N.B. Some links in this article are affiliate links, and I may receive a commission for purchases made at no extra cost to you.
This is an important country to cover for VPN usage, because there’s now a huge community of so called digital nomads who flock to Thailand to work online, taking advantage of the low cost of living, great climate and relaxed lifestyle.
There’s a huge culture of internet cafes and working spaces where people go to work on their online business or developing new skills, so using a VPN is actually very important here, since browsing on unprotected public Wi-Fi without a VPN is not recommended.
But what VPN options are available that actually have servers in Thailand? Is there a free VPN with Thai servers?
It’s one of the those middle of the range countries for VPN users – some providers have servers in Thailand, but not all. So in this article we’ll pick out the best Premium VPN services that do have at least one server in Thailand, as well as covering the one free (if limited) VPN option that also has Thai servers.
We’ll cover the free option first, and then move on to Premium ones, which you’ll realistically need for long term use in the country.
Free Option – FlyVPN
The only free VPN option I am aware of that has servers in Thailand is FlyVPN, but it is quite limited and would only really be of use for short term and/or limited use (ProtonVPN, Opera VPN or Tunnelbear, my normal go-to free VPN options, do not have Thai servers unfortunately).
Click here to sign up for FlyVPN (a free account option is available, with a server in Thailand)
However, this free version of the service has time and data limitations, plus it’s a shared IP that’s used, like the VPN built into the Opera browser, which isn’t my favorite. You’ll tend to see a lot of captcha’s to access sites like Google, plus I have my doubts about the security and privacy of using shared IP’s that loads of other people are also using.
Everyone’s preferences and tolerance level is different, but personally I’d only use the free FlyVPN Thai server for basic browsing, at a push logging into an email or social media if I needed to, but not for making any kind of online purchase or entering any other sensitive personal information. I don’t like using VPN’s that have shared IP address other than for browsing and watching YouTube not logged in.
Update – Just brief use is in fact ALL you can really use FlyVPN Free for, since their free version only allows you to use it for up to 20 minutes at a time, before breaking the connection. You can trial the Premium to a few days as well, but for long term use, the Free plan isn’t going to be very convenient.
Paid (left hand side) vs Free (right hand side) features for FlyVPN
Also, as you can see from the graphic above, you’re not getting the most out of the service using the free version, plus your usage is quite restrictive. Also reviews for this service haven’t been great though, it has to be said, with slow connection speeds commonly reported, and streaming services not always accessible. It also doesn’t work in China.
However, if you’re not massively picky about having your own private IP, it’s a perfectly usable option. Plus, you can always upgrade to the Premium version, where you’ll still be able to use Thai servers, but you’ll now have your own private, dedicated IP.
Premium Option #1 – VyprVPN
VyprVPN is a Premium VPN service I’ve used before that always had excellent speeds and reliability, and the good news is it has got a server in Thailand (just 1 in Bangkok).
You can’t go far wrong with the VyprVPN service; here are some features:
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- Just $3.75/month for a 1 year membership. Even cheaper per month for longer term plans.
- Many servers in loads of countries (including 1 in Thailand – Bangkok). Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam also covered.
- Fast servers and multiple connection protocols
- Chameleon protocol for circumventing VPN blocking in certain countries
- Zero logs
- Great automatic troubleshooting tool and 24/7 customer support.
- Available on all major devices and operating systems.
Click here to check out the VyprVPN service. See our review of the service here.
Premium Option #2 – NordVPN
A more well known VPN service most people will have seen advertised is NordVPN. It is more towards the pricey end for a premium VPN, but it’s got lightning fast speeds plus double encryption for added security and privacy.
Here are some key benefits of NordVPN:
- $6.99/month for 1 year plans. Cheaper for longer plans and offers common.
- 7 servers in Thailand (located in Bangkok). Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia also covered.
- Zero logs policy. Company based in Panama and keeps no user records.
- Very fast servers
- Strong reputable brand (going for 10+ years)
- Frequent offers and discounts
Click here to check current pricing and offers for NordVPN
Premium Option #3 – ExpressVPN
This is the most expensive Premium VPN Option, but probably the best for advanced users, because it offers the most different connection options.
Here are some of the key features and benefits of ExpressVPN:
- $8.32/month for 1 year plan. Cheaper for longer term deals.
- Servers in Thailand
- Multiple connection protocols – UDP, TCP, OpenVPN, IPSec and IKEV2.
- Zero logs
- 24/7 support
- Nearby countries also covered – Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan, Myanmar, Philippines, Malaysia, Macao, Hong Kong, Brunei, Indonesia. Huge country and server choice.
Click here to check current pricing and offers for ExpressVPN
Premium Option #4 – Le VPN
This is a lesser known option, a French based VPN service that also has servers in Thailand, and mid range pricing.
Here are some key features and benefits of LeVPN:
- $4.95/month for 1 year plan.
- Has a server in Thailand.
- Also nearby countries Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia also covered.
- Multiple connection protocols – OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP over IPSec. If one protocol doesn’t work or is slow, you can switch to another one.
- Fast connection speeds
- Fast and efficient customer support
- 30 day money back guarantee
- Very popular with European users.
Click here to check current pricing and deal for LeVPN
Premium Option #5 – ProtonVPN
Another well known brand, very reliable and reputable, is ProtonVPN. They do a free version, but it doesn’t have servers in Thailand – the nearest server on the free account is in Japan.
However, here are the key specs for ProtonVPN premium:
- Plans from $5/month for 12 months
- 8 servers in Thailand (Bangkok).
- Cambodia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines also covered.
- Based in Switzerland – strict zero logs policy
- Fast server speeds
- Free unlimited version also available (servers in USA, Netherlands and Japan)
ProtonVPN is a great option in many ways, with mid range pricing and fast servers, but on the downside is doesn’t cover as many nearby countries as some of the other services, if you plan on traveling around Far East Asia. ExpressVPN and LeVPN take the prize for server choice in that particular part of Asia.
Click here to check out current pricing and deals for ProtonVPN
Comparing The Premium VPN Services
All of this can be a bit of information overload, and truth be told, the main consideration when looking at Premium VPN services is often pricing, so let’s put all the paid VPN’s with Thai servers we’ve covered here side by side in a table to allow you to quickly compare them:
Comparison of VPN’s With Thai Servers (links are affiliate links)
| Provider | Price (12 months paid in advance) | Number of servers in Thailand | Number of Devices Allowed | Main Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VyprVPN | $3.75/month | 1 (Bangkok) | 5 | Review here |
| ExpressVPN | $8.32/month | 1 | 5 | Country/location choice |
| NordVPN | $5/month | 7 (Bangkok) | 6 | Double Encryption |
| Le VPN | $4.95/month | 1 | 5 | Lots of countries |
| ProtonVPN | $5.99/month | 8 (Bangkok) | 10 | Free version available |
Bottom line – VyprVPN has it covered for cost, NordVPN and ProtonVPN have it covered for server choice within Thailand, and LeVPN and Express VPN have it covered for general country choice in South East Asia (covering nearby countries as well as Thailand)
Signing up for a VPN is usually very easy. You simply visit their site (click on one of our links above for each provider), sign up, pay your subscription, download their product and boot up the program.
Once running you simply select a preferred server location and open the VPN connection. You now have a secure, encrypted connection that will keep all your browsing and personal data safe over public Wi-Fi networks.
Best Practices For Using The Internet In Thailand
Some quick tips for using the internet in Thailand:
- Thailand is definitely not the worst country for internet freedom, but it’s not the best either. It’s not really a totally free speech country, so be careful what you say online, especially about the royal family.
- Using a VPN in Thailand is legal, as long as your online activity is also still legal.
- Some websites in Thailand do restrict access only to users with a Thai IP address, so a VPN with Thai servers can be very useful to access these services that would otherwise be blocked.
- Do not use Wi-Fi in any public place (cafe, restaurant, internet cafe, co-working space) without having a VPN connection enabled. It will keep your connection and personal data secure.
