You can buy a tourist SIM card in Thailand at carrier counters in the arrival areas of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports. But you need your original passport, and since 18 August 2025 every new SIM in Thailand must be registered with a live face check (liveness detection). Tourist SIMs are also capped at 60 days, and there is a limit on how many one person can buy from each brand. This guide uses information from the Thai government's public relations department and from AIS, True and dtac to set out the rules and the places to buy before you land.
If you would rather skip the airport queue and have data the moment you land, you can set up a Thailand eSIM before you leave home. Coral eSIM's Thailand plans let you pick a data allowance to match the length of your stay.
A Thailand SIM card now requires your original passport and a face check
In Thailand, even a prepaid SIM must be registered to its user by law. The regulator, the NBTC (National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission), has tightened identity checks in stages. Three points matter for travellers.
Face verification for all new SIMs from 18 August 2025
According to Thailand's Government Public Relations Department (PRD), the NBTC made liveness detection mandatory nationwide from 18 August 2025 for everyone taking out a new SIM, prepaid or postpaid, and anyone replacing a SIM while keeping their number. Unlike the old method of simply taking a photo, you blink or hold still in front of a camera so the system can confirm you are a real person rather than a photo or video.
Non-Thai nationals register with an original passport. Registration is done in carrier apps, at service centres or at authorised dealers. Assume that a photocopy or a photo of your passport on your phone will not be accepted.
Tourist SIMs last 60 days at most
In February 2026, the PRD's radio service reported that tourist SIMs are limited to 60 days of use, a measure to stop criminal groups from misusing them. The carriers apply the same rule: True and dtac's terms state that a tourist SIM's validity must not exceed 60 days. AIS tells foreign tourists who want to keep using a tourist SIM beyond 60 days from activation to reconfirm their identity, either by texting their passport number or at an AIS shop.
There is a limit on how many SIMs you can buy
Under True and dtac's terms, tourist SIMs are limited to three per person per brand. One person cannot buy SIMs for the whole family on a single passport, so each user needs to bring their own passport to the counter. The PRD has also reported a rule requiring parental consent for SIM registration by anyone under 18, but we could not confirm from official sources whether it applies the same way to foreign visitors. If you are buying for a child, a parent should be present.
Where to buy a Thailand SIM card: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and the city
Suvarnabhumi Airport: counters in the baggage claim hall
AIS's official site lists tourist SIM counters at Suvarnabhumi in more than a dozen spots around the 2nd-floor baggage claim belts, near the visa-on-arrival counter, in several concourses and on the 4th-floor domestic level. The baggage claim hall is before customs, so you can register while you wait for your luggage. True and dtac say their airport shops sell tourist SIMs 24 hours a day.
Don Mueang and regional airports
AIS also lists counters at Don Mueang and at Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Samui, Hat Yai and Phuket airports. If you arrive at Don Mueang on a low-cost carrier, you can still buy a SIM at the airport. The exact location is described inconsistently in official sources, so follow the signs when you arrive.
Carrier shops and convenience stores in the city
If you miss the airport counters, you can buy from carrier shops. True and dtac list their airport shops, shops near BTS and MRT stations, and convenience stores such as 7-Eleven as places to buy tourist SIMs. Wherever you buy, registration with your original passport is still required.
Thailand SIM card brands: AIS, True and dtac
The main brands selling tourist SIMs are AIS, True and dtac. However, True and dtac merged into a single company, True Corporation, on 1 March 2023. The same company now sells tourist SIMs under both the True and dtac brands, with shared terms and conditions.
- AIS: sells tourist SIMs and a tourist eSIM, with many airport counters
- True: a True Corporation brand, sold at airport shops, carrier shops, convenience stores and online
- dtac: also a True Corporation brand, sold at airport shops and convenience stores, with a tourist eSIM too
All three offer unlimited-data and fixed-day plans. For signal strength and 5G coverage, see Wi-Fi and mobile coverage in Thailand.
What you cannot do with a Thailand tourist SIM card
Check the restrictions in the terms before you buy. True and dtac's terms set out the following.
- Phones only: using the SIM in routers, SIM boxes or any non-handset device is prohibited. You cannot put it in a pocket Wi-Fi to share with your group
- Data-only SIMs cannot make calls: data-only versions disable outgoing calls and outgoing SMS. Incoming calls and SMS still work
- No top-up after expiry: once validity ends, you must reconfirm your identity with your passport at a shop or through the call centre
- Thailand only: benefits apply inside Thailand, and international roaming is not included
If your trip continues to neighbouring countries, the local SIM stops being useful once you leave Thailand.
Carrier tourist eSIMs as an alternative
AIS, True and dtac also sell their tourist plans as an eSIM. AIS has a dedicated purchase page, while True and dtac sell through their own online store and partner websites. With an eSIM there is no card to swap, and you do not need to remove and store your home SIM.
However, we could not confirm from official sources how identity verification works for tourist eSIMs bought online. The 60-day cap and the three-per-brand limit fall under the same terms as the physical SIM. The difference from a travel eSIM bought at home is whether you can finish setup before you leave.
What to check before buying a SIM card at a Thai airport
- Is your phone unlocked? A carrier-locked phone cannot use a local SIM (how to check if your phone is unlocked)
- Is your original passport to hand? Registration requires the original, together with the face check
- What will you do with your home SIM? If you swap cards, keep your home SIM somewhere safe. If you want to keep receiving texts on your home number, set up two SIMs side by side (dual SIM setup for travel)
- Have you done everything that needs data before arrival? Thailand requires the TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) before entry, and you may need a connection before you reach the counter (Thailand travel preparation guide)
To avoid these steps at the airport, set up Coral eSIM's Thailand plan before departure, and your data connects as soon as you turn off airplane mode.
Choosing between a Thailand SIM card and an eSIM set up at home
A local SIM suits people who need a Thai phone number, or who are staying for close to 60 days and have time to register at the airport counter. You use the local carrier's network directly, and some plans include domestic calls.
An eSIM set up at home suits people who want ride-hailing apps and hotel contact working right after landing, who do not want to swap SIM cards, or who are travelling with children and do not want to spend time registering every family member. For a comparison of airport SIMs and eSIMs, see airport SIM or eSIM: which is better?, and for using an eSIM in Thailand, see the complete guide to eSIMs for Thailand.
Thailand SIM card: frequently asked questions
Can I buy a SIM card in Thailand with a copy of my passport?
No. Non-Thai nationals must register with their original passport, and since 18 August 2025 a live face check (liveness detection) is also mandatory for new SIMs. Bring your passport to the counter.
Where can I buy a SIM card at Suvarnabhumi Airport?
AIS lists counters at more than a dozen spots in the 2nd-floor baggage claim hall, among other places. You can buy before customs, while waiting for your bags. True and dtac say their airport shops sell tourist SIMs 24 hours a day.
How long can I use a Thailand tourist SIM?
Up to 60 days. The Thai government limits tourist SIMs to 60 days, and True and dtac's terms say validity must not exceed 60 days. After expiry you cannot extend by topping up; you must reconfirm your identity with your passport.
Can I use a Thai SIM card in a pocket Wi-Fi?
Under True and dtac's terms, tourist SIMs are for phones only, and use in routers or other non-handset devices is prohibited. To share a connection, each person can get their own SIM or eSIM, or you can use your phone's hotspot.
Can I buy SIM cards for my whole family at once?
True and dtac limit tourist SIMs to three per person per brand, and each SIM is registered with the user's own passport. Each family member needs to bring their passport and register at the counter.
Choose a Thailand SIM card with the registration hassle in mind
A Thai local SIM has gone from something you grab at the airport to something you register with your original passport and a face check. Tourist SIMs are also limited to 60 days, three per brand, and phones only. If you need a Thai number and have time at the airport, get a local SIM; if you want data from the moment you land, set up an eSIM at home. With that rule in mind, there is nothing to figure out at the airport.
See Coral eSIM's Thailand plans for Thailand, or all plans for other countries.
