OK, please reply to me like I'm an idiot.
This subject is not an original one, though I cannot recall this particular question being asked.

In the spirit of The Fourty Year Old Virgin (which I watched last night: just OK, nothing great, some very funny moments, stay away if waxing hair makes you squeemish) ... a confession ... I've never had a mobile phone.

I've never wanted one.
I disdain dudes who wip it out in coffee shops and restaurants. I think there's seldom anything as rude as a person who takes calls in the middle of an in-person conversation ~ even if it's about nothing.

But I'll be getting one when in Thailand long term, at least for a test run for cost. If I can stay away from regular utility applications and associated monthly bills in so far as it it makes sense I will. Using a mobile phone as my "regular" phone would just be an experiment. If it becomes wildly expensive I'll go the home connection route.

So .. about these SIM cards. Aproximately how long (i.e. how many minutes I guess is the question) would ~ for instance ~ a 500 baht SIM card last (1) for local calls, (2) LD calls within Thailand, (3) LD overseas calls to ~ or instance ~ Canada?

Cheers ...