Living in Thailand
Opening a Thai Bank Account
3 min read
Task
Get a Thai SIM
Register a prepaid or postpaid SIM with a passport; tourist SIMs are time-limited.
· checked against official sources below
Who this is for
Anyone who needs a Thai number for banking OTPs, Grab, or immigration e-services.
Overview
SIM registration is mandatory under Thai telecom law. Airport kiosks sell short tourist packs; a longer prepaid or postpaid line usually needs a shop visit with your passport. Banks and some government e-services reject VoIP numbers. Keep the SIM registered to your own passport if you will use it for OTPs — borrowing a friend’s line breaks KYC when you open a bank account. Major carriers (AIS, True, dtac) have branded shops; convenience-store top-ups do not replace registration.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist SIM (airport) | 299–899 THB | Prepaid pack with data; validity varies |
| Shop-registered prepaid | 0–300 THB | SIM card price; top up separately |
How to do it
- 1
Decide tourist pack versus a shop-registered line
Tourist SIMs expire. If you will open a bank account, get a proper prepaid registration in a branded shop. - 2
Register with your passport
Do not borrow someone else’s SIM for banking. OTP and KYC checks are tied to the registered holder.
Documents
- Passport (original)
- Thai address if requested for postpaid plans
