Cellular Phones
November 12th, 2006Even if you are here for a short stay, I highly recommend buying, or renting, a cellular phone. You can buy a used one for 2000 baht (roughly $60 US), and it’s worth every penny.
All the boys have cell phones, and they will be happy to give you their number. They will also want yours. This exchange of phone numbers makes it real easy to coordinate your social life. There are too many reasons why this is important, but trust me when I say your social life will go much smoother if you have a phone. That said, there are problems that develop over time when too many boys have your number, but I’ll address that later.
The cell phone is also your lifeline while in Thailand. There will be many situations where you need help translating. If you have a friend that speaks Thai and English, you can call him and get assistance in communicating with the person that does not speak English. A good example is trying to get some place in a taxi. Just call your friend and ask him to tell the driver where you want to go. If you are staying in a nice hotel, you can get them to assist you in the same way.
Picking up a cell phone is easy. Go to the 4th floor of the MBK Mall, accessible by Sky Train (National Stadium Exit 4), and you will be in cell phone city. There are literally hundreds of small booths selling new and used phones. You will probably have to purchase a SIM card separately. They range in price, depending on the prepaid minutes bundled with it, and how good the phone number is. I’ve seen them priced from 250 to 600 baht.
For those that don’t know what a SIM card is, it’s basically software on a chip that determines your phone number and other features not generic to the phone you buy. For a more detailed explanation read this. Each phone company sells their own SIM cards, bundled with a variety of calling packages. One-2-Call seems to be the most popular, because they have the best coverage in Thailand. I can’t speak for the other companies, but One-2-Call does have English speaking customer service representatives. Save the box, and everything inside it, when you purchase the SIM card. If you have problems with the card or need to contact customer service, the information on and inside the box will come in handy. If you want to retain your phone number, when replacing a lost phone, the company will issue you a new SIM card, for a fee, with the same number, provided you held onto the box.
It’s easy to buy more minutes for your phone. Just go to any 7-11, hold up your phone, and ask for One-2-Call, or what ever service you are using. They will sell you a pre paid card, and will even put the minutes on your phone for you, if you ask - no charge. The cards come in different amounts, starting at 50 Baht. I suggest getting a 300 baht card until you know how your usage shakes out. There are different calling plans and the one you get with your SIM card may not be the best for you. It’s not a bad idea to call the company and explore what other plans are available. The cost for switching plans is nominal.
Your phone probably won’t come with English instructions, but the Nokias are fairly easy to figure out. If you need help with a particular feature, just ask a Thai boy to show you. The boys all know the Nokias inside and out, as they are their preferred manufacturer. After living with a less user friendly Samsung, my second phone, I can understand why.
If you live here for any length of time, you can expect to replace your cell phone. I think my first one lasted 6 months before it got stolen. Most people I know go through two or three phones a year, so I don’t see the logic in buying an expensive one. I also recommend writing down all the important numbers you have stored on your phone. You will be glad you did when it needs replacing.
It is entirely likely you will find yourself buying a phone for a Thai boy. I won’t go into the reasons, but trust me when I say the probability is high. Cell phones are a status symbol for the Thai boys. In fact, I’d argue it is the number one status symbol for most. They always want the newest and best, and will not be happy if you try to buy them a 2000 baht phone. Most will end up accepting your kind gift, but not before they put up a good fight. Some will actually refuse a phone that is blow their standard. They would rather go without than to be seen in public with a low class phone.
If you have an active social life, the number of boys with your phone number will eventually be rather high. Make sure you have their number if they have yours. This way you know who is calling. Most guys learn to not answer their phone if they don’t know who is on the other end. Even so, at some point it begins to get overwhelming, because the phone never stops ringing. The best way I’ve found to deal with this is to simply replace your SIM card and get a new number. Then SMS those you want to have the new number. Don’t try calling your friends, because they won’t know who it is and probably will not answer. Another affective way to cut down on calls from the money boys is to tell them you pay 500 baht if they call wanting you to have sex with them and 1000 if you do.
Some guys have two SIM cards, one for the boys and one for everything else. I think it’s a cumbersome solution, but others swear by it.
As safe and trusting as Thailand is, your cell phone is guaranteed to sprout legs and disappear if you set it down in a public place. Keep your phone in your pocket when it’s not being used.
