Cell Phone
If you have your own laptop and want convenient internet access, you should look into internet service through your cell phone. You can get internet access on your laptop, or you can even do simple e-mail and browsing right on the phone (if your phone is fancy enough).

Your phone needs to have the right technology for internet connectivity, which means it needs either GPRS or EDGE capability. These phones will be a little pricier but won't break the bank, even on your Peace Corps budget. To ask sales clerks about this capability, you can ask: "เล่น GPRS ได้ ใหม" /len GPRS dai mai/. Also make sure to buy the right connector to go between the phone and your laptop.

The next step is to set up your phone and account for internet access. If you have AIS (1-2-Call), call the Call Center at 1175. They will send you certain settings over the phone that your phone will install. Then you can sign up for an internet, either while you're still on the phone with the Call Center, or buy dialing *138 (only applicable for AIS/1-2-Call). Here's a typical listing of options for AIS:

NOTE about Internet Speed Through the AIS Network: GPRS technology has the capability of 28 Kbps, and EDGE can do up to 56 Kbps. However, realistically the AIS cell phone network is currently too overloaded to actually acheive these speeds. You can expect an average of 5-7 Kbps. So, it's a little slow, but it's at your beck and call wherever you are.

DTAC Network
For DTAC users, you currently have the following two options for plans. Though they seem a bit more expensive, some volunteers have reported faster speeds (meaning the networks might usually be less clogged):

DTAC Internet Plans
7 days (unlimited use): 266 baht
1 day (unlimited use): 42 baht

Another option is to buy a GRPS Modem, which still uses the signal from the cellular network to connect to the internet, but unlike a cell phone, it acts only as a modem; you can not use it to make or receive calls. It connects to your computer through the USB port and is very straightforward and user friendly. The big drawback to this particular device is the necessity to buy an additional SIM card (about 300 baht) to use for the modem. Although, technically speaking, you can use the same SIM card from your phone, the act of switching the SIM card between the two devices would inevitably become tiresome. Additionally, if a single card was used, there would be no way of knowing whether any incoming calls had come while the SIM card was in use by the modem. Another drawback is the modem’s price, with the cheapest model coming in around 4,000 baht.