Second-hand Mobile phone for Thailand calls

[boy]

Hi,

I will stay about 2 weeks in Pattaya/Jomtien in Ocotber 2010 and would like to know how I should organise a Mobile phone (second hand - not new mobile) for my inland thai calls.

1) Should I buy a mobile phone in my homecountry (Switzerland) and buy a SIM-card and a Prepaid-card in Thailand ? By doing so, I might have my motherlanguage (german) on the mobile phone which would be more easy to use it and to register the telephone numbers of the thai-bf(s).

2) Should I buy a mobile phone in Thailand (together with SIM-card and Prepaid-card) - but what would be the language on the mobile phone --> hopefully not thai language ....


As a matter of fact, I will NOT use my Swiss Mobile phone in Thailand as there would be roaming fees involved when doing local calls which would be extremely expensive.

Therefore I wonder what is the best and simplest way to organise a second-hand mobile phone and in case I should buy it in Pattay, where can I get a second-hand mobile phone.

Thanks for any comments and suggestions.
Best regards,
Boy

[soi_toi]

You have a few options...

First, if your current mobile phone uses a Sim card and is not locked to your provider in your home country, bring it along. That's what I do.
When I arrive, I purchase a Sim card package, pulled my home card out and popped the Thai card in, voila, I now have a Thai mobile phone. It's also very inexpensive to make international calls using a Thai Sim card, compared to Canadian rates anyways.

Second option. You can buy a used mobile phone in Thailand and again, purchase a Sim card package at a very reasonable cost. Thai mobile plans are the best I've seen. 99 baht gets you a Sim card and 35 baht for calls.
Extra minutes, Top Up's, can be purchased a most convenience stores what are never too far away. You just say the providers name and how the cost. I.E. AIS Top-up, 100 baht. You're given either a scratch card with a PIN # or a paper receipt with a PIN# and instructions on how to add the minutes to your sim card.

In Bangkok, a popular place to buy new and used Mobile phones and accessories, Sim card packages and getting phones unlocked, is MBK mall at National Stadium BTS as well at Panthip Plaza on Petchburi Road, a short taxi ride from MBK. TUK COM is the Pattaya equivalent.

Another option is to rent. There are a few places that will rent you a phone for a time period. I've seen the signs, but don't recall exactly where.

You can also buy a new phone, but I would consider that a waste. I can get a better deal in my home country.

I probably neglected something, but someone in a following post will be along shortly to thrash and abuse me shortly. That's the SGT!

[Diec]

A phone shop is probably the best place to purchase a phone. Be sure to check your plan to find out the price range for texting, or incoming calls, the prices can vary. It may just be cheaper to purchase a phone in LOS than bring your own.

(Beachbore post)

Another thought here, I have a two sim card which I bought in Thailand, I do believe there is a three sim card phone out now in Thailand, they are chinese made, but brilliant for a country hopping gal like myself.

[Beachlover]

You can get multi-sim card phones? I didn't know that.

Hi,

I will stay about 2 weeks in Pattaya/Jomtien in Ocotber 2010 and would like to know how I should organise a Mobile phone (second hand - not new mobile) for my inland thai calls.

1) Should I buy a mobile phone in my homecountry (Switzerland) and buy a SIM-card and a Prepaid-card in Thailand ? By doing so, I might have my motherlanguage (german) on the mobile phone which would be more easy to use it and to register the telephone numbers of the thai-bf(s).

2) Should I buy a mobile phone in Thailand (together with SIM-card and Prepaid-card) - but what would be the language on the mobile phone --> hopefully not thai language ....


As a matter of fact, I will NOT use my Swiss Mobile phone in Thailand as there would be roaming fees involved when doing local calls which would be extremely expensive.

Therefore I wonder what is the best and simplest way to organise a second-hand mobile phone and in case I should buy it in Pattay, where can I get a second-hand mobile phone.

Thanks for any comments and suggestions.
Best regards,
Boy

Get your phone unlocked as already suggested and pop a local sim card in it.

You can set the language on your mobile to whatever you wish, it does not matter what the sim is, although you will find it easier to chat with your new found 'friends' in English.

If you do decide to bring you own phone and it is an iPhone 4 then you may find it difficult to find the mini-sim that the iPhone 4 needs in the usual small outlets like 7-11 and Foodland. You will be better off it you have the iP4 to buy a blank mini-sim in Switzerland and then go into one of the phone shops in either MBK Bangkok, or Tukcom in Pattaya and ask them to activate the card on a local network. You will need to make sure your phone is unlocked though.

I had been made aware of the problem with mini-sims before my visit a couple of weeks ago and got a blank sim for both of my iP4's in Cal. and had them activated on 1-2Call network in Bangkok.

A word of caution: If you have a locked iPhone 4 and get it unlocked the next time you connect it to iTunes it will relock, so don't be tempted to update it through iTunes during your trip.

A phone shop is probably the best place to purchase a phone.

For real? I'd always heard that a pet shop was the best place to purchase a phone. Will wonders never cease!

I think you'd get a good deal in any gogo bar as well!

There's always a great selection of mobiles (2 per boy at least) and for an extra 100B you get to fish it out the boy's knickers.

:hello1:

[Chuai-Duai]

I get a Thai friend to mail me a SIM card which I pop in my mobile when I land so I have it available straight away. They are very cheap and you can buy credit for them at 1,000s of 7/11 stores. As long as your mobile is unlocked it's the easiest and cheapest solution.

[cdnmatt]

As stated, just pickup a 800 baht Nokia at any one of the 20,000 phone stores in Pattaya. Quick and easy.


You can get multi-sim card phones? I didn't know that.

Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen them in Canada, but yeah, they're fairly common in Thailand for some reason. Probably helps people remember which personality they have to be when they answer their phone. :-)

[cdnmatt]

I get a Thai friend to mail me a SIM card which I pop in my mobile when I land so I have it available straight away.

I have to ask... how much does it cost to have a SIM card mailed to you from Thailand?

[Chuai-Duai]

I have to ask... how much does it cost to have a SIM card mailed to you from Thailand?

He pops it in an envelope without its packaging so it's a standard letter. Never checked what that postage is as my friend only ever wants the price of the SIM.

You can get multi-sim card phones? I didn't know that.

Most of the multi-sim phones are made in China, hence, the chinese market, although if you google multi-sim phones, you can buy them over the internet and get them sent to your address wherever you live. My 2 sim card phone is great, I know exactly which sim card is ringing as so to speak - I'm also going to buy the 3 sim card next time, I will have queens ringing me from all parts of the world.

[Beachlover]

You can get multi-sim card phones? I didn't know that.

Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen them in Canada, but yeah, they're fairly common in Thailand for some reason. Probably helps people remember which personality they have to be when they answer their phone. :-)

LOL... Is that saying something about Thailand?

I wonder how these multi-sim card phones work... do they switch seamlessly between sims? Sounds handy.

[cdnmatt]

It says more about Canada than Thailand.

No, it says more about me than Canada. Maybe they have multi-SIM card phones in Canada, fucked if I know. I know I never seen anyone with one.

I've bought one cell in Canada over the past 5 years. Walked in, said I wanted a Blackberry Storm, and 20 mins later walked out. Didn't bother shopping around at all. So maybe Canada does have them. No idea.

You can get multi-sim card phones? I didn't know that.

I will have queens ringing me from all parts of the world.

You should have thought twice before scrawling your phone number on the wall of every gents' toilet you visited around the world.

[cdnmatt]

Sounds like about the same way you choose your "boyfriend".

р╕Вр╕╡р╕нр╕┤р╕Ир╕Йр╕⠖“

[cdnmatt]

LOL...right.

And you spelled it wrong.

Shouldn't criticize me for improper spelling in a language I'm learning, when you can't write properly in your native language.

[allieb]

I get a Thai friend to mail me a SIM card which I pop in my mobile when I land so I have it available straight away. They are very cheap and you can buy credit for them at 1,000s of 7/11 stores. As long as your mobile is unlocked it's the easiest and cheapest solution.

Why bother when 20 minutes after landing you can get a free sim card from several companies in the airport on your way out to the ground transportation. You can also load it far as much as you want

[allieb]

[quote="Oops He Did It Again":mfasboay]LOL...right.

And you spelled it wrong.

Shouldn't criticize me for improper spelling in a language I'm learning, when you can't write properly in your native language.

That is how spelled is spelled where I come from.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spelled[/quote:mfasboay]

And a fanny is an arse where you come from

....And a fanny is an arse where you come from

And the smell from either is equally offensive.

:hello1:

[Beachlover]

[quote="Oops He Did It Again":10e8zz3n]LOL...right.

And you spelled it wrong.

Shouldn't criticize me for improper spelling in a language I'm learning, when you can't write properly in your native language.

That is how spelled is spelled where I come from.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spelled[/quote:10e8zz3n]

You are more Chinese-Singaporean than Chinese-Singaporeans themselves... LOL.