Internet & SIM cards in Krabi.

AIS Fibre is the fibre arm of AIS, Thailand's largest operator, and the most reliable home-internet choice across the Krabi mainland - Krabi Town, Ao Nang, Klong Muang and Nong Thale. Plans typically run from around 400-600 baht a month for 300-500 Mbps up to roughly 700-1,000+ baht for gigabit tiers, often bundled with AIS Play TV and a mesh router. English-language support is available and, where a building or house is already wired, installation usually happens within a few days. Coverage is strongest in the built-up centres and thins toward remote beaches and islands.

True is the other national giant, offering True Online fibre frequently bundled with TrueVisions TV and True mobile SIM discounts. Pricing is broadly similar to AIS - roughly 400-900 baht a month depending on speed - and it is widely available in Krabi Town and the Ao Nang strip. True's promotions and bundle deals are aggressive, so it is worth comparing the exact package offered for your specific condo or house before committing.

3BB (now under the AIS/3BB umbrella) built its name as the budget-friendly, no-frills fibre provider, often undercutting the big two for a straightforward fast connection without a TV bundle. It is well established across Krabi province and remains a solid value pick where available - though building and area availability varies between Krabi Town, Ao Nang, Koh Lanta and the smaller beaches, so always check which providers your home is already wired for before choosing.

Railay is reachable only by longtail boat and has patchy or no fixed fibre, so residents and long-stay guests there lean on mobile data and resort Wi-Fi. Koh Lanta has fibre in the developed west-coast areas (and the well-known KoHub coworking space), but speed and reliability vary by location, and quieter beaches can be mobile-only. If working remotely matters, favour Ao Nang, Krabi Town or central Koh Lanta for a proper wired connection, and treat far-flung beaches as mobile-first.

In Krabi Town and Ao Nang condos and houses that are already wired, you simply pick a plan, book an appointment and a technician installs a router within a few days. Homes off the main grid may need a fresh line pulled, which takes longer or may not be possible. You will usually need your passport and lease; some plans ask for a 12-month contract while others are month-to-month at a slightly higher rate. Many furnished long-stay rentals already include fibre in the rent, so ask your landlord before signing up separately.

Thailand has three main mobile networks: AIS (the largest, with the best rural and island coverage), True (strong in towns and heavily bundled), and dtac (now merged with True, often the value choice). In Krabi, coverage quality genuinely matters because so much of life happens on boats, islands and remote beaches - and AIS is the clear safe default if you spend time around Railay, Koh Lanta, the Hong Islands or Phi Phi. In Krabi Town and Ao Nang all three deliver fast 4G/5G, so there the choice comes down to price and the nearest shop.

Prepaid (top-up) SIMs are the easy starting point: buy one over the counter with your passport, add credit, and pick a data package - no contract, no credit check. Postpaid (monthly bill) plans can be cheaper per gigabyte for heavy users and give you a fixed number, but they require more paperwork - typically a passport plus proof of address or a long-stay visa, and sometimes a deposit for foreigners. Most expats in Krabi start on prepaid and switch to postpaid once settled with a lease and address in Ao Nang or Krabi Town.

At Krabi International Airport and the Ao Nang tourist strip you will see 'Tourist SIM' packages - typically 8, 15 or 30 days of generous or unlimited data for a few hundred baht. They are convenient for short trips but poor value over months. For a long stay, buy a standard prepaid SIM from an operator shop or convenience store and attach a monthly data package (often 300-600 baht for large or unlimited data), which works out far cheaper than repeatedly renewing tourist bundles.

All three Thai networks now support eSIM on compatible phones, and you can activate an AIS, True or dtac eSIM in-store by scanning a QR code - handy if your phone lacks a spare physical slot. For arrivals flying into Krabi (KBV), international travel eSIM providers (Airalo, Holafly and similar) let you land already connected, though for a long stay a local physical or eSIM plan from a Thai operator is cheaper. Confirm your phone model supports eSIM before relying on it.

The Krabi mainland has solid connectivity: 5G reaches Krabi Town and Ao Nang, 4G is fast and near-universal across the built-up coast, and fibre-to-the-home comfortably handles video calls, uploads and streaming. The picture changes on the islands and remote beaches, where you may be on mobile only and speeds swing with the crowd and the weather. The standard remote-work setup is a fibre home plan in Ao Nang, Krabi Town or central Koh Lanta plus a generous AIS mobile data package as backup - if the line drops, or you are working from a beach or boat day, you tether to your phone.

Topping up a prepaid SIM is effortless: use the operator's app (myAIS, TrueiD, dtac), buy a top-up at any 7-Eleven or Family Mart - both are common in Krabi Town, Ao Nang and Koh Lanta - use top-up machines and kiosks, or dial the USSD code on your SIM starter pack. Once you have credit you activate a data package through the app or a short code. The apps also let you check your balance, buy add-ons, and set auto-renew so your data package refreshes each month without you thinking about it.

You can buy a SIM at Krabi International Airport on arrival (convenient but pricier tourist bundles), at official AIS/True/dtac shops - there are branches in Krabi Town and in the malls and along the Ao Nang strip - for the best postpaid, eSIM and English-speaking help, or at any 7-Eleven and convenience store for a basic prepaid SIM. Thai law requires SIM registration, so always bring your passport - the shop or store will register the SIM to you on the spot. Operator shops in Krabi Town are the best one-stop option for setting up properly.

Expect roughly 400-1,000 baht a month for home fibre depending on speed, and 300-600 baht a month for a solid mobile data package (unlimited-data plans sit at the upper end). A basic prepaid starter SIM costs around 50-200 baht before you add data. All in, a well-connected expat household in Krabi typically spends about 700-1,500 baht a month on internet and mobile combined - modest by Western standards, and in line with Krabi's reputation as one of Thailand's better-value coastal bases.

AIS Fibre and True Online are the two biggest and most popular fibre providers on the Krabi mainland, with 3BB a strong value alternative. The best choice often comes down to which providers your condo or house is already wired for, and the exact promotion on offer. Expect roughly 400-1,000 baht a month for speeds from 300 Mbps up to gigabit, frequently bundled with TV and a mesh router. Krabi Town and Ao Nang are the best-served areas; Railay and remote beaches are largely mobile-only.

Railay is boat-access only and has patchy or no fixed fibre, so residents rely on mobile data and resort Wi-Fi. Koh Lanta has fibre in the developed west-coast areas - including the KoHub coworking space - but speed and reliability vary by location, and quieter beaches can be mobile-only. If remote work matters, favour Ao Nang, Krabi Town or central Koh Lanta for a wired connection and keep a strong AIS mobile plan as backup.

Most expats in Krabi start with a prepaid (top-up) SIM because you can buy it over the counter with just your passport - no contract or credit check - and add a monthly data package. Postpaid (monthly bill) plans can be cheaper per gigabyte for heavy users and give a fixed number, but they require more paperwork such as proof of address or a long-stay visa, and sometimes a deposit for foreigners.

AIS has the largest overall network and the best coverage on the islands, boats and remote beaches that define life in Krabi, which is why many expats pick it as the safe default. In Krabi Town and Ao Nang, all three networks - AIS, True and dtac (now merged with True) - deliver fast, reliable 4G and 5G, so in the built-up areas price and the nearest shop usually matter more than raw coverage.

Budget roughly 400-1,000 baht a month for home fibre depending on speed, and 300-600 baht for a good mobile data package (unlimited plans at the upper end). A basic prepaid starter SIM is about 50-200 baht before data. Combined, a connected expat household typically spends around 700-1,500 baht a month on internet and mobile - inexpensive relative to the speeds available, and consistent with Krabi's value cost of living.