Compared to other countries, Thailand has limited competition when it comes to land line service providers. There are two companies that offer residential phone service. The Telephone Organization of Thailand used to be the only company that installed residential phone lines. In the 1990s, Telecom Asia was given a concession. Tot generally installs new phone lines in older, less modern houses. Ta can work with newer buildings and are more modern. If renting a house, expect to pay a large deposit to the land lord especially if the person lives in the provinces. The new line is usually installed within a few days. The technology of the future may lie in mobiles for many people living in Thailand.
Mobile Services in Thailand
The Communications Authority of Thailand or Cat have granted three companies the right to operate in Thailand. The largest of these companies was started in the 1990s and is called Advanced Info Services, (AIS). Around 1996, D Total access Communications DTAC entered the picture. The third company to follow DTAC was True formerly Telecom-Asia. DTAC and True seem to be better for people who are on the go more. Internet connection, and good covrage seem to be more reliable with DTAC than AIS. If the consumer does not speak Thai well and requires English support, AIS might be a preferable option. AIS has thorough English support and is fairly straight-forward. True might provide a good fit for those who enjoy the latest and greatest technology, as this company tries to keep up with it.
Calling Thailand from Abroad
The country code for Thailand is 66. If a call is being placed from the US to Thailand, dial 011, 66, followed by the Thai phone number. Thai phone numbers are usually eight digits. Each province has an area code. This must be included when making a call to Thailand. If the call is to a mobile phone, the caller should dial 011 66 8 followed by the Thai area code and mobile number. All international calls are billed to the consumer by Cat.
Overall land line service is possible, but not the most affordable option. Mobile services and internet caf's seem to be the more popular form of communication.
