Question about Thailand - Again - Same Same But Different

[Manji]

Planning to go back to Thailand.
Want to do three things different that I didn't do the first time I went.

Get at least a 90 day Visa. You got to send it to the embassy in Ottawa right? Anybody know the details? How long does it take?

Phones - Want to get a cell phone here and hook it up over there. I think you need a Sim Card phone. Anybody know any good ones? Unfortunatly the phone I have is with Telus and the last time I checked the Telus phones are no good in Thailand.

Third, using debit cards. Used traveller cheques last time but will use debit card this time. Is there any special procedure that I have to do over here to be able to use it in Thailand? Or is it good to go as is?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[zzap]

I’ll give you some advice since I’ve been through every aspect of using a cell phone in Thailand.

Thailand has a very advanced GSM network with 4 different providers supporting even Generation 3 net. The reception and coverage is excellent there. You will need a “tri band GSM world phone� that will work anywhere in the world on all the bands 800/900MHz & 1800/1900MHz

Best advice is once there to buy a SIM from one of the local phone shops in Bangkok. This way you will have a local number and can make and receive local calls .. It's very low cost since your paying Thai rates and everyone has a cell phone there (the Thai Chicks!). People from home can call you too on your local number or at any time you can swap the SIM to your Rogers SIM and use the Roaming feature or service Rogers provides in Thailand. My Rogers SIM was accepted on 2 of the 4 networks there. I didn’t use my Rogers SIM very much there since it would cost me I think it was $3 a minute. But it was nice to know I could if I wanted too. Rogers can also provide you with World Roaming.. meaning if someone called your local Toronto number the call would be routed to your phone in Thailand.

Now for something the Cell Phone companies like Rogers don’t want you to know or do. I was just saying you should buy a local Thai SIM. Rogers may not like this idea and may have LOCKED your phone to use only there SIM. This is known as a provider SIM lock. If they did lock your phone it will not accept any other SIM’s. I use to have a Fido phone and they told me I could use it there however it was SIM locked! I cancelled Fido after they lied to me about this and went to Rogers however Rogers told me they too SIM lock there phones until your contracts up. So I bought a new but a bit of an older model GSM tri band Cell phone on the net from
http://www.cellularking.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ERICR520&Category_Code=SE
Nice thing too about this phone was the price. It worked great there and was not SIM locked at anyone. I was free to use any SIM with it and being so low cost I could afford to lose it… trust me you don’t wan to bring an $800 fancy phone there. Bring a basic but good phone.. I bought 2 of these and kept one as a spare.

As for the Visa I know you can get a 60 day tourist... 90 days can be tricky since you have to do it from when your there.
"Tourist Visas: Issued for up to 60 days stay in Thailand. Another 30 days may be granted under consideration of the Immigration Bureau, Soi Suanplu, South Sathorn Rd., Bkk"

here is a link to the Royal Thai Embassy, Ottawa, Canada
love the exploding bomb on there front page! ???
http://www.magma.ca/~thaiott/mainpage.htm

Visa info: http://www.magma.ca/~thaiott/visa3.htm

What ever you do don't overstay your Visa!!!
You could be arrested and deported...
Thai jails are not a nice place

 

[Manji]

Thanks zzap

Was thinking about buying a phone over there but I didn't know how much they cost. I asked a Thai girl I hung out with how much a cell phone costs and she gave me this ridiculous price (like 200 bucks for a peice of shit cell phone) but then again she is a Thai girl; so who knows if she knew what she was talking about!?!?

Yeah, I knew a lot of foreigners from Europe who brought their phones and used it in Thailand without any problem.
So I knew that there were phones from outside of Thailand that could be used in Thailand.

As for overstaying, yeah, last time I had to go to Burma every thirty days. Was a huge pain in the ass and I got sick the last time I went. Want to try to avoid the Burma run as much as possible.
If you miss a day, its 200 baht a day and the fine runs about to 40,000 baht if you don't bother with renewing your Visa.

 

[zzap]

The phones they sell there will most likely not work here. There phones lack the 1900MHz band used only here in Canada and the USA.

I made the mistake on my first trip… remember I said I had a Fido phone with me. Well when it didn’t work there some Thai Dude in a phone shop “fixed� it for me… he cloned my Fido phone’s software to one he had in his shop. My Fido phone became a Thaicom phone and I was so damn happy that it was working in Thailand with a local number however when I came back to Toronto it no longer worked “No Network found� I took it into Fido for service and they asked me what I did to it. I told them and they said “The phones internal serial numbers been altered and that illegal and we can’t help you anymore� So that was the end of dealing with Fido for me! So best buy a unlocked legal phone here and use it there and here for that matter.

 

[Manji]

Do you know what the cost of a cell phone is there?

I wasn't planning to use my Thai phone here in Canada anyways. Got a decent cellphone with Telus and I don't really plan to switch companies.

 

[zzap]

I bought a $40 SIM there and it lasted me the full week I was there. There billing is different there.. I don't think you pay for incoming calls... only outgoing and this saves you alot since the girls are the ones calling you all the time. I have no idea how much time I had left, all I know is it was still working.

 

[zzap]

If you do buy a phone there you will be blown away by all the different models they have on display. I never seen so many in my life… our shops have maybe 20 models, they have like 300! this is the Hart of Asia and electronics galore. Be sure to check out Pantip Plaza for electronics and bootleg software!

 

[Manji]

Chances are that I'm going to buy the phone in Chiang Mai, not a big fan of Bangkok.
If I go to Bangkok it will be a lot later in my stay at Thailand. Got a catch a least one fight at Lumpinee.

 

[Manji]

beefy, you bastard!!

Do a search, I'm pretty sure that there was already a thread about that topic. I know that there are plenty of brothels over there, in Tokyo and especially in Yokohama.

Now get the hell out of my thread or I'm gonna kick your ass!!!!

 

[Raven_x]

for phones you can check out this site www.gsmarena.com

Sony ericsson is a good phone, i would recommand you to get K700i.

 

[zzap]

Howards a local dude who's got a great site dealing with everything to do with cell phones, etc... Even how to hack them, unlock them, and do other cool stuff.

http://www.howardforums.com

 

[goodtime]

the place i want to go is Japan. any one had great sp experience in Japan? sry for hijacking your thread Manji

Beefy, you drove me our of my solitude. Better start pulling those loonies out of your ass, buddy. Here I was expecting you and ProjectCafe to take care my fav in my absent, u plan to sneak off to land of the rising sun. You better go see her asap and redeem yourself. You lazy bastard, do a search. Check out the "love hotels" in Tokyo while you are there. I never had the pleasure, heard so much about it.

Manji, keep an eye on beefy, this boy studies too much, likes to take short cuts. Debit wasn't popular during my last Thai '02 visit but ATM cards and credit cards worked great. Just make sure the machines have Plus or Cirrus symbol so they don't eat your card. I considered a Thai trip few months ago, Fido promised their World phones roam there but too many local calls can add up $. I read in TorStar Travel section mentioned world cell rental for travelling but it's not cheap. Phuket is my fav for beaches. Hm, may be travel will help clear my head, if only I can bring... Have fun in Thailand.

Now back to my break...

 

[Manji]

Beefy, you drove me our of my solitude.

??????
goodtime, are you taking English lessons from beefy!?!?
Thanks for the info guys.

 

[goodtime]

??????
goodtime, are you taking English lessons from beefy!?!?
Thanks for the info guys.

Manji, respect my boy. Ease up on Beefy the young cannon, as he will be on good behavior (after S9 visit), just needs occassional guidance. I learn a long time ago, not to judge others of their communication skills but for their ideas. Besides, slangish is young and evolving. Now, go for some sessions.

Beefy4me, have fun. I thought we weren't going to talk about mileage. Remember its ymmv...

Out of Solitude? Where was solitude again? Does it exist? Have to mull this one over.

 

[flyingdgn]

DO NOT USE YOUR CREDIT CARD! My buddy had used his credit card overseas where they wrote the numbers a bit messy and overcharged him at the bar. The credit card office said that this is a common practice and they they would flag the establishment but couldn't do anything since they had a signed paper with the questionable number. He was out an extra $600.

Use traveller's checks. Your debit cards work overseas as well. (most of the time) and use your credit card with reputable business only!.

Good to see your name again Goodtime. You might be able to take a break from hobbying, but it's tough to take a break from TERB.