Thai Sim Cards - Extending Expiry Date ~ LB-69

Having let my Thai Sim Card and consequently my Thai phone number expire a few times over the years, I was keen to establish the best way to extend it without having to put endless amounts of credit on the phone via re-charge cards.

Whilst at MBK centre this morning, I spoke to one of the phone shops, and was told that I could pay a fee to have it extended to avoid this problem in the future. For the equivalent of 2 Baht/day, I paid 600 Baht giving me another 300 days (10 months) before the number expires.

Was anyone else familiar with this option ?

Seems to have solved my problem anyway.

Cheers
Koykaeng

Ladyboy Guru Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 1846 Points: 4255

Koykaeng, was really good to meet you last night along with Snick (not sure what name he uses on this forum).

Thanks for the tip - I was also thinking about that, but since my trips are just about 4 months apart, I just usually buy more credit to cover the time until I am back in the LOS.

Are you using a SIM that will allow you to check the expiry date? That way you can verify if you actually did get 300 more days before it expires. I use the TRUE service, and #123# gives me the remaining credit and expiry of my SIM.

Hi rxpharm,

Likewise was nice meeting you and putting a face to the name.

I am using the "One Two Call" service, and similarly can check my balance and expiry date by using "*121#".

Cheers
Koykaeng

Ladyboy Guru Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 1846 Points: 4255

Was at MBK today, checking into the option of extending the SIM card expiry - Koykaeng, you struck a bargain! 600 Baht for 10 months is cheap, as I was quoted 300 Baht for 40 days. The shop I went to is called Connex on the 4th floor of MBK where all the mobile shops are. I may go back again and look around some more. At that rate, it is just as good to just load up on credit. If I manage to find the same rate you paid, I will post an update to this.

Never have I had a problem with my SIM card expiring while not in Thailand, indeed my Thai phone contines to receive calls & SMS's even while I am in the UK providing of course that it retains credit.

Ladyboy Guru Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 1846 Points: 4255

Pentire, that is interesting news! The situation I have with my True sim card is that it will expire Jan 10/08 - I still have 600 Baht credit on it. My next visit to LOS will be April 22 or so.

If you're right, then there is no need for me to buy credit to extend until my April trip and the number should still be working on my return.

Ladyboy Expert Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 827 Points: 48

had same issue..

when i recharged my DTAC mobile in 7eleven by buying a 100 bath card, I ve got only 7 days (!) left until money expires (note: my number not expires, only money)

so I went to TUK COM, they called the number 1678 and then when the automatic machine speaking thai, press 0, then u got a personal assistance, and u can extend expire date for another 180 days... DTAC charges u 12 bath each 180 days, so u can extend 1 year by means of 24 bath and so on...

By the way they also told me the rates for DTAC:
First minute 2 bath, the following minutes each 0,5 bath..

Ladyboy God Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 5448 Points: 12902

I left my 12call sim with 120bht on it last Feb and just forgot about it.

Bought a new sim assuming it had expired, but when I loaded it up last week to get a number from the old sim it still worked and had enough money on it to send to sms.

A couple of other lads here have told me they just load up their sim with 500+ bht for any long period they will be away from LOS and so much is deducted every month they are away. On return when they add credit to their sim all the previous credit taken is given back.

Typical for Thailand, advice and information on when Sim card expire is mixed, unclear and confusing. Personally I like to have a new sim for every trip anyway, it always nice to start fresh and not have to worry about those skeletons calling form the closet.

i use 12call and every time i top up with 300bht card get another month added to expiry date...i find it does not take long to get 12 months ahead ........had the same number for years (sometimes good sometimes not so good)....cheers donnykey

Ladyboy Guru Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 1846 Points: 4255

Policy seems to vary from one company to another. Went back to MBK today, but this time I visited the True shop. They told me there is a plan that has a long expiry date (every 90 days), and I had to select it by calling 9305, called "Chai Yo". It costs 33 baht to switch, and the calling rate is 2 Baht per minute.

Anyway, will see how this works. Hopefully I will be covered now until my April return.

I also use Thai 12call and although my balance has also stated an expiry date I've found that it's only any outstanding unused credit that expires, not the number itself.

I have returned several times and topped-up an 'expired/empty' SIM and it's come back to life with a new expiry date and my new credit added to the original phone number.

I've stopped doing B300 top-ups now due to the losses on expiry, a few repeat B100's is usually enough, as and when required.

is there any "better" operator out of thai ones ???
i use TRUE, but had problems at some islands, while my friend had DTAC and had no problems at all...
at the same time, while last days in phuket, i suddenly received some strange thai sms and from that time i could not send sms abroad, although could receive local as well as from abroad... i ensure i had enough credit on... could this have been just some temporary mistake of operator?
so alll n all, would u recommend any specific operator, or is it all the same like anywhere in the world?
thanx for any helpful info...

Guest

DELETED

Although I have zero problems with 12call, there is something that really niggles me about it.

I keep getting those f*cking adverts coming through and most of the time they're unreadable cos my phone doesn't handle thai text, not that I'd understand it even if I could see it.

I know it only takes a button press to get rid of them, but they use my battery up at a faster rate as the light stays on until I've ackowledged the text

Hardly the end of the world, but Cry

Is there a way to 'un-subscribe' to this?
- Guess just take it to a phone shop and ask them, but always had other things on my mind when I've been in LOS.

Ladyboy God Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 5448 Points: 12902

12call are the worst for Spam but yes there is a way to cancel them.

Unfortunately I don't remember the number, but most Thais will know it if you ask them - and it's best you ask them to do it for you.

Basically they call a number and have to listen to a 15 min message (I think it's actually a free toll) and then at the end they have to select a series of options and all spam is cancelled.

It's bizarre process but after a couple of days (not immediately Cry

) all spam messages stop.