VPN in Thailand: Your guide to safe Internet connection

If you work online in Thailand, or travel there and want to safely access your personal data, watch your favourite tv shows and enjoy unlimited access to certain sites, download VPN. Find out what it is and how to use it, so you can stay safe online and watch everything you like.

In my opinion it’s not crucial to have VPN when you are in Thailand. However, some people handle sensitive information, or they really enjoy watching TV from their home country. In these cases, VPN will be great to have. Thanks to it you will stay secure and have the chance to access your movies and programmes from other countries.

Find out how to use VPN in Thailand, what it gives you and how it works.

Internet in Thailand

The internet connection in Thailand has improved a lot in the recent years. Free wi-fi is available nearly everywhere: in bars, cafés, hotels and hostels. You can also buy a local SIM card and enjoy browsing social media, news sites and watch Netflix.

If you’re planning to live in Thailand, you will be able to have quite a stable internet in your apartment. You can buy an extra broadband, too if what you get isn’t enough.

The average mobile speed is 56.9 Mbps and broadband speed is 225 Mbps.

Strict laws

Thailand has some strict censorship laws, which you need to be aware of. The Thai government monitors public wi-fi use and prosecutes anyone who doesn’t comply with what is legal. This is especially important when it comes to the monarchy and the King.

It’s forbidden to talk or publish anything that criticises the Thai King and his family. You can be jailed for up to 15 years for breaking this law. It’s best to not take part in any discussions on the subject.

Forbidden and blocked sites

Some websites in Thailand are blocked. These are usually those that are considered harmful to the stability of the country and those that publish so called ‘adult content’.

If you live in Thailand, you might want to access your favourite TV shows, or TV from your home country. This is only possible when using VPN.

Safety

Using the public wi-fi connections in Thailand might be risky. Hackers use this to access your details. Here are the most common hacking methods.

• Man in the Middle (MITM) attacks: Where a third party intercepts your data.
• Phishing schemes: In which a scammer tricks you into handing over information via email, SMS, phone, or a website.
• DNS spoofing: Where a hacker tampers with the Domain Name System (DNS) to redirect your web traffic, for example, to a phishing site.

What is VPN and why it’s worth using it in Thailand?

VPN is becoming more and more popular among travellers. Here’s what it is and the reasons why it’s good to have it during your stay in the Land of Smiles.

What is VPN?

VPN stands for virtual private network. It is a protected network connection when using public network. Thanks to VPN you can disguise your online identity. It helps you to use public wi-fi without the risk of being hacked.

The main reasons of using VPN in Thailand

It helps you to keep yourself protected online, but you can also connect to the internet in a way that it will look like you’re in a different country. This way when being in Thailand, you will be able to access sites blocked by the Thai government.

How to install VPN on your device and how to use it?

Using VPN is not that difficult. It requires some technical skills, but normally all providers send you detailed instructions on how to install it and then use it. Here’s my short step by step guide.

Subscribe to your VPN provider

There are quite a few VPNs on the market. I recommend Nord VPN, which I used in Iran. It’s very reliable and the prices is great. So, go to their website and choose your plan.

Install the VPN on your computer and phone

Once you pay and buy the plan, you will be able to install the app on your devices. Follow the steps carefully. It will take a couple of minutes.

When ready, connect to your VPN

Open the app and choose the source country that you want to connect. If you’re using your phone, you will see a small icon in the upper corner of your phone. On computers you will normally have an app opened and it will show as active.
You can then browse the internet safely.

Final warning

Even if you have VPN, please be careful. Avoid any online discussion about politics and the monarchy, keep your passwords protected and don’t follow any suspicious links.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry.