What are the best options for managing my UK and Thai phone numbers while retiring in Thailand?

Very probably not all services will accept a foreign (Thai) phone number.

Your iPhone can handle one SIM and 8 (or more?) eSIMs.

You can either keep a separate cheap phone for the SMS from the banks and others, or get your uk (or the Thai) number as eSIM.

If you go for a cheap phone:

- it can be a PIA to keep it charged

- it can be a PIA to have to start it before receiving a code

- if it’s too old it cannot do WiFi calling

Been there ;)

WiFi calling isn’t well known.

When turned on, and you’re in WiFi, your phone behaves as if it was in the providers country. I use that to call Swiss companies and government without roaming charges.

My phone us dual sim !

I carry 2 phones with me at all times.i used my spare phone n get a sim card in thailand n the other phone with my American tel no u use the phone using wifi.its safe bet this way .u can get your messages from bck home

You can register any phone number in any Bank as long as you verify the same.

Consider porting your established number to Expatfone.. it's a digital VoIP mobile phone service that works through an app called Devyce.. you don't need a sim in your phone to use it.. so you keep your Thai sim in your handset for every day use and revert to the Devyce app to use your UK number.. the big benefit is that the app shields your location when using it.. meaning anyone you call or message receives it as if you were still in the UK.. and when you call the UK they will just see your mobile number as they would if you were making the call locally.. which is great for communicating with your UK bank if you're not ready to inform them of your overseas domicile.. which could help you avoid the risk of having your UK bank account cancelled.. which many banks appear to be doing if you no longer have a registered UK address.. and i forgot to mention that calls to UK landlines and mobiles and sms's are completely free.. you just pay a fixed monthly subscription to keep it active.. and if you return to live in the UK and want a conventional UK sim again.. you can simply port your number out again and retain the number.. it was a no brainer for me!

Not from the UK but fellow European in Thailand. You can just get yourself an eSIM from AIS here. I would advise you to keep your UK sim as a physical one. European eSIMs are almost impossible to activate outside of Europe, physical SIMs are easier. If ever you phone breaks down you just swap the SIM and you're back in the air. I would get a prepaid card for the UK as you're not likely to use it for much else than receive SMS

I have a First Direct bank account in UK without having a UK phone number, the only phone number I have is my Thai one. The bank has no problem with this and have called me on it on numerous occasions.

Wifi calling.

My phone has 2 sims Thai and UK, I use lebara £4.50/month for UK just for 2 type verification banking and DTAC immortal sim for Thailand unlimited data for 6 months for upfront payment of 2500bht.

What's app will work off your Thai data but use your UK number.

You can get a 2 simcard phone for less than 500 baht in Thailand, if your present phone doesn’t support that or E-sim + simcard.

Use WhatsApp for your UK number when in Thailand can use WhatsApp using UK number only need internet no need keep SIM in phone

Hi Sean. Depending on what model of iPhone you have you should be able to get an esim here in Thailand so effectively you can keep both then.

Why i us me my English number fir my bank

My iPhone is duel sim. I have my usual UK number and also a Thai number

You can have a Thai number installed as an E sim in your phone

Which is what I did , my Thai Bank is ok with this

I don't think Eye Phones even work in Thailand, they are locked to your home network and don't even operate on the same digital frequency bands that Thailand uses. Buy a Thai phone in Thailand, and you're golden.

If UK has dual Sim phone, this is the solution. Or better if you have a second phone and subscribe TRUE Sim and line, you need to have a local thai number for your retirement to live in Thai.

Get a Dual sim phone transfer number to new UK sim. eg smarty cost 6 quid a month plus out of country package 10 has lasted me 8 month's

I used nationwide when overseas because they give option of verification pass codes by call, text or email. My Lloyds account is not so good.

If your iPhone is not a dual sim you need a different solution, regardless of whether you want to keep your iPhone.

You can choose to have 2 phones or buy a dual sim phone to make it easier.

Lycra SIM in the UK. Apparently £5 a year will keep your UK SIM active for OTP messages.

Convert your sim to a Esim, (I use 02 network) and I pay £30 a month and I have 5g everywhere in the world. Including here in Thailand.

I then buy a Thai sim locally so I have a Thai number too (that’s also converted to an eSIM)

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I changed my number to a pre-pay plan back home and kept the SIM.

Dual SIM phones are a thing. And there is also eSIMs

Depends on your phone. If you have a phone that’s supports digital sim you can get a UK digital SIM card and a Thai digital sim. On iPhones you can have two SIM cards activated at the same time without switching. It’s quite easy to do

Have been using a dual sim phone for few years now work as a charm

If you sign up to devyce (8.99 a month) you can keep your uk number. When you phone out or receive calls it's the same charge as if you were in the UK. No international ring tones. You don't need a sim just port your number over and its uses the Internet.

Then in Thailand you get a Thai number and sim. You receive calls as normal on your phone and uk calls from the devyce app.

So you have 2 numbers on one phone.

Hope this helps.

Move the existing UK SIM to pay as you go, get a dual SIM phone and have a Thai and a UK SIM card.

My UK bank accepts my Thai number for passcodes etc. Virgin Money.

As has been said a duel sim phone.... I am from UK...have lived here 4 years...have an EeSim and a Dtac sim in phone, and both work all the time.

I also kept my EE Sim just for WhatsApp so I can have a UK number.

Lots of phones can fit two sims in and also have e sim capability

Get a dual sim phone

Why not just use messenger like I do ,every body uses it