Can I keep my AIS tourist SIM number indefinitely while outside of Thailand?

I've had the same AIS sim for about 4 years

When I'm home in USA I just top it up ,monthly by adding 100baht -- it extends for 30 days - then next month do it again

same to agree the sim lives on... ours has been active since early 2023. We have been doing trips twice per year. We started with the now usual piece of plastic with the 5G label, but actually availed the 999thb 4G UNLIMITED sim option. The sim will stay alive so long as there is always some credit on it. Mrs having local bank means we monlthly pay 20thb via the banking SCBeasy app ( the specific payment icon is the 'AIS 1-2-Call') But even without local bank account, you simply deposit at least 250thb at any AIS shop to give you 12 months breathing space ( ie 12 *20thb) Make sure you Install the MyAIS app and access it in LOS before you leave the country, as doing so lets the app be openly usable overseas. Make sure you register your email address; and even more importantly visit an AIS shop to have your number 'verified' Just looking at the app from here in OZ, I see we have now got 492thb in credit with an expiry of 03oct27... With our monthly 20thb going in that credit rises, plus the expiry date creeps positively as well. When you open the app that Credit and Expiry are always displayed up front... One final advantage of the Tourist sim is that once you leave LOS, the sim being 'domestic', it does not work outside LOS, so never a problem of the Credit being consumed by unknown International downloads, as that cannot happen...

I bought my thai sim (tourist) at the airport in 2017....been using it until now by topping up before it expires....moved to thailand in 2022 and don't have problem opening bank acct with it ....I've moved my number from AIS to truemove and still on prepaid service

I’ve done it with True, don’t know about AIS. After getting a SIM at the airport, I visited a True store at Terminal 21. Had them put me on a low cost plan just to keep the number alive & let me receive texts when I’m back home. Now when I visit Thailand I just add a package online when I arrive, and let the package expire when I leave. Works fine, I just need to remember to switch my cellular settings to use the correct SIM. FWIW, I also moved that same number from a SIM card to an eSIM without any problems.

Had the same DTAC number for 15 years, started as tourist, then had to do code to extend validity every year or 2. Converted it to an e-sim a few years back and no issues since. Now combined with True, in the true app you can get the proof of ownership doc needed for a bank account. AIS has similar.

I have a Thai number and just top it up when I'm there however it was purchased by Thai friend so she manages it

I bought an AIS tourist sim last year. used it for 60 days then to keep it going just had to top it up with a minimal amount each month and it was a normal prepaid with same number. I have since converted it to a postpaid with the same number. I just went in and talked to AIS in one of their shops.

I think I had to do the ID thing when I changed

I have AIS and go to Thailand once a year. I have basic plan of 10 baht per minute of calls. When I arrive in Thailand I get an AIS data plan for the time I am in Thailand. I also topup around 10 times to extend my number, then another 2 times before I leave so I have a full year to get back to Thailand. I could also use the app, but have had issues with SMS while out of Thailand.

If you're staying in Thailand, get a yearly plan or whatever they have that is easy to renew.

Yes, you can use that SIM card for years. The SIM card you buy at the airport is a standard SIM card with a prepaid tourist plan. Once this 7-, 15-, or 30-day plan expires, you can add any other plan of your choice via the app or at an AIS store. If you intend to use it for banking purposes, make sure that the phone number is correctly registered to your passport. I am still using the SIM card I purchased at the airport back in 2022. I also always top it up to the maximum 12-month validity period before leaving Thailand, just to ensure I don’t forget to do so while I’m abroad.

I have bought an AIS sim 1 year that I had for 3 yrs(pay annually) I think it was 2200baht and had 50Gb data/month and still available.

AIS tourists sim - I used to buy every trip

Then I discovered that if you go to an independent phone shop NOT in the airport. Go to a lotus or shopping centre then you can buy a sim (passport required) and load it up every month for 300 bth and then you can top it up every time you visit. Same number same sim it’s a non contract sim . Just put 300 bth in through a banking app or if you don’t know how to do that then just go to any phone shop and they will load it up for you for cash no fee

I was told by AIS that credit card recurring payments for home router - the credit card must be issued by a Thai bank, not by a bank in your home coutry.

I got a 3,500 THB a year plan with AIS, unlimited Internet, we use it (iPhone), soft Thai SIM with my passport number, for everything. Up to 5 devices can connect to that iPhone router, wife watches her soapies day and night, no hickups.

When I landed to Japan, 22. October 2026. there was a greeting from NTT docomo "We realised you are back home, we switched your Thai SIM to Japanese SIM.".

Same when I land to Thai, AIS switches my Japan SIM to their Thai SIM.

I just moved to popcorn phone service (no roaming). Keeping my number. Should this work in Thailand when I get there?

I just moved to popcorn phone service (no roaming). Keeping my number. Should this work in Thailand when I get there?

It's not a tourist sim, it's a sim with a tourist pre-paid plan. If you have one you can go to a True or AIS shop and get a new plan that best suits your needs and will be cheaper than renewing the tourist plan.

It's not a tourist sim, it's a sim with a tourist pre-paid plan. If you have one you can go to a True or AIS shop and get a new plan that best suits your needs and will be cheaper than renewing the tourist plan.

Explain what a tourist/non tourist Sim card is. I bought a new phone 2020 here which had a Sim.card, that's it.

I use DTAC for past 9 years and kept same number.. Get a 20 or 30 day plan every time I enter. Extending validity can be done overseas, 15b for 180 days.Recently converted tourist sim to normal pre-paid.

True are doing a 365 days deal for 1000bt

Just buy a cars for 365 days and top it up at the end for another year. I have the same number for years and years like this.

Yup you sure can just download the AIS app and you can top up there

Get a sim registered at ais shop to your passport.get a printout at shop as bank will want proof of sim registration

To the tourist Sims come with a thai number. I thought they were only for data.

Yes you can, do it since 6 years.

Each time you charge your account, you get another 12 month of validity.

Yes you can, however Thailand’s restrictive protocols make it a little difficult. The issue is that you can only top up or pay using either an app on your phone or a Thai bank account (you can theoretically pay from a foreign account, however I find this to be hit and miss). I suggest that you skip the airport kiosks and instead go to an AIS (or True Move, etc) shop to set up a pre-paid monthly renewable SIM, link your email, install the app and set up your payment method (link a credit card). Go to a shop in a popular tourist area, like Siam, for staff with fluent English. When you are outside Thailand, you can pay using an app, but you need to install your Thai SIM in your device (or keep it in a spare device) for the payment process. I have a True Move SIM set up like this, and after the initial tedious process, it’s easy. Good luck.

Can top up 10 baht a month to keep it active

If you leave Thailand for a length of time the number will disconnect. On return you can go to a main TRUE shop and they will ‘resurrect’ the number for you. I did this last Tuesday and it cost me 510 baht for 1 month unlimited data. Can be renewed monthly

Don't buy tourist sim.. Terrible deal.

Best deal is an annual sim with great Internet options.

When you have a sim...

The direct USSD code to purchase a 30-day validity extension for an AIS prepaid number is *500*9#. Dialing this code and pressing call will deduct 30 Baht from your main credit balance and extend your SIM's lifespan by 30 days.

​Instead of paying the 30 Baht fee, you can use these cheaper alternatives to keep your number active:

​Minimum Top-Ups: Every individual top-up you make automatically adds 30 days to your validity. Sending multiple 10 or 20 Baht top-ups consecutively through a Thai banking app or top-up kiosk is the most cost-effective way to build up your validity to the maximum limit of 365 days.

​AIS Points: If you use the myAIS app, you can navigate to the privileges section and redeem 10 points for a free 30-day extension.

You need a non tourist number and also proof that the number is in your name. A true or AIS shop can do that for you. If you go to the bank off course you need your paspoort but sometimes they would like to see something extra like your divers licence.