the airport.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does AIS Thailand Sell at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport (+Prices)?
AIS Thailand sells its tourist SIM cards at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport, costing between 299 THB and 1999 THB.
I will list all the prices in THB (Thai Baht).
To convert THB to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
AIS, standing for Advanced Info Service, is the largest mobile operator in Thailand.
It is also the mobile operator with the best reception and the fastest overall speeds (on 4G/LTE and 5G NR).
However, TrueMove H and Dtac Thailand announced they will merge into one company (True Corp), which the regulator approved in March 2023.
When they merge, AIS will no longer be the largest mobile operator, but it will still have the best coverage because Dtac Thailand's is trash, lol).
AIS Thailand is the only mobile operator to also have a booth in the arrivals hall of the domestic terminal.
But this booth is run by an independent person/company (KP Community), which are also known as AIS Telewiz stores.
These are exclusive and official resellers of AIS Thailand services.
I do not recommend getting a SIM card from this booth because it has a limited assortment (only two SIM cards) with poor value (compared to what you can get in the international terminal).
For 299 THB, you get unlimited data @ 4 Mbps for 30 days. For 399 THB, your speed will be @ 15 Mbps instead with the same perks.
Speeds @ 4 Mbps are unacceptable in my eyes (but Malaysian mobile operators beg to differ, somehow 🙄), while 15 Mbps is reasonable.
For 299 THB, you can get 15 GB @ max. 5G NR speeds, unlimited data for select social media apps & 100 THB credit for 8 days.
For 399 THB, you receive 25 GB @ max. 5G NR speeds and 100 THB credit for 8 days.
And these options are available in the international terminal – a five-minute walk from the domestic terminal.
Sure, you do not get unlimited data for 30 days, but your browsing experience will be significantly better.
Not only that, but you also get credit for calling and texting, which can be useful.
What I find surprising is that this AIS Thailand reseller has starter packs of the AIS Thailand Tourist SIM cards on its displays.
But it does not sell them 🗿.
That is enough about this reseller at the domestic terminal; what options are available at the international terminal?
There, you only have one AIS store (unlike TrueMove H and Dtac Thailand, which have multiple booths and stores, allowing you to skip queues long queues somewhat).
Luckily, the AIS store is big and (often) has plenty of staff to go through the queues relatively quickly, but it can take a while when multiple flights arrive within a short timeframe, especially if they are big planes (A330 or B787).
Here, the standard AIS Thailand Tourist SIM cards are available, plus a few variations that are not available in regular AIS stores or other airports.
The AIS store has the following 11 starter packs you can choose from:
| Price | Credit | Data | Social Data 3 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 219 THB | 20 THB | Unlimited @ 1 Mbps | Unlimited | 7 days |
| 299 THB | 100 THB | 10 GB | Unlimited | 8 days |
| 399 THB | 100 THB | 25 GB | Unlimited | 8 days |
| 499 THB 1 | 100 THB | 25 GB 2 | Unlimited | 8 days |
| 599 THB | 15 THB | 35 GB | Unlimited | 15 days |
| 699 THB 1 | 50 THB | Unlimited @ 4 Mbps | Unlimited | 15 days |
| 899 THB | 50 THB | 50 GB | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 999 THB 1 | 50 THB | Unlimited @ 10 Mbps | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 1399 THB | 200 THB | 100 GB | Unlimited | 15 days |
| 1699 THB | 50 THB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 1999 THB | 300 THB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 also available as eSIM
2 +unlimited data @ 10 Mbps after exhausting your high-speed data allowance
3 for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Line, (Pinterest), (Skype), (Snapchat), TikTok, Twitter, WeChat, WhatsApp (& YouTube) – I put some of these apps in parenthesis because I suspect you do not get unlimited data for these apps (other airports and the AIS website do not mention these apps… and this paper seemed to be years old too 🗿)
As the photo above shows, you get full access to the AIS network (up to 5G NR) with all plans sold at the airport (although 219 THB, 699 THB & 999 THB plans are speed restricted).
Personally, I would not go for any plans of these speed-restricted plans, but they can be useful for those wanting to use a lot of data without having to worry about hitting their data limit.
As mentioned earlier, I did not buy my AIS SIM card at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport – I got it at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) instead.
There, I purchased the 1399 THB plan with 200 THB call credit and 100 GB of data for 15 days (but they call it the 15-Day Premium Package over there).
As shown in the picture above, the AIS stores at airports accept cash only, so be prepared to have some.
Do note that practically all Thai ATMs charge the same 220 THB fee for withdrawing cash with international cards, so I recommend getting (close to) enough money to last you your trip to save on withdrawal fees (as they can add up quickly).
But if your bank or credit union automatically refunds ATM fees, you do not have to worry about this.
Once you have selected your SIM card or eSIM, you have to hand over your passport and phone so that they can activate the plan and adjust your APN settings when needed.
The salesperson will also take a photo of you as part of Thailand's SIM card registration laws.
This whole process will take up to three minutes if there is not a long queue ahead of you.
Now you are ready to use Thailand's best mobile network 🥳!
Only a handful of AIS plans sold at the airport are available as an eSIM (without extra charges).
But if you want more choices, you can visit the AIS traveler website for more eSIMs:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 399 THB | 25 GB | 8 days |
| 599 THB | 35 GB | 15 days |
| 899 THB | 50 GB | 30 days |
| 1299 THB | 300 GB 1 | 30 days |
| 1650 THB | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 on 3G and 4G/LTE only (no 5G NR access unlike the other plans)
If you do not want to deal with Thailand's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
In my boyfriend's case, his passport document number was also stolen… so that was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time – apparently. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Thailand in my Best Thailand eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Thai eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does TrueMove H Sell at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport (+Prices)?
TrueMove H sells its tourist SIM cards at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport, costing between 259 THB and 1650 THB.
I will list all the prices in THB (Thai Baht).
To convert THB to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
TrueMove H, although many omit the H, is the second-largest mobile operator in Thailand.
It is also the mobile operator with the second-best reception and second-fastest overall speeds (on 4G/LTE and 5G NR).
In some locations, it performs better than AIS Thailand – the current market leader.
TrueMove H and Dtac Thailand announced they will merge into one company (True Corp), which was approved by the regulator in March 2023.
When they merge, True Corp will become the largest mobile operator in terms of subscribers (but its network will not be instantly better than AIS Thailand's because Dtac Thailand's network is trash, lmao).
TrueMove H SIM cards are available from its three stores in the international Airport terminal of Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport and the 7-Eleven in the same terminal.
Even though the map above lists two of TrueMove's stores, there are actually three. The third one was closed when I was there, but it still had informational flyers lying around. The third store is on the left side of the map, close to where it says Taxi. Moreover, there is a 7-Eleven in the domestic terminal, but I did not check or ask if it sells SIM cards. And if it does, they would also be TrueMove H's tourist SIM cards.
TrueMove H has two tourist SIM card lines: TrueMove H Thailand Tourist SIM and TrueMove H Infinite SIM.
What is the difference between these two lines?
The regular TrueMove H Thailand Tourist SIM cards include data with data allowance (+unlimited data at reduced speeds after exhausting your high-speed data allowance) and unlimited on-net minutes.
While the TrueMove H Infinite SIM cards include unlimited data @ max. speeds (5G NR) and unlimited local minutes.
The Infinite SIM cards are usually only 100 THB (close to 2.80 USD) more expensive than the regular tourist SIM cards, so I recommend them.
A significant upgrade for a small price 😍.
But besides these official tourist SIM cards, TrueMove H at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport sells two more lines and a special promo that may be of interest to you.
First, the following seven TrueMove H Thailand Tourist (Infinite) SIM cards are available:
| Price | Data | Social Data 1 | Local Minutes | (International) Call Credit | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 299 THB | 15 GB | Unlimited 3 | Unlimited 2 | 100 THB | 16 days |
| 399 THB | 25 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited 2 | 100 THB | 16 days |
| 399 THB | Unlimited | N/A | Unlimited | 8 days | |
| 599 THB | 30 GB | Unlimited 3 | Unlimited 2 | 50 THB | 30 days |
| 599 THB | Unlimited | N/A | Unlimited | N/A | 30 days |
| 699 THB | Unlimited | N/A | Unlimited | 100 THB | 15 days |
| 950 THB | 50 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited 2 | 100 THB | 30 days |
| 999 THB | Unlimited | N/A | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Kakao, Line, Pinterest, QQ, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter, Viber, WeChat, Weibo & WhatsApp
2 for on-net calls only
3 +10 GB for TikTok
4 officially, these SIM cards include credit for international calls. But that does not seem to be offered by the TrueMove H stores at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport for some reason
Besides these seven TrueMove H Thailand Tourist (Infinite) SIM cards, the closed TrueMove H store that was also advertising two plans you often will not at other Thai airports or regular TrueMove H stores).
For 1000 THB, you get 50 THB credit, 60 GB of data, unlimited data for select social apps 1 & unlimited on-net minutes for 30 days.
1 for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Kakao, Line, Pinterest, QQ, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter, Viber, WeChat, Weibo & WhatsApp
And for 1650 THB, you get 45 THB credit, unlimited data & unlimited on-net minutes for 30 days.
Remember, you can get unlimited data and local minutes with the 999 THB TrueMove H Tourist Infinite SIM card.
The store was closed, so I could not ask if this information was outdated, because I suspect it is… or they try to overcharge you for up to 650 THB… which is not cool 😒.
Now that I have covered the official tourist SIM cards and some extras, I want to let you know about probably the best TrueMove H offer available, which is super exclusive to Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport.
For 250 THB, you get 30 GB of data and unlimited data for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Kakao, Line, Pinterest, QQ, Skype, Snapchat, TikTok (10 GB only), Twitter, Viber, WeChat, Weibo & WhatsApp for 7 days.
This is cheaper than the cheapest TrueMove H Tourist SIM card (299 THB) while also giving you double the data (30 GB vs. 15 GB) – and still with 5G NR access (which was important to me).
This deal was incredible, and I wanted it – but I was staying in Thailand for 12 days, with that day inclusive.
Somehow, the salesperson would still sell me this plan for 250 THB while extending the validity to 12 days for me!
I cannot guarantee all staff members will be this generous, though… I may have been lucky as the SIM card and eSIM boi 😏.
Okay, we still have two more airport plans to go through.
The ones I have mentioned so far are probably the best.
But the ones I will discuss now can still benefit some of you – so let me go through them quickly.
The banner was stationed at the TrueMove H store that was closed – the other stores did not mention these plans.
Therefore, I am not too sure if they actually exist or are exclusive to this booth – they are certainly unique to Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport.
| Price | Credit | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 299 THB | N/A | 25 GB | 8 days |
| 599 THB | 50 THB | 30 GB | 15 days |
| 599 THB | 50 THB | 100 GB | 30 days |
| 849 THB | 50 THB | 10 GB 1 | 30 days |
| 1049 THB | 50 THB | 250 GB | 30 days |
1 I suspect the data allowance for this plan is more than 10 GB because… well… do I need to explain? 🗿
If you look closely at the photo, you can see that the data allowances used to be 7 GB,8 GB, 6 GB, 10 GB & 15 GB, respectively.
So all the plans got a significant bump.
But because you get so much data for low prices, you will be restricted to 4G/LTE – all other TrueMove H plans have 5G NR access.
If your phone does not support 5G NR, or you just want a lot of data for cheap, then these plans can be useful for you.
Finally, you have these five airport-exclusive SIM cards:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 259 THB | Unlimited @ 10 Mbps | 7 days |
| 499 THB | 30 GB 2 | 30 days |
| 499 THB | 30 GB | 30 days |
| 659 THB | Unlimited @ 15 Mbps | 30 days |
| Unknown 1 | 100 GB | 30 days |
1 I blocked the price with my thumb when I took a photo of these plans. And as these plans are sold nowhere else, I have no idea what the price is 🗿
2 +unlimited on-net minutes
If you want unlimited data, you better go for one of the TrueMove H Tourist Infinite SIM cards because you do not have to deal with throttled speeds at all.
Be aware that just like with AIS Thailand, the TrueMove H stores accept cash only (unlike Dtac stores).
Do note that practically all Thai ATMs charge the same 220 THB fee for withdrawing cash with international cards, so I recommend getting (close to) enough money to last you your trip to save on withdrawal fees (as they can add up quickly).
But if your bank or credit union automatically refunds ATM fees, you do not have to worry about this.
Once you have selected your SIM card, you have to hand over your passport and phone so that they can activate the plan and adjust your APN settings when needed.
The salesperson will also take a photo of you as part of Thailand's SIM card registration laws.
This whole process will take up to three minutes if there is not a long queue ahead of you.
Now you are ready to use Thailand's second-best mobile network 🥳!
All TrueMove H plans sold at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport are available as physical SIM cards only and not as eSIMs.
If you do not want to deal with Thailand's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
In my boyfriend's case, his passport document number was also stolen… so that was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time – apparently. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Thailand in my Best Thailand eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Thai eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does Dtac Thailand Sell at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport (+Prices)?
Dtac Thailand sells its tourist SIM cards at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport, costing between 249 THB and 1199 THB.
I will list all the prices in THB (Thai Baht).
To convert THB to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Dtac Thailand is the smallest mobile operator in Thailand.
Even then, it still has more than 16 million subscribers.
Dtac Thailand is the cheapest mobile operator in the country.
But… it also has the worst network and the slowest speeds in Thailand.
Although Dtac Thailand performs well in urban areas, and surprisingly in rural areas too (including islands), your experience with it will not be pleasant.
Trust me… I have used Dtac Thailand for weeks and compared it to AIS Thailand and TrueMove H 🤓.
Anyway, TrueMove H and Dtac Thailand announced they will merge into one company (True Corp), which was approved by the regulator in March 2023.
When they merge, True Corp will become the largest mobile operator in terms of subscribers (but its network will not be instantly better than AIS Thailand's because of Dtac Thailand, lol).
Dtac Thailand SIM cards are available from its two stores and a booth in the international Airport terminal of Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport.
While not shown in the map above, there is a Dtac booth as soon as you turn left after baggage claim. Another store is available if you walk in the same direction towards the domestic terminal.
Dtac Thailand has three tourist SIM cards from the Happy Tourist SIM line:
| Price | Credit | Data | Social Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 149 THB | 15 THB | 5 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 4 days |
| 299 THB | 15 THB | 15 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8 days |
| 599 THB | 15 THB | 30 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 15 days |
1 for Facebook Messenger, Kakao, Line, WeChat & WhatsApp
The 149 THB SIM card is almost impossible to find.
They are not sold at any international airport, and I could only find them in a Familymart on an island (Koh Samui) – not even in Bangkok.
But I may have been unlucky 🤷🏿♂️.
Do note that Dtac Thailand promotes the fact that all its Happy Tourist SIM cards @ “max. speeds”.
But on the back of the starter pack, speeds are up to 100 Mbps.
On itself, 100 Mbps is not bad at all… but getting speeds faster than 30 Mbps is a challenge (even in Bangkok) 🗿.
But I will discuss that in my Dtac Thailand review instead… we still have a few more plans to talk about that are sold at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport!
When you approach a Dtac store, you will notice more plans are being advertised than the three I mentioned earlier are advertised.
These SIM cards are only sold at airports – you cannot get them in regular Dtac stores or from resellers.
You have the Best Value Packages, Unlimited Internet Packages & Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport exclusive plans.
Let's begin with the Best Value Packages – you have four of them:
| Price | Credit | Data | On-Net Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 259 THB | 15 THB | 7 GB | Unlimited | 8 days |
| 349 THB | 15 THB | 20 GB | Unlimited | 16 days |
| 699 THB | 15 THB | 40 GB | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 999 THB | 15 THB | 90 GB | Unlimited | 90 days |
The salespeople will probably recommend one of these six Unlimited Internet plans instead:
| Price | Credit | Data | On-Net Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 249 THB | 200 THB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 3 days |
| 299 THB | N/A | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8 days |
| 349 THB | 200 THB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8 days |
| 699 THB | 200 THB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 16 days |
| 999 THB | 200 THB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 1199 THB | 200 THB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 90 days |
Why? Because these plans are of better value.
You do not have to worry about hitting your data allowance, and your off-net and international credit allowance is significantly higher.
But although the prices between the Best Value Packages and Unlimited Internet Plans are similar (the same or within a 50 THB range), the validity of the Unlimited Internet Plans is shorter.
So if you are on a tight budget, the Best Value Packages may be for you.
Finally, you have Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport exclusive plans, which you cannot get anywhere else, including other Thai airports or Dtac stores elsewhere.
You have these five options:
| Price | Credit | Data | Social Data 2 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 259 THB | 50 THB | Unlimited @ 4 Mbps | N/A | 5 days |
| 259 THB | N/A | Unlimited @ 10 Mbps | N/A | 7 days |
| Unknown 1 | N/A | Unlimited @ 20 Mbps | N/A | 30 days |
Note: I purposefully skipped over the 299 THB and 599 THB plans because those are the standard Dtac Happy Tourist SIM cards
1 I blocked the price with my thumb when I took a photo of these plans. And as these plans are sold nowhere else, I have no idea what the price is 🗿
2 for Facebook Messenger, Kakao, Line, WeChat & WhatsApp
Personally, I would not go for any plans of these speed-restricted plans.
Especially when you can get unlimited data plans with more call and text credit for a bit less when you get an Unlimited Internet plan.
Honestly, I am surprised these plans above still exist 🤨.
So, which SIM card did I get?
I purchased the 299 THB Unlimited Internet plan (with unlimited data for 8 days).
Just like with TrueMove H, the salesperson extended the validity to 12 days instead of upselling me to a higher-tier plan.
I have bought many SIM cards (at airports) in the decade, and no other country would extend the validity of plans like that… missing out on sales.
Perhaps the Dtac staff do not get a commission per sale because none of them at any airport attempted to upsell me (and this applies to AIS and TrueMove H staff too) 😍.
Oh, and unlike AIS Thailand, Dtac stores do accept card payments.
Even then, I want to remind you that practically all Thai ATMs charge the same 220 THB fee for withdrawing cash with international cards, so I recommend getting (close to) enough money to last you your trip to save on withdrawal fees (as they can add up quickly).
But if your bank or credit union automatically refunds ATM fees, you do not have to worry about this.
Once you have selected your SIM card or eSIM, you have to hand over your passport and phone so that they can activate the plan and adjust your APN settings when needed.
The salesperson will also take a photo of you as part of Thailand's SIM card registration laws.
This whole process will take up to three minutes if there is no long queue ahead of you.
Now you are ready to use your Dtac Thailand SIM card 🥳.
You can get some/any plan mentioned in this section as an eSIM (without extra charges).
But you can also get the Dtac Happy Tourist SIM cards as an eSIM before going to Thailand.
Many resellers have Dtac Happy Tourist eSIMs in stock, including my favorite Airalo.
Unlike getting a Dtac Happy Tourist eSIM in Thailand, purchasing it from Airalo does not require registration.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
In my boyfriend's case, his passport document number was also stolen… so that was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time – apparently. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
But do note that you cannot extend the validity of the eSIM if you buy it from Airalo or other resellers – you would need to buy another eSIM.
Moreover, the ones sold on Airalo are slightly more expensive than those purchased in Thailand.
299 THB is roughly 8.45 USD – Airalo charges 9.90 USD for this eSIM (15 50 GB for 8 days).
599 THB is about 16.95 USD. If you were to get this eSIM from Airalo (with 30 GB for 15 days), you would pay 19.95 USD.
Are these outrageous surcharges? Not at all – especially knowing you can skip the (potentially long) queues at the airport.
It looks like Airalo sells an exclusive and much more generous Dtac Happy Tourist plan than Dtac Thailand itself.
Previously, Airalo sold the Dtac Happy Tourist 15 Days eSIM, which gave you “unlimited” data, which was actually 30 GB of high-speed data. But it got replaced with an exclusive 1000 GB variant, costing the same (19.95 USD). However, even this one got replaced with the TrueMove H Tourist Infinite eSIM, giving you truly unlimited data on a much better network for the same price.
But remember this: unlike most Airalo eSIMs, which get activated as soon as you connect to a supported network (so you can install it months in advance without starting the validity), the validity of Dtac (or TrueMove H) eSIMs starts as soon as you install it on your phone.
So do not install this eSIM any sooner than a day before arriving in Thailand.
Better yet, wait until you are in Thailand before scanning the QR code.
Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Thailand (especially those not using the Dtac Thailand network.
You can read about them in my Best Thailand eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.
Should You Get a SIM Card (or eSIM) at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport?
I recommend getting a SIM card at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport because tourist SIM cards with generous allowances and perks are available at normal prices from AIS Thailand, TrueMove H & Dtac Thailand.
TrueMove H and Dtac Thailand have multiple stores and booths where you can get SIM cards (and eSIMs), allowing you to skip long queues if one store is too busy.
AIS Thailand only has one store in the international terminal.
Luckily, it is a big one with multiple staff members who can help you out, making the lines disappear rather quickly.
It also has a partner store in the domestic terminal, but it only sells plans of awful value, so I encourage you to avoid it.
If you arrive late at night and all the stores and booths are closed, you can get SIM cards from the 7-Eleven in the international terminal.
TrueMove H Thailand Tourist (Infinite) SIM cards can be purchased there.
While there is also a 7-Eleven in the domestic terminal, I do not know if it sells SIM cards too.
And if it does, only TrueMove H ones would be available (based on my experience visiting multiple 7-Elevens across Thailand, including other airports).
AIS Thailand, TrueMove H & Dtac Thailand sell SIM cards (and eSIMs) within these price ranges:
- AIS Thailand: 219 THB – 1999 THB (11 options)
- TrueMove H: 259 THB – 1650 THB (21 options)
- Dtac Thailand: 249 THB – 1199 THB (15 options)
Some SIM cards and plans sold at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport are not advertised on the mobile operators' websites.
But they are also sold at other airports, including Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), Phuket International Airport (HKT) & Samui Airport (USM)).
Nonetheless, Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport also has SIM cards exclusive to this airport.
One example is TrueMove H, which sells 30 GB of data valid for seven days for only 250 THB.
To get this much data, you must spend 599 THB in other airports or even TrueMove H stores.
The only downside is that if you spend more than double on the nationally available 599 THB TrueMove Thailand Tourist SIM card, the SIM card will be valid for 30 days instead of only seven days.
In my case, the salesperson was kind enough to extend the validity to 12 days instead of seven days without charging me extra for the additional days, which I thought was awesome.
Before COVID-19, Thai airports were notorious for having overpriced tourist SIM cards.
A SIM card that generally would have been 500 THB would be sold for 800 THB, for example.
This is why I did not recommend anyone buying SIM cards at any Thai airport, as they were all doing the same.
Something must have changed after the pandemic because I visited four international airports (crazy, innit), including Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport, and none of the mobile operator stores were trying to scam me (anymore).
As I mentioned, I even got extended validity on my TrueMove H SIM card while only being charged 250 THB for it (which is a bargain).
Dtac Thailand did the same thing – letting me buy the 299 THB eight-day SIM card while extending it to 12 days.
What about AIS Thailand? I got that SIM card at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, and they had none of that 😂.
To be fair, I did not ask for that – either at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport.
The TrueMove H and Dtac staff just offered it like that unprompted.
Overall, AIS Thailand, TrueMove H & Dtac Thailand have attractive starter packs at Bangkok-Don Mueang International Airport, and I recommend getting a SIM card here as you will not pay the tourist/convenience tax.
Thai SIM Card Reviews
I tried out the best Thai SIM cards that you can easily buy as a tourist in Thailand.
You should read those reviews.
>>> AIS Thailand Review | TrueMove H Review | Dtac Thailand Review <<<
But you can still make an educated purchase after reading the Thai SIM card reviews.
I also tried out various travel eSIMs in Thailand: Airalo (Asialink & Discover Global), Holafly, Nomad (Thailand & SEA-Oceania).
You should also read those reviews.
>>> Airalo Asialink eSIM in Thailand Review | Airalo Discover Global eSIM in Thailand Review | Holafly Thailand eSIM Review | Nomad Thailand eSIM Review | Nomad SEA-Oceania eSIM in Thailand Review <<<
Check out my reviews page if you want to read all the other reviews I have written, including other Asian SIM cards.