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What options do I have for obtaining a UK SIM while in Thailand?

UK SIM card Thailand Expats Mobile Services SIM activation Bank account access Lycamobile GiffGaff eSIM Thai SIM cards

Sep 20, 2025

9 days ago

Ishbel ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi, not visa related but I will give it a go. So need to get a new UK sim but am in Thailand atm.  Current sim will apparently not work after 3 months (told by EE day before i flew here).  What I thought was to ask friends in UK to send Lyca mobile sim here but just googled and must activate in UK first.  Any idea's what I can do.  I only need sim for accessing some bank accounts. Thanks.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user seeks advice on how to acquire a UK SIM card while in Thailand, noting that their current SIM will stop working after 3 months. Suggestions from the community include asking a friend to activate a SIM in the UK before sending it, using services like GiffGaff that can send an eSIM or free PAYG SIM to Thailand, buying a Thai SIM to access UK banking, and various UK mobile services that might help maintain connectivity.

Pelle Eriksson

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Luca G.

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Phil ********

Get Swytch App.

£6 a month for a UK number and can call any number included.

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Kit **********

You get disconnected when you haven't used the UK payg sim card for 6 months. You can keep it going by topping up, sending a text, calling or using data, at least once every 180 days.

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Barney ********

Smarty, one month roll on, no contract, 20 quid a month, unlimited everything, speeds ok now, i get mine delivered to home then install and find a bit of wifi (or hotspot someone) bobs your uncle, cancel anytime

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Ishbel ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Barney *******

do do you get it sent from UK to here in Thailand? And can activate it here?

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Barney ********

@Ishbel **********

nope, send to an address in uk, pick it up once you land, activate with wifi, its easy, spesh if you have no immediate use for it. Have you not got a thai sim in at present?

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Ishbel ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Barney *******

the problem is I will not be going to UK probably till December or after and need new sim from late November

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Barney ********

@Ishbel **********

get a thai sim to carry you over, my thai sim costs me c.£70 a year unlimited data. Using a uk sim abroad is short term thinking, novice level )

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Barney ********

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Luke *******

Check out ‘devyce’ you can keep a Uk number or setup a new one indefinitely, works on a separate app on your phone, then you can put a local sim or e-sim in you phone for calls data etc… been using without any issues for years without going back to the Uk.

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Nick *******

I also use Devyce. It works well

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Nick *******

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Craig *******

I just use my ais sim to call UK banks as it’s not very often that needs doing so it’s a 1 off cost

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Rok ********

and the UK bank never tried to close the bank account without UK mobile number? Barclays is fine as using the app for all verification.

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Craig *******

I use NatWest with Thai number and no issues . They also have my Thai address and receive letters here from them. The only issue was premium bonds as I changed number but the foreign connection to send texts don’t work so I called them and gave a family UK number to receive log in text which only needed once so they sent me code and sorted

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Rok ********

great to know. Barclays closed all such accounts. Is it a proper Expat Bank Ac?

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Craig *******

yes I heard Barclays doing that. My NatWest was a standard current account and staff was great on the phone. It’s just you can’t open a account unless you live in the UK first with a UK address

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Craig *******

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Ishbel ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

hi thanks but I need a I’m number fir when I log into banks need the text sent

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Craig *******

@Ishbel **********

also for that I gave a families number in the UK who I message to say send me code as I log in and that works

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Andreas ***********

good idea that 👌🙏

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Andreas ***********

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Mark *******

Buy a Thai SIM from 7-11 to access your UK bank account.

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Ishbel ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

hi thanks but I need UK number so I can get sent the code via text

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John *******

@Ishbel **********

ask for code via email

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Ishbel ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I will check it out but don’t think that was an option.

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Ishbel ***********

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Jesper *******

Can't u buy a UK esim online? Let your fren activate and send your the link of the esim to u to have it installed to your phone if that make sence

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Ishbel ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

thanks yeah I wasn’t sure if someone else can activate for me or not

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Jesper *******

@Ishbel **********

I think your fren can try downloading the esim activate it and erased the esim from his phone after sending u the link and after u installed into your phone

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Jesper *******

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Sean ********

Try GiffGaff, they will send a free PAYG SIM to Thailand.

Or you can activate a free e-sim via their app.

****************************************************

Top up as needed and just use every month or 2 to keep it active.

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Paulette ******

I'm with giff gaff.it doesn't work in Thailand

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Sean ********

@Paulette *****

works fine for me for calls and SMS

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Paulette ******

are you on a plan or do you top up credit?

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Sean ********

@Paulette *****

top up.

Check the settings on your account that you can use while abroad

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Sean ********

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John *******

I've got a pay as you go EE sim, I go home every 6 months min and it still active and works once topped up

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Stuart *********

Send to a friend. Have them activate it there then send on to you.

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Ishbel ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Stuart ********

hi yes I think that’s what I will do just I wasn’t sure how that worked. Not so technical 🤦‍♀️

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Ishbel ***********

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