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internet HUA HIN

getting online in paradise city ...

Internet in Hua Hin

Up until quite recently (2-3 years ago) the only way to access the internet from Hua Hin was with a dialup connection or expensive satellite technology. Things have moved on since then however getting online can still be a frustrating experience.

There are now a number of methods of accessing the internet in Hua Hin including ADSL (broadband), WiFi (wireless), Satellite and dialup. As a general rule of thumb internet connections tend to be better and more stable the closer you are to the center of town, satellite being the exception.

Methods requiring a telephone line (ADSL and dialup) rely on the two primary providers TOT (Telephone Organization of Thailand) and TT&T (Thailand Telephone & Telegraph), these are where many of the problems lie - antiquated telecommunication systems. Another problem lies with the international bandwidth limitations of the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) which often make accessing international websites painfully slow at times.

A rough comparison of internet speeds in Europe or the US would put Thailand at around 5 times slower for the same price so what you will pay for a 2Mbit connection overseas will only get you a 512Kbps one here.

Connection types and options

Dialup
This is the oldest method of connecting to the internet using a standard modem and your telephone line. Maximum theoretical speed is 56Kbps however it is likely to operate at half of this speed. Packages can be purchased on an hourly or monthly basis from local stores. This method is not recommended for people who need to rely on internet access.

ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is also loosely termed "broadband" meaning high bandwidth connection however it can be as slow as dialup at peak times. It is a service that can be enabled on your existing telephone line (providing you are in the catchment area) for a monthly fee. It requires a special ADSL modem or router (which is a little more stable) and can be left connected permanently.

Local providers have a number of different packages however it should be noted that the cheaper ones are often over subscribed (too many users sharing the connection) resulting in slower than the advertised connection speed. Below is a general summary of local services, approximate monthly prices and estimated connection speed (speeds quoted download/upload Kbps):

It should also be noted that this is just a rough guide to indicate what you should spend on a package and how to find one that suits your needs. The actual speeds quoted are also very general will vary depending on proximity to town center, condition of phone lines, state of computer software, time of day and other factors that influence internet speed.

You will only get the full unshared bandwidth with a leased line connection however as you can see they are not cheap. You will also see faster connection packages quoted such as 2048/1024 but will rarely achieve anywhere near these speeds.

Hua Hin Internet Packages

These are the latest internet packages from TOT (October 2007).

Providers (ISP's)
Most internet packages can be purchased through the main two providers in Hua Hin - TOT (032-519000-1) and TT&T (032-532018). They both work with a number of independent Internet Service Providers (ISP's) such as Ji-net, KSC, Pacific, CS Loxinfo, and True. A full list of providers and their websites can be found here:

http://www.cat.net.th/thix/

Satellite
This is the option for those that cannot get a telephone line as they live too far away from the center of town. Setup and hardware is a little more expensive however you are saving the cost of a telephone line installation. Satellite connections are often unreliable when there is heavy cloud cover so be prepared for rainy season! CS Loxinfo are the primary provider of satellite internet connections with their ipStar system, full details can be found here:

http://www.csloxinfo.com/ipstar2_e.asp

Wireless
Wifi in Hua Hin is a very recent thing with a couple of coffee shops jumping onto the trend. Home use is very dependent on location to the signal and proximity to town. One local internet cafe called Sunshine has started their own wireless internet service for customers with monthly subscriptions, they are in the process of expanding their wireless network to cover most of Hua Hin and eventually its surrounds.

Mobile wireless devices can also be purchased locally for those that need to be online while on the move. The Hutch USB modem is becoming quite popular however connection speeds can also vary dramatically, more information can be found here:

http://www.hutch.co.th/broadband/index_en.htm

The need for speed

If you want to test your connection speed remember to use an international server such as the one suggested below. The Thai technicians will test your connection on a local internet speed test server which of course will read higher.

http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/

Censorship and blocking

Unfortunately reports of internet censorship in Thailand have been on the increase recently however this is unlikely to affect you as the primary targets are local websites, adult sites and websites promoting illegal activities in Thailand. Many of the providers have also blocked P2P file sharing networks such as Bit Torrent.

In an effort to reduce spam they have also blocked SMTP port 25 which will only affect you if you use your own domain name for email. You will not be able to send mail unless you use the SMTP server of your provider, those that use Hotmail, Yahoo!, Aol, Gmail or any other web based email will not be affected.

A full list of ISP SMTP mail servers can be found here, the ones available in Hua Hin have been highlighted bold:

Please be aware that providers often change these with no warning to their customers so if it doesnt work for you be sure to contact them. If you need guidance in setting up SMTP servers in Outlook Express take a look at this link:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/using/howto/oe/setup.mspx

Online

Hua Hin is slowly improving in terms of technology, as it becomes more developed we can look forward to a greater variety of internet options.

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