AIS vs dtac vs TrueMove H: It Is Really Two Networks, Not Three

The framing everyone uses for this question is out of date, mine included until I looked properly. Thailand has three consumer mobile brands and two actual networks. AIS is one. dtac and TrueMove H are both True Corporation now, and since True finished consolidating onto its unified Single Grid they run on the same physical network.

So the real decision is AIS or True, and then which of True’s two brands happens to be selling the better package the day you buy.

I am on AIS and it has been solid. If you want one answer with no research, that is the answer: broad coverage, service centers in most malls, and you pay a little more than a True or dtac promotion for the privilege.

What the Merger Actually Changed

True and dtac completed their merger in March 2023. The NBTC approved it on the condition that both brands keep operating separately for three years, which is why dtac still exists as a brand you can walk into a shop and buy. Underneath, the two networks have been combined into one grid, a project True ran through 2025.

The practical consequence: comparing dtac coverage against TrueMove H coverage is no longer a meaningful exercise. It is the same towers. If someone tells you dtac is better in the north or True is better in Bangkok, they are describing a network split that no longer exists.

The brand-separation condition has now run its course, and True has said publicly that the two commercial brands could be consolidated. Nothing has been announced. But if you are choosing between a dtac number and a TrueMove H number for the long term, be aware that one of those brands may not exist in a few years. The number would be migrated rather than lost, but it is a reason not to agonise over the choice.

AIS

The default, and the one genuinely separate network. Best coverage if you move around the country, and the service-center network means there is somewhere to physically go when something breaks. Usually a bit more expensive than whatever True or dtac are promoting.

My Current AIS Setup

I bought an AIS tourist eSIM from the store at Central Embassy: a 60-day package for 1,550 THB. It has worked without drama and I am still on it, which was never the plan.

Renewing it is more annoying than it should be. Top up the balance in the myAIS app, then call a number to actually activate the package again. Two steps, every 60 days, neither of which happens on its own.

Which is the real lesson here. A tourist package is the right call when you land and have no idea what your life looks like yet. It is the wrong call once you live here, and I have stayed on it out of pure inertia. If you are staying, move to postpaid and let it bill itself instead of putting a 60-day chore in your calendar forever.

True: dtac and TrueMove H

Treat these as one network with two shopfronts, because that is what they are. Same grid, same coverage, different pricing and different promotions.

• dtac: historically the aggressive one on prepaid and tourist pricing, and still often the cheaper of the two shopfronts.
• TrueMove H: the larger retail presence and the one more likely to bundle broadband or TV with your mobile.

Pick whichever is running the better offer. Do not pick one over the other for coverage reasons, because there is no coverage difference to find.

So Which Should You Buy?

• Want it decided for you: AIS. It is the separate network, the coverage is broad, and support is easy to reach.
• Want the cheapest workable option: compare dtac and TrueMove H against each other on price alone, then check that price against AIS.
• Heading somewhere remote: this is the one case where the AIS-versus-True choice genuinely matters, since they are the two real networks. Ask locally where you are going.
• Bangkok only: all three brands are fine. Buy on price.

Tourist SIM or Long-Term Plan?

• Short trip: A clearly priced tourist eSIM or airport SIM with enough validity to cover the whole visit.
• Moving here: Get a registered Thai number you intend to keep, then move off the introductory package onto normal prepaid or postpaid.
• Banking and deliveries: A real Thai number beats a data-only travel eSIM. Your bank sends OTPs to it, delivery drivers call it, and LINE is tied to it.

Registration and eSIM

Thai SIMs have to be registered against your passport, so buy from a carrier shop or an authorised seller rather than a stall. Carrier shops will also tell you whether your handset supports eSIM, transfer an eSIM to a new phone, and explain what happens if you lose the device.

For airport buying, travel eSIMs, Thai phone numbers, and setup steps, read the main Thailand SIM card and eSIM guide.