In Thailand: get an eSIM before you go.
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An eSIM is the better choice for Thailand. Thailand is very tourist-friendly for connectivity — AIS and dtac sell tourist SIMs at the airport with no passport registration hassle, and eSIM coverage is excellent too.
No — Thailand doesn't require passport/ID registration to get connected.
Buy your eSIM online before you fly (Airalo and similar marketplaces cover Thailand) and install the profile while you still have WiFi — it activates the moment you land.
Only if you're fine paying your home carrier's international roaming rates — check your plan first, since those can add up fast compared to a local SIM or eSIM.
Airport SIM booths and roaming plans are the expensive way to get online. A Saily eSIM (by the team behind NordVPN) installs on your phone before you fly, activates automatically when you land in Thailand, and gives you prepaid data at local prices in 190+ countries — no physical SIM, no contract, no surprise bill.
See Saily data plans for Thailand →Disclosure: if you buy through this link, TravelSmarter may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It keeps our tools free.