Thai Technology
I have a lot to say on this after living there and getting shocked every time I plugged something in, but I’ll stick to what you need to know. Thailand does not have the same building codes we take for granted in most of America, nor do they have access to the same materials. So. Blackouts happen in storms, regularly. Repairs are slow. Plumbing is illogical, if not wholly defiant of the laws of physics. But there’s some good stuff, too. Some great stuff, actually! I kind of nerd out about technology so excuse my digressions.
Cell Phones
Your phone needs to be unlocked in order to take a foreign sim card. If you’re one of the people paying a monthly fee for your shiny new phone, your phone is probably locked – meaning the cell company has a hold on you and your phone until the phone is paid off. Here’s how to find out if your phone in unlocked for iPhones and Android. When I chose a new phone, I went with the Sony Xperia X Compact for several reasons – I paid for it all upfront through Amazon at a reasonable $300 including a great camera, it’s Pocket hand-size, it’s unlocked and I’ve had sim cards in America, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, AND I can drop it in buckets of water without damage, which was super important in Thai bathrooms! I upgraded to the XZ1 Compact last January, still in love, especially with the super wide selfie angle. I digress….
If you have a cell phone that takes foreign sim cards, cool. 7 Eleven should be able to hook you up with a pre-paid sim card plan for under 1000 baht. If not, don’t worry! This should not be an expensive ordeal. There are 1-2 week traveler plans that are incredibly affordable – you can check out the cell provider I used while I was there online before you go, TrueMove. If you peek at the regular plans, you’ll see very little talk and text, it’s all data!
If you insist on having a cell phone while abroad, check out the “disposable” phones at your carrier or any big box store. Look for “no contract” and “pre-paid” phones. I had, still have, a $30 Android smart phone (ZTE Maven) I bought on a break at work when my iPhone died. It was fine for a full year and contract free. The camera was okay, not awesome, but I’d go this route again in a pinch. Now the phone acts as my iPod, since Apple and I broke up. Long story for another time…
Pro tip: Download area maps ahead of time using Google Maps or Maps.ME apps. Or take screenshots of maps and save to your photo gallery. Worse case scenario, your phone can act as a camera and and digital file folder for important docs and information. Snap that passport and visa entry stamp!
Texting in Thailand is relatively expensive at 5 baht per text so most Thais use free messaging apps like Line, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. These are all great ways to keep in touch with your traveling companions while you’re there, with new friends, and with people back home. All of these work on wifi of course so there’s the challenge of getting messages when you’re not around wifi. Remember to plan ahead with your traveling buddies and setup a wifi-friendly meeting spot, just in case. Take it as part of vacation and enjoy the disconnect!
Social Media
If you do want new Thai friends on Facebook or Instagram, make sure strangers can add you because you won’t have friends in common! Their name may or may not be in English and they won’t be able to type their name on your keyboard unless you have the Thai language keyboard enabled (or Russian or German…yay fellow traveler friends!). So they’ll have to find you! Change your profile to public for your visit.
Wifi
Because of allllll that, wifi is everywhere and free. Not open, but free. Look at the menu in the restaurant for the wifi password, also sometimes found on the napkin holder or somewhere else sneaky on the table or menu. Or ask, “Wifi?” A lot of times, they may ask for your phone to enter the password because they don’t know how to say it, or they’ll say “one-to-nine” which means you enter “123456789” as the password, not “129.”
Power
Technically, you don’t need any sort of adapter or converter if you’re traveling from the US to Thailand.
Technically.
The difference in the outlets is the voltage, not the prong size, shape, or layout. Most of their prongs are flat and the same size, versus US prongs where the left is slightly larger than the right. I’m actually still using a dual usb wall charger I bought in Thailand. Just like in the US, not all outlets or cords will have that third prong. If you leave your cords on the plane, you can easily purchase a usb-to-wall plug at 7 Eleven for things like your phone and tablet, as well as replacement USB cords for common USB types.
You don’t really need a voltage converter unless you are bringing a heavy-duty power-sucking appliance like a hairdryer or microwave. Avoid the appliances that have the safety pop button on the plug as that usually indicates a power-sucker. And I recommend you skip those anyway. Your laptop is fine without a converter. Your phone, tablet, camera batteries, rechargeable vibrator – should be fine without converters.
“Should be,” scary right? American appliances run on half the voltage of Thailand and other places. So when you plug something in over there, it will be getting twice the juice, which could fry your electronics. This is where it gets nerdy. You need to check if the appliances you bring are dual voltage or can run on 220 volts.
How to check voltage
Look on the plugs you’re bringing for the voltage information. In the photo above, the top, smaller plug is my dual USB charger from Thailand. The second line says, “100V-240V ~50/60Hz.” That is dual voltage, safe for 110V in America and 220V outlets in Thailand. The second plug is for my MacBook. Here you can see in English, “Input: 100-240V~ 1.5A 50-60Hz.” Also dual voltage, safe for 110V in America and 220V in Thailand.
This is another example of where to find voltage information on your gadgets. Here’s the plug to a small fan, almost identical to a model I bought in Thailand (this one is boring white, my Thai fan was brightly colored of course!). However, this plug says, “Use only with a fuse rated 2.5 amperes [amps], 125 volts.” That means this fan would fry in a 220 Volt outlet in Thailand. Good to know!
In summary, look for numbers in the 200’s on your devices before packing. Check with your cell phone provider if your phone is unlocked. And remember, mai bpen lai, enjoy your time away even if you leave your technology behind!
