Phuket eSIM
In Phuket you connect to AIS or TrueMove, whichever is performing better where you are standing. The typical speed across the country is 52 Mbps. Your data starts working the moment you land, before you reach the immigration hall.
- Networks
- AIS and TrueMove
- Typical speed in Thailand
- 52 Mbps typical, 14 Mbps at busy times
- 5G
- yes, non standalone
- Throttle
- None on metered plans
- Tethering
- Allowed on every plan
Plans that cover Phuket
| Data | Validity | Price per GB | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | Never expires | $5.89 | $5.89 | |
| 3 GB | Never expires | $2.96 | $8.89 | |
| 5 GBMost travellers | Never expires | $2.18 | $10.89 | |
| 10 GB | Never expires | $1.59 | $15.89 | |
| 50 GB | Never expires | $0.46 | $22.89 |
How Thailand compares across Asia
- Regional typical speed
- 42.95 Mbps
- Upstream networks
- 2, AIS, TrueMove
- 5G
- Yes, non standalone
- Next fastest nearby
- Vietnam, 56 Mbps
- Next slowest nearby
- Kazakhstan, 51 Mbps
- Cities with their own page
- 5: Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Pattaya
Landing at Phuket International Airport (HKT)
- Airport
- HKT / VTSP
- Distance
- 32 km from the centre of Phuket
- Wifi on arrival
- Free wifi in the terminalAOT's Phuket airport site says to pick the SSID AOT Airport Free Wi-Fi by NT, enter an email address and tick Accept Terms and Conditions. No phone number is asked for. Sixty minutes free.
Getting into Phuket
- Road transfer south to Phuket Town and the west-coast beaches (HKT)
- Phuket Smart Bus, airport to Patong, Karon, Kata and Rawai (HKT)
Worth knowing about Phuket
- Phuket's airport is at the far north of the island, 32 km from Phuket Town, so the transfer to the main beach areas is a long road journey rather than a short hop.
- The airport uses Terminal 2 for international flights, Terminal 3 for domestic and Terminal X for charters, so a domestic connection means moving between buildings.
- Phuket is Thailand's third-busiest airport, expanded in 2016 from 6.5 million to 20 million passengers a year, so arrivals halls are heavily loaded in season.
- AOT has also introduced a network called AOT Sawasdee Highspeed WiFi by NT at six airports including Phuket, giving up to three hours after registering an email through the Sawasdee by AOT app.
- Phuket Smart Bus lets you tap any contactless Visa, Mastercard or JCB card on board and states plainly that no app is needed.
- The alternative on Phuket Smart Bus is to scan the on-board QR code with a Thai banking app, which a visitor without a Thai bank cannot normally do, so bring a contactless card or cash.
- The Phuket Smart Bus fare from the airport down the west coast to Patong and Rawai is a flat 100 baht, and children under six ride free with a paying adult.
- The Phuket Smart Bus route from the airport runs south through South Airport, Patong, Karon and Kata to Rawai.
- AOT lists the airport bus to Phuket Town running 08.15 to 20.15 from the airport and 09.15 to 21.15 back, so a late arrival will need a taxi or van instead.
- AOT lists a separate Airport Bus Express to Patong Beach running 08.00 to 20.00 from the airport, via Fort Muang Mai, Thalang and Boat Lagoon.
- True says a Thai tourist SIM must be registered with a valid passport under NBTC regulations, and that airport service centres are open 24 hours.
- A Thai tourist SIM must follow the validity printed on the pack and cannot exceed 60 days. Validity cannot be extended by topping up after expiry, so a longer stay means registering again.
- Phuket has no direct rail link. The nearest train stations are at Surat Thani and Khiri Rat Nikhom, roughly 230 km away, so every arrival is by air, road or sea.
- Phuket island is joined to the mainland by the Sarasin Bridge to Phang Nga province in the north, close to the airport end of the island.
- The Phuket Smart Bus picks up at the Domestic Terminal, close to the arrivals exit, and on its way south it also stops at Surin Beach, Kamala Beach and Big C Kamala before reaching Patong.
- Going back to the airport, the Airport Bus Express leaves Patong Beach between 06.00 and 18.30, so anyone catching an evening flight from Patong will need a taxi or van.
- Public passenger vans from Phuket airport skip the minor stops and call only at the main beaches, Patong, Kata and Karon, which suits solo travellers heading straight to a west coast hotel.
Sources for this page
Other cities in Thailand we cover
- Krabi
- 64 km from Phuket, nearest airport KBV
- Pattaya
- 619 km from Phuket, nearest airport UTP
- Bangkok
- 686 km from Phuket, nearest airport DMK
- Chiang Mai
- 1207 km from Phuket, nearest airport CNX