Keeping in touch while living in Thailand

42358POSTS

8 years ago

Hello everyone,

What are the best ways you've found for keeping in touch with friends and family back home while living in Thailand? How frequently do you stay in touch with loved ones?

Are there local equivalents to common instant messaging and online video calling services that you prefer or are more widely used?

If there is a sizeable time difference, how do you manage this?

Do you make international phone calls from a landline or mobile phone from Thailand? What do you think of the cost?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

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thailand4me Serial expat

435POSTS

8 years ago

We use LINE, the Japanese version of scype only it鈥檚 free. The calls are usually very clear. We also use land line, which is very cheap. Cost 3.00 dollars for a 1 hour call to the US.

1 member reacted to this post

GuestPoster145 Guest

0POSTS

8 years ago

I聽 use Facebook and LINE on a mobile phone or on my computer.

1 member reacted to this post

chdailey New member

5POSTS

8 years ago

The question posed is how to keep in touch with family around the globe (from Thailand).

I personally use a combination of methods to accommodate the various other people involved and their familiarity with the communication techniques.聽 I use the LINE app to send photos and video and sometimes phone call / chat with Thai family living in the US.聽 I use Message and iMessage for texting and sending photos / videos.聽 I use FaceTime for family with Apple products and Skype or FaceBook Chat / Messaging to call, hold video calls or send text or messages for those people who use each particular venue or device.

Most people I communicate with are in the US with a 10-, 11- or 12-hr. time difference.聽 I work around their schedules for the most part, since I'm retired and most are still young working parents raising active families.

naddy93 Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

There are many social apps to communicate with your closed ones at free cost such as Line, Whatsapp, Wechat, Imo, viber, and Tango.

Klingon63 Contributor

154POSTS

8 years ago

Hello Pricilla,

I use Skype , Facebook Video and Land Line as my Dad鈥檚 not into the Internet

聽 Video I use Monthly and E-Mail weekly聽

Best Wishes To You and all Expats

Bob

Frank Peat New member

7POSTS

8 years ago

I use Facebook messenger or WhatsApp both are very good聽 .

gracebui72 Member

2POSTS

8 years ago

We bought a Magic Jack before we left the states. The phone no is a local no. In case our case, it is Seattle Washington State no. We paid only 35 dollars a year. We can make phone call anytime using our cell phone. We use the no for all our business such as bank, insurance ... It works out really good and we have away from home for almost 4 years.

Frank Peat New member

7POSTS

8 years ago

I use Facebook messenger and whatsapp , to video call or phone the UK it's all free if you have broadband 馃憤

ccarbaugh Active member

32POSTS

8 years ago

#10

I don't.聽 They don't wanna talk to me so I don't wanna talk with them.

1 member reacted to this post

kRUBEN Banned

158POSTS

8 years ago

#11

ccarbaugh wrote:
I don't.聽 They don't wanna talk to me so I don't wanna talk with them.

Sigh!.......................................................................................................................................

1 member reacted to this post

fbce1maa Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#12

You can use Skye audio and/or video calls. Skype to Skype is always free. Skype to any phones in North America is 2.5 cents per minute. Very reasonable. Skype can be installed on cell phones, laptops, etc.

You can also use Magic Jack, and all your calls back to the USA are free, and anyone from the USA can call you on you Magic Jack is also free.

Viber is another way to call for free, but both sides have to be on internet.

Both Magic Jack and Viper like Skype offer low cost calling to non Magic Jack lines, or non Viper lines.

There are probably dozen more ways to stay connected, but I found those to be more than adequate.

You can also use any Internet Cafe鈥檚 in Thailand and use Skype (your personal account) to make low cost calling, I. E. 2.5 US Cents to North America and many other places, but the cost maybe higher to other countries, especially to cell phones in other countries.

Ruffian Dick Serial expat

356POSTS

8 years ago

#13

Any fans of Face Time?

juehoe Active member

62POSTS

8 years ago

#14

Skype, E-Mail, sometimes Facebook and Messenger

GuestPoster145 Guest

0POSTS

8 years ago

#15

Ruffian Dick wrote:
Any fans of Face Time?

Sure, I like Face Time but not everyone can afford or is a fan of Apple products.

1 member reacted to this post

Frank Peat New member

7POSTS

8 years ago

#16

Cannot afford聽 apple has ha

piaholm68 Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#17

I have been using Skype for more than 10 years.
Lately I am using Messenger (Facebook) booth for texting and phoning as its very clear and perfect line connection. Otherwise we keep ourselves pretty updated and shares likes etc on Facebook.

kRUBEN Banned

158POSTS

8 years ago

#18

villagefarang wrote:
Ruffian Dick wrote:
Any fans of Face Time?

Sure, I like Face Time but not everyone can afford or is a fan of Apple products.

FYI ~ Most retired expats (these days) can readily afford to purchase an Apple of any size, or configuration, myself included.

However, @ my age, I simply can do "without" the constant (eyes-on) security stress, associated with such a high-theft, proprietary machine, -i.e., the latest version of Notebook. Been there, done that, have the T-shirts.

My Toshiba, w/ optional Linux OS, gets the "Job" done-well, and stress-free. Thank you.

GuestPoster145 Guest

0POSTS

8 years ago

#19

Thanks for making my point.聽 We possess very different T-shirts by the way.

Never done that Serial expat

440POSTS

8 years ago

#20

I talk to my Mom 1-2 time a month on skype.
I talk to 2 of my 3 siblings around New Year on skype.
That pretty most it for me, And i am fine with it.

When i move to Thailand Friends & Family get me to open a account on Facebook.
But it is not me to use Facebook, I try for 1 year or so, But finde FB to be for young kids.
To see where people check in, what food they eating, Or seeing the tekst saying If your my friend i know you post this on your wall inside 1 hour, And so on !!!!

Well i hate it.

But lucky for friends & Family my Thai Wife LOVE FB big time, And she post everything on it, So i setup FB to post every thing she post, S氓 my Friends & Family can see it.

1 member reacted to this post

kRUBEN Banned

158POSTS

8 years ago

#21

villagefarang wrote:
Thanks for making my point.聽 We possess very different T-shirts by the way.

Indeed,,and praises to the gods, for those diversified life experiences, eh? Cheers,

mchkin Contributor

117POSTS

8 years ago

#22

Easy, i keep in touch via internet E-mail some use Skype but I'm all thumbs.... and a telephone call to America from here cost me 3 baht a minute (about 10 cents US). must be something simular for other countries......

Ruffian Dick Serial expat

356POSTS

8 years ago

#23

Anyone use VOIP for phonecalls?

mchkin Contributor

117POSTS

8 years ago

#24

Duh, whats that??

GuestPoster145 Guest

0POSTS

8 years ago

#25

VOIP is the stuff we are talking about.聽 It is communicating over the internet instead of normal landlines. Skype is a good example.聽 There are also prefixes which can be used in Thailand which reduce the cost of international calls.聽 The connection is not always great but I have found that when I get a bad initial connection all I have to do is hang up and call again.聽 Inevitably the second time is much clearer.

JimDavis Member

16POSTS

8 years ago

#26

VOIP - Voice over IP - Hee hee.

mchkin Contributor

117POSTS

8 years ago

#27

Yep I dial 00400 then my US number and walla 3 baht a min...

1 member reacted to this post

Renalin New member

5POSTS

8 years ago

#28

I use messenger that's very nice and it's free with my mobile聽

Ruffian Dick Serial expat

356POSTS

8 years ago

#29

When I last visited, I replaced the SIMM card in my phone with one from Thailand. This gave me a local Thai number, as well as 4G connections.

If I want to keep that old number (in case somebody actually calls me), I think there should be a way to hang onto that number... Any ideas?

Klingon63 Contributor

154POSTS

8 years ago

#30

Hello ,

Two cellphones or if your Technical enough swapping the Sim Cards out.

Best Regards
Bob

kRUBEN Banned

158POSTS

8 years ago

#31

Ruffian Dick wrote:
When I last visited, I replaced the SIMM card in my phone with one from Thailand. This gave me a local Thai number, as well as 4G connections.

If I want to keep that old number (in case somebody actually calls me), I think there should be a way to hang onto that number... Any ideas?

RD ~ I believe a single 300+ Baht top-up amount paid, on any SIMM card, is valid for one-year with AIS or DTAC.聽

Marcelo Maverick Member

10POSTS

8 years ago

#32

In Thailand most people use line but if you want to communicate to family or friends in your country I think Viber is great. You can buy credits to make international calls are really cheap rates

Klingon63 Contributor

154POSTS

8 years ago

#33

Why spend money when your can Skype for free聽 ?? It鈥檚 Secure and quality is pretty good or Facebook Messenger Video Secure and Quality is good as well.

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