Recommended Thai travel eSIM verification test and detailed review
A few years ago , I wrote an article about my experience using eSIM in Phuket , but the number of prepaid eSIM options for Thailand has increased considerably in the past few years, and I need to update the information. Therefore, this time, as a new Bangkok edition, more comprehensive and new information is summarized in this article.
*Although it is written in Bangkok, please be assured that it is not limited to Bangkok but is about Thailand in general.
We hope that this article will be useful for those who are traveling or going on a business trip to Thailand and are considering using an eSIM for the local mobile internet.
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Information about eSIMs that can use discount promo codes is also posted.
In addition, you can check the list of eSIMs that can be used in Thailand on . Unlike before Corona, there are quite a few now, so please check it out 👇
List of eSIMs that can be used in Thailand - Compare prepaid data plans for international travelers
Easily compare travel eSIMs and data plans for Thailand. Let's search for cheap and recommended prepaid eSIM from rates, reviews and reviews.
Well, in September 2022, I first chose two eSIMs from these and used them when I actually visited Bangkok, so the contents are summarized below.
The device used is iPhone 13 Pro (iOS 16). The two eSIMs I chose this time can also be used on Android devices.
By the way, I stayed at a hotel affiliated with Hilton for a few days, but I feel that Hilton's free WiFi disconnects immediately while I'm not touching it on my smartphone, and it takes a while to reconnect each time ( Well, I guess I'll have to find a solution.) There is no problem in terms of speed, but I have been using eSIM for internet on my smartphone all the time even in the hotel. The default security is much better than hotel WiFi.
eSIM version "dtac HAPPY TOURIST SIM" (best cost performance)
Information is available in Japanese on the official website of dtac as a tourist SIM , but there is an eSIM version of Happy Tourist SIM , and the cost performance is very good.
By the way, the physical SIM card has been a popular product for a long time, and it is sold at airports such as Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Muang Airport, Phuket Airport, Chiang Rai Airport, etc. A popular tourist SIM that a considerable number of travelers would have purchased. .
SIM2Fly is also famous as a physical SIM for traveling to Thailand , but this dtac Happy Tourist SIM is superior when looking only at cost performance.
The actual quality will be described later, but I think that this eSIM version is almost the strongest in Thailand at present . However, if you are going to a local city, we recommend that you check the dtac service area and, if necessary, consider an eSIM that uses a different network such as AIS, such as the Nomad eSIM described later .
Contents of Happy Tourist eSIM
*Plans and prices are information at the time of writing. There is a good chance that the price will be cheaper due to promotions, and the number of types will increase due to additional plans.
The following two plans can be used with eSIM in dtac's Happy Tourist SIM.
- 15GB / 8 days : 299 baht
- 30GB / 15 days : 599 Baht
Not only data communication, but also call credit is included (15 baht free call & free call to dtac number), and it seems that chat apps such as LINE can be used without counting (chat apps originally consume less data. But it might be helpful if you want to make a video call).
Also, even if the above GB is used up, you can continue to use data at 384kbps (low speed), so it is a selling point for unlimited data .
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Also, although it is surprisingly common and not written, it is a local network in Thailand, so there is an advantage that the delay (latency) is very small unlike roaming communication .
How to buy
It seems that this eSIM can be purchased from the official website of dtac (I couldn't do it before, but now), but I needed to upload my ID, and when I tried it, it stopped halfway, so I bought it from the partner shop . We recommend that you purchase from (Reseller) .
Details are on the dtac Happy Tourist eSIM dedicated page, but so far there are eight resellers listed, and the eSIM is the same no matter where you buy it from .
So, this time I bought from Airalo , which is overwhelmingly easy to use and supports Japanese . (Airalo supports Japanese and has a mobile app, which is very convenient.)
Local and regional eSIMs for travelers
Data packs at local prices. Manage your eSIM with Airalo and top up on the go.
Airalo
Airalo official website (Japanese version)
The selling price on Airalo is
- 15GB / 8 days : US$9.90
- 30GB / 15 days : US$19.95
is.
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Posted in October 2022: Use the promo code " 10 " to get 10% off your purchase at Airalo !
Even with the depreciation of the yen, it is a level that can be said to be amazing that 15GB is 1,500 yen or less and 30GB is 3,000 yen or less. About 100 yen per GB.
I have used Airalo many times in the past and personally feel comfortable with it. Purchasing is also very easy. If you have never used it, please refer to the article below, which introduces everything from purchase to installation with images.
How to buy and install Airalo's eSIM
A comprehensive explanation of how to purchase an Airalo eSIM data plan and how to activate it.
| Blog
Since I was only staying for 4 days this time, I purchased the 15GB / 8 days plan. 15GB is usually enough for stays up to 2 weeks. (Of course it depends on the person.)
In addition, the following points should be noted with this dtac Happy Tourist eSIM.
- The expiration date starts when the eSIM is installed on the device
- Non-refundable items
- Since it is a dtac line, it may be necessary to pay attention to the radio wave situation in the countryside.
dtac is the third largest mobile carrier in Thailand. It recently announced a joint venture with No. 2 True (not yet completed). The first place is AIS and he is like Docomo in Japan.
Can be purchased outside of Airalo
There are 8 official dtac resellers, each with their own pricing, so there are places where you can buy cheaper than Airalo. Below are some resellers that are generally cheaper than Airalo for your reference.
- Airhub
- Mobi Matter
- eTravelSIM
I think there is probably a price difference of around $1-2 between resellers. Considering the actual price, I think it's good to buy from a place that is easy to buy and a place that seems to be reliable.
Actual communication quality in Bangkok
I installed the eSIM on my iPhone the day before my trip and was ready to go. The expiration date starts at this point.
By the way, if you're an iPhone user, you can install the eSIM directly from Airalo's iOS app , which makes it very easy. (Maybe this is for Airalo only, not for other resellers.) Of course, the app has instructions on how to install it, and it's basically just tapping to proceed, so even beginners shouldn't have any problems.
As soon as I arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, I assigned a dtac Happy Tourist eSIM (by Airalo) to my mobile data communication from the settings, and I was able to use the Internet in just a few seconds . After all, local eSIM is an image that connection is fast. No data roaming settings are required.
It was connected to 4G of dtac like ↓ .
Connecting to dtac-T.Better Together 4G
I was a little surprised that the display name of the carrier is dtac-T.Better Together, which is a long time.
As shown in the screenshot above, eSIM users can quickly grab a Grab from the airport without having to search for a physical SIM or wait in line to pay for it. (You can call Grab while waiting for your luggage at Baggage Claim.)
The actual communication speed to be worried about
During my stay in Bangkok, the center of the city was basically the range of activity, so although it is within that range, the actual values of speed tests performed at multiple locations are as follows.
From the left, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Sukhumvit area, and around the Royal Palace.
dtac eSIM communication speed in Bangkok
As a local eSIM, the Ping is 40 ms, which is quite good. Both download and upload are quite good for prepaid eSIM.
However, when I actually used it, I didn't feel that it was so crispy, and it was just that I couldn't use it normally. I think it would feel faster if it was this speed in Japan, but this may be the difference in the communication infrastructure in the first place.
For the time being, those who are accustomed to crisp, ultra-high-speed mobile internet in Japan may find the response a little slow. However, I was able to use it without any inconvenience when traveling normally, and it was stable without going out of range even once . (Except for one or two occasions when Slack failed to send messages, and there was a slight lag in loading new messages.)
By the way, using this eSIM seems to automatically connect to a WiFi spot called dtac WiFi. However, that WiFi spot is not very fast, so turning off WiFi will speed it up. Occasionally, I picked up 5G, but I didn't really notice any difference.
Finally, Internet sharing (tethering) worked fine . It is convenient for nomad workers and hotel WiFi is not good.
How to check remaining data
At the time of this writing, this dtac Happy Tourist eSIM unfortunately does not allow you to check the remaining amount of data from Airalo's mobile app.
Instead, although it is a little troublesome, please access the following web page, click the Check balance, Top-up and Add-On Package button at the bottom of the page, enter your phone number, and send a one-time password ( OTP) can be received and checked.
บมจ.
ผู้ให้บริการระบบโทรศัพท์เคลื่อนที่แบบจดทะเบียนและเติมงินบนท คโนโลยี 4G, 3G สริมสังคมและอนาคตที่ดีกว่า
www.dtac.co.th
In addition, you can check the credit balance of the call by dialing the following number from the phone application.
📞 Tap *101*9#
dtac Happy Tourist eSIM is recommended!
It is an eSIM that can be fully recommended because it has a large amount of data, unlimited low speed, and a cost performance of about 100 yen per GB, low delay with local eSIM, and stable communication.
There are also modestly pleasing benefits such as call credits and chat app count free, and there is a possibility that further benefits will be added through promotions by dtac. .
However, if you plan to go to rural areas in Thailand, it would be a good idea to check the areas where dtac can be used, or to check with the locals whether dtac seems to be a problem.
And it is my personal opinion that the purchase is Airalo 's choice at the moment . Don't forget to use the 10% discount code " 10".
dtac official promotional video found on YouTube ↓
dtac Happy tourist SIM promo video
Nomad eSIM
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June 2023: It seems that there was a fairly significant plan revision, so I updated the plan and price details.
Nomad has a very sophisticated design for both the site and the app, and the cost performance is good . Until recently, it had a rather expensive image outside of Europe, but recently it has become cheaper in Asia, and it has become more convenient to use.
Nomad plan price for Thailand
Nomad eSIM plans for Thailand have 16 plans in total, UNLIMITED Plans and Regular Plans as country plans.
(In addition to these, there are multiple Asian tour plans and global plans, but here we will only take up plans by country.)
Nomad - Thailand Data Plans
First of all, although it is called UNLIMITED, as the following text on the site says, data is not unlimited, but high-speed communication up to 2GB / day, and then the speed is limited to 512kbps .
UNLIMITED Plans - Fair Usage Policy (FUP)
This plan comes with unlimited data, however our network providers do apply a Fair Usage Policy. If you consume more than 2 GB per day, you will find that your speed will be throttled to 512 kbps. This speed should only last 24 hours (sometimes less) before you are back to high-speed data.
Based on that, the following is the price of the UNLIMITED plan.
- 1 day plan : $7
- 3-day plan: $15
- 5-day plan: $20
- 7-day plan: $25
- 10-day plan: $30
Next, the Regular plan looks like this:
- 1GB / 7 days: $4
- 3GB / 15 days: $9
- 5GB / 15 days: $13
- 10GB / 30 days: $22
- 15GB / 30 days : $28
- 20GB / 30 days: $34
- 30GB / 30 days: $80
- 40GB / 30 days: $110
- 50GB / 30 days: $125
However, since the unit price per GB is worse than 30GB, I think that a plan from 3GB to 20GB is good if you are considering it.
and,
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If you are new to Nomad, use the promo code " 3 " to get $3 off !
If you are new to Nomad, please use it (Of course, you can also use eSIMs other than Thailand).
For reference, Nomad's eSIM purchase method and installation method are introduced below with images 👇
How to purchase and install Nomad eSIM
Comprehensive explanation from purchase to installation of Nomad eSIM.
| Blog
In addition, there is a great possibility that plan development and fees will change in the future, so please check the latest information on the Nomad official website .
Nomad eSIM Quality in Bangkok
After arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), assigning this Nomad eSIM to mobile data communication from the iPhone settings enabled data communication in about 20 seconds.
The connection destination carrier in Thailand is AIS as shown below . It's LTE.
Connecting to AIS LTE
AIS seems to be said to have the best coverage, and I think it's a safe point, especially for those who go to rural areas in Thailand.
Of course, during my stay in Bangkok this time, there was no problem at all in terms of area, including the airport. (I almost lost coverage once at a rooftop bar, where dtac did the same.)
speed test result
Like dtac's eSIM, I also tested the speed of this Nomad eSIM at three locations around Suvarnabhumi Airport, Sukhumvit, and the Royal Palace.
Nomad eSIM communication speed in Bangkok
This eSIM is roaming communication via Hong Kong. So, Ping is around 100 ms, which is within the acceptable range, but it is slightly inferior to dtac eSIM. Are both downloads and uploads not bad for a travel eSIM?
To be honest, when I actually used it, there wasn't that much of a difference between the dtac eSIM and this Nomad eSIM. (Honestly, I thought his dtac with local eSIM was definitely crisper, but) As long as I used both for a few days, I didn't feel any obvious difference in skin texture. So, this Nomad eSIM is not particularly crispy, but I have the impression that it can be used normally without any problems.
At least normal web browsing, Google Maps, Grab (a ride-hailing app), social media, watching videos on YouTube, etc., all of the services I would normally use during my stay worked fine. I can appreciate that there was no packet clogging and I could use the Internet stably from beginning to end.
And internet sharing (tethering) works well .
Data remaining check
Unlike dtac's Happy Tourist eSIM, the Nomad eSIM allows you to check (near) real-time data usage and expiry dates anytime from the mobile app.
And if you need it, you can immediately purchase additional data capacity from there.
Screen for checking data usage in the app and purchasing additional data
Nomad eSIM, well balanced and recommended
Although the GB unit price is not as high as that of dtac Happy Tourist eSIM, I felt that there were many points that I could appreciate, such as a wide variety of plans at reasonable prices, the convenience of the mobile app, and the reliable local connection network called AIS.
It may be good as a backup eSIM in case the dtac eSIM or other main eSIM cannot be used.
Other recommended eSIM services
I would like to introduce a good-looking eSIM for Thailand that I have not been able to verify by actually using it, but I would like to try it next time I travel.
eSIM2Fly
This is the eSIM version of AIS's physical SIM card " SIM2Fly " , which has been popular for traveling around Asia . In addition to this eSIM2Fly, you can also purchase the dtac Happy Tourist eSIM recommended in this article from the following site called esim2fly.com.
ESIM2Fly Shop Home | ESIM2Fly Shop
Check our updated list of devices for tablets and phones that currently support eSIM.
eSIM2Fly Shop
Carlos
eSIM2Fly.com
First of all, the SIM2Fly 6GB plan below is mainly for traveling around Asia and can be used in Japan, so it can be used even after checking the communication in advance and after traveling, and it is also convenient when traveling to multiple countries.
- AIS SIM2Fly eSIM 6GB Asia Plan (34 countries): $16 for 6GB / 8 days
Next is the eSIM for tourists from dtac, which I highly recommend in this article. Cospa is still overwhelming here.
- DTAC Tourist eSIM : $9.8 for 15GB / 8 days
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Use the promo code " " for a $1 discount !
This site converts to Japanese yen, so you can pay in Japanese yen, and if you use the above promo code, you can purchase both eSIM2Fly and dtac Happy Tourist eSIM at a great price.
soracom mobile
Soracom Mobile is an eSIM service for travelers from Japan. Currently only available for iPhone/iPad.
Global eSIM data communication service | Soracom Mobile
With Soracom Mobile's eSIM, you can easily and smartly use the Internet while traveling abroad. Experience new data communication abroad with eSIM technology!
Soracom Mobile
SORACOM MOBILE official website
This is the best option for those who want to purchase an eSIM in Japanese + receive support.
Another feature is that it is super easy from purchase to start of use , so you can install eSIM directly from the app . (No need to scan QR code.)
The flow from purchase to installation is introduced below with images.
How to purchase and install SORACOM MOBILE eSIM
Comprehensive explanation of Soracom Mobile eSIM purchase, installation, and line settings.
Soracom Mobile Thailand data plan fee
*Information at the time of writing.
- 1GB / 30 days : $5.09
- 3GB / 30 days : $14.99
- 5GB / 30 days : $24.99
- 10GB / 30 days : $47.99
To be honest, the cost performance is inferior compared to dtac tourist eSIM. However, if you don't care about the price so much and want to give priority to convenience and usability, it is recommended. (Some people can use it as a company expense.)
Since it is a service from Japan, why not consider it in terms of supporting domestic companies?