Test & Go: Sim Card in Airport???

[Jacob23]

I am coming on the test and go package tommorow from Canada. 

Is there a way to buy a sim card in the airport before I take the limo service to hotel?

[Slacker77]

yeahh that's my thoughts too after been out of Thailand for 21 months now i think my old sim card is not valid anymore,i will arrive in January 2nd .

Hope someone knows if it's possible 

[M.O.]

I came through BKK yesterday. The booths next to the luggage carousels selling SIM cards like before. 

[Slacker77]

2 minutes ago, M.O. said:

I came through BKK yesterday. The booths next to the luggage carousels selling SIM cards like before. 

Good to hear thanks M.O.

[FTF020]

So can you just 'roam around' the airport freely before getting into your SHA transportation?

 

I'm thinking SIM card, but also money exchange. When i was last there in 2019, the exchange booths down at the Airport Rail Link had the best rates in all of Bangkok. 

[JamesE]

28 minutes ago, FTF020 said:

So can you just 'roam around' the airport freely before getting into your SHA transportation?

I'm thinking SIM card, but also money exchange. When i was last there in 2019, the exchange booths down at the Airport Rail Link had the best rates in all of Bangkok. 

No. You can roam around the baggage area but once you walk through customs you'll be guided directly to your transport. (There might be a way to convince your guide to let you have a short side trip but it won't be to the Rail Link concourse.)

[M.O.]

7 hours ago, JamesE said:

No. You can roam around the baggage area but once you walk through customs you'll be guided directly to your transport. (There might be a way to convince your guide to let you have a short side trip but it won't be to the Rail Link concourse.)

After clearing Customs you walk out and come face to face with a line of hotel representatives. Some hold placards with passenger names (my impression is that these are from higher-end hotels). I had to ask a random rep about who represented my hotel. I didn't see anybody stopping arriving passengers from "wandering around".  Not sure whether that is allowed or not. Say, you need to have a toilet break... no one is going to stop you. 

[FTF020]

Thanks for the answers guys!

I guess I can always take the ARL back up and down the next day if the difference in rates is worth it.

[gazmo16]

On 12/19/2021 at 1:42 AM, FTF020 said:

Thanks for the answers guys!

I guess I can always take the ARL back up and down the next day if the difference in rates is worth it.

Sadly the rates suck everywhere at the moment and many booths outside the tourist areas are still closed. Terminal 21 Mall (Asok) has one but its around 44 Baht to 1GBP as a guide. 

Grab it at the airport if possible but at least hotel prices are down, beer is back on and street food is still cheap so it's not all bad news. 

[astro]

In the luggage area they only sell tourist packages for SIM cards, i.e. one week to four weeks including internet. I used the hotel's wifi and bought an 'ordinary' SIM card as soon as I was cleared (PCR test negative). One needs to stay in the hotel only until the result is in, had a stroll after that came through around 11pm - lots of beer bars around Sukhumvit open. Masks, distancing?

 

...what a joke.

[NCC1701A]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:41 PM, Jacob23 said:

I am coming on the test and go package tommorow from Canada. 

and not a minute too soon. 

[NCC1701A]

26 minutes ago, astro said:

had a stroll after that came through around 11pm - lots of beer bars around Sukhumvit open. Masks, distancing? 

...what a joke.

the joke will be on you in the morning if you try to go anywhere without a mask. 

[astro]

Why would I do that?

[ExpatPattaya]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:41 PM, Jacob23 said:

I am coming on the test and go package tommorow from Canada. 

Is there a way to buy a sim card in the airport before I take the limo service to hotel?

Cool!  I do not think I have ever seen a limo at the BKK airport in the last 24 years.  Seems a bit over the top for one passenger  555

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by ExpatPattaya

[astro]

In my case, the 'limo' turned out to be a minibus shared with two others who booked the same hotel.

Fortunately, we all tested negative.

[Zmicier]

In HKT you can easily buy a sim card before SHA+ transfer but I do not see any sense in it because you can buy esim online.