Whenever I fly to Bangkok or Thailand, I will definitely purchase their prepaid SIM Card when I touch down. The card will either be from True, AIS or dtac. It costs just 299 baht (S$12), which is much cheaper than roaming charges or the package of unlimited data at S$15 per day introduced by Singapore telcos recently.
Buy from Thailand or Singapore?
Singaporeans, be glad to know that you can get AIS Prepaid SIM Card from Changi Recommends! In fact, I prefer getting it in Singapore because I do not need to join the long queues especially at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. After landing, I can be connected once again even before clearing the immigration.
Prepaid SIM Card or Overseas WIFI Router?
As to which to get, it really depends on your usage.
The prepaid SIM card comes with Unlimited Data (1.5GB of max speed but drops to 64 Kbps after usage of 1.5GB of data) and Free 100 Baht Credit to make calls.
AIS Prepaid SIM Card from ChangiRecommends – S$13
Update: You will need to press *120 to activate without having to head over to AIS counters. This is part of the new regulation change in Thailand which requires this additional step.
My take: For me I definitely will get a SIM card because I want to have the convenience of making calls in case I need to call some local shops to check if they are open. But I must say that the data provided is definitely not sufficient for me especially when I’m always online on the go! When it drops to speed of 64 Kbps, I can’t even load my instagram properly! The only way to get around this was to buy another SIM card for the remaining of my trip.
After reading my story, the introduction of WIFI Router by ChangiRecommends is definitely a good thing for me, simply because:
- I can be connected anytime, anywhere even though my cellphone network is weak
- I don’t want to rely on free WIFI hotspot or hotel’s WIFI
- I can connect more devices together (up to 8 devices simultaneously)
- I pay just the daily rental fee (S$12) which is not dependent on how much data I use
Renting the WIFI Router is easy. Just make the reservation at least 3 days in advance. They have 24/7 booth located in all three terminals so you just have to drop by the booth to collect the router before you enter the departure gate.
Use without any worries and pay only when you return back to Singapore. The rental fee for the first day is waived! For Thailand, it costs S$12 per day and other country ranges from S$5 to S$20.
How to use the WIFI router?
- Turn on the WIFI switch on the router
- Turn on WIFI connection on your mobile phone.
- Connect to the SSID and password as shown on the router
- That’s it! You are ready to use.
| Prepaid SIM Card | Overseas WIFI Router |
|---|---|
| Personal Use | Group Usage (connects up to 8 devices) |
| Low usage of social media (Facebook & Instagram) | High usage of social media (Facebook & Instagram) |
| If you snapchat all the time, you definitely need this. |
Simply put, if you need to connect many devices (especially when you travel with a group of friends) or you need to be always connected with unlimited data, the WIFI Router is for you. Otherwise, the Prepaid SIM Card will be sufficient for your personal usage.
For myself, I definitely need both the Prepaid SIM Card and Overseas WIFI Router! :)
Check out Changi Recommends website for more details on the Prepaid SIM, overseas WIFI Router as well as location of the booths.
