Getting connected
Thailand is fairly up-to-date with telecomms technology, making it easy for visitors and long term residents to stay connected, either by phone, handheld device or wireless and cable broadband. The ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was a telecomms tycoon and there are four major companies locally developing networks.
You can find wireless broadband offered in most good hotels, and offered free or for a reasonable hourly fee (sometime free with a purchase) in coffeeshops and some of the other social venues, so it is worth bringing your notebook along. Cyberpoint is one of several broadband suppliers managing wireless in numerous hotels and guesthouses. Access cards are sold at receptions (100 baht for 60 minutes), and you can take the remaining minutes with you as you move on to another partner hotel.
You can also easily pick up a phone sim card, including those that connect to the internet using GPRS technology. Wi-Max or 3G is unlikely to be introduced until late 2010. Unfortunately however, the broadband services are oversubscribed and unreliably maintained so you might have to be patient with speeds and ‘up time’. It depends entirely on the area you are staying in. Some of the remoter spots do not yet have broadband offered.
There are internet cafés everywhere and it's easy and practical to even pick up your own SIM card (and phone) while here. If you have your own computer and a phone line in your apartment, you can be online minutes after picking up a pre-paid ISP card from convenience or computer stores.
Long stay resident can arrange broadband monthly subscription on most densely populated areas of Phuket provided there is –pre-existing phone line. Usually only one company will be available to choose from, and packages are about 1000 baht per month for 1mb speeds, although this is not guaranteed and can be slow in the afternoons and evenings.
Mobile phones in Thailand
Thailand has an obsession with mobile phones, and to almost all urban Thai people, their phone is an important status symbol and essential accessory. Many foreigners come here to escape and opt not to carry a phone. But getting one is easy, they are cheap and pre-paid cards are widely available, meaning you can get connected in less than an hour of shopping.
Even short-term visitors find it practical to buy a SIM card and slip it into their existing phone, making it convenient for making bookings and enquiries while travelling in Thailand. A mobile phone is also useful for contacting other travellers and SMSing home to let your mum know you're still alive. For 1000 baht you can get the card for free and airtime equal to the value of your purchase.
Phones are found everywhere and a compact, reliable phone can be had for as little as 2000 baht, even end of line brands such as Nokia, Siemens and Motorola are no more than 3000 baht. Since they are manufactured in Asia, even the most sophisticated models with Bluetooth, are widely available at numerous shops all over the city, probably cheaper than your home country. There is also a thriving second-hand phone market. Calls cost about 5 to 10 baht a minute, depending on your plan.
