Thailand isn’t just beautiful beaches, breath-taking jungles, playful monkeys and yummy Pad Thai. Something that tourists often forget is that authorities are infamous for their strong grip on the internet. That’s where the best Thailand VPN apps can come handy.
Following the 2006 military coup d’état, online censorship and surveillance have been growing year by year. Now beyond solely adult content, restrictions are now targeting government’s criticism in all its forms. The situation got even worse following the 2020 pro-democracy protests, with authorities increasingly arresting and harassing dissidents.
Under such an online landscape, a VPN for Thailand is vital for keeping your activities private while allowing you to access the open internet. This best VPN services, in fact, spoof your real IP location to make you appear as if you’re browsing from an entirely different country in no time. They even encrypt all the traffic leaving your device to secure your anonymity against the government’s prying eyes.
Those visiting Thailand can also use a VPN to stream their favorite TV series and sport matches as they would do at home. We tried and tested tons of services to recommend only the best. Keep reading as we list our top five Thailand VPN services on the market right now.
Today’s top 3 best Thailand VPNs:
What makes a good VPN for Thailand?
Thai authorities are actively restricting access to tons of content branded harmful to national security – from video-sharing platforms like YouTube to news content published on the likes of BBC and CNN. It then goes without saying that the first feature you should look out for in your VPN is the ability to get around blocks and other geo-restrictions.
We also recommend picking a service that offers reliable VPN obfuscation technology. As it makes your VPN traffic look like a normal connection, it guarantees better unlocking results as well as better security.
With the government continuing to enforce lèse-majesté charges and arbitrary arrests to those criticizing the government online, top-notch security features and a watertight no-logs policy are vital here. This ensures your anonymity is protected in the best way possible.
Great speeds don’t hurt, either. You should then look out for services delivering fast connections and good network coverage (especially in and around Thailand). This will allow you to enjoy reliable connections whenever you are.
We also find 24/7 live chat support to be another really valuable factor. That’s because you will have the peace of mind of knowing that if you run into problems, there is a professional that’s probably dealt with them before ready to help.
The best Thailand VPN right now:
(Image credit: ExpressVPN)
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1. ExpressVPN
The #1 VPN for in and out of Thailand
Server/s in Thialand: Yes | Number of servers: 3,000+ | Server locations: 94 countries | Maximum devices supported: 5 | Trial length: 30 days | 24/7 live chat support: Yes
Best For
Everything – the #1 best VPN
Compatible Devices
Android, iOS, Linux, PSN, Windows, Xbox
Works With
Facebook, iPlayer, Netflix, Twitter, Youtube
Huge selection of servers
24/7 live chat support
Strong on encryption and unblocking
Easy to run on almost any platform
Above average prices
Below average device allowance
Best Thailand VPN 2023 – Get 3 months free with an annual plan (opens in new tab)
There are many reasons why ExpressVPN keeps being our favorite VPN for Thailand, and pretty much everywhere else. For starters, the provider boasts a super helpful 24/7 live chat support across powerful user-friendly apps for all the major platforms. It even released its very own VPN router Aircove recently.
Express’ network coverage includes over 3,000 speedy international servers dotted across 90+ countries worldwide. Some of these are physically located in Thailand, meaning you can safely browse the internet locally during your stay. It even integrates obfuscated servers for extra security and reliability.
Looking at its features, it is evident the provider’s commitment to users’ privacy and security. Our favorites include a no-logs privacy policy, enterprise-grade AES-256 encryption, numerous protocols to choose from (including its very own speedy and open-source Lightway), a kill switch on most platforms plus IPv6 leak protection. Everything is regularly audited by independent firms, too.
In terms of performance, we found ExpressVPN great at unblocking geo-restricted content. This won’t just help you to bypass the strict government’s censorship at ease, but it’ll also allow you to access foreign catalogs on streaming services. It actually managed to unblock all the streaming platforms we tried in our last round of testing.
Speed-wise, we saw its top speeds dip during our last review (from 630 to 560Mbps with Lightway). However, TechRadar cybersecurity specialist Mike Williams assures that these results are more than enough for most users. Anyway, you don’t need to take our word for granted with its 30-day money-back guarantee. There’s even a special offer for TechRadar readers only…
Today’s best ExpressVPN deals
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2. NordVPN
The biggest name for VPN security
Server/s in Thiland: Yes | Number of servers: 5,600+ | Server locations: 60 countries | Maximum devices supported: 6 | Trial length: 30 days | 24/7 live chat support: Yes
Best For
Balance of options and ease of use
Compatible Devices
Android, iOS, Linux, Windows
Works With
Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, Youtube
Ultra secure double encryption
Excellent speeds
Great at most unblocking
Speedy live chat support
Other VPNs have better mobile apps
A reliable, fast and privacy-focused experience across all major platforms is what you’ll get by downloading NordVPN on your device. The most famous name on the VPN world, it’s popular for good reason.
An impressive network includes over 5,600 servers across 60 countries worldwide. Some of those are physically located in Thailand as well as some neighboring countries like Malaysia and Vietnam. Plus, its obfuscated servers are specifically configured to bypass network firewalls in countries with the toughest restrictions. This makes it even easier to bypass the government’s censorship.
However, it’s Nord’s security focus that makes the software really stand out. Some of our favorite features include its double kill switches, DNS leak protection, 256-bit encryption and a Double VPN option which encrypts all your internet traffic twice. Plus, its new addition Meshnet is ideal for those digital nomads working in Thailand who want to secure their workload across multiple devices.
Unblocking geo-restricted content with ease is another point in favor for the Lithuanian provider. NordVPN can indeed be used as a reliable Netflix VPN or BBC iPlayer VPN, as well as with virtually all other streaming platforms around. Its speeds were also quite impressive last time we checked, reaching 820Mbps with WireGuard and 470Mbps with OpenVPN.
To be honest, we aren’t huge fans of its map-based interface on mobile. We also found its browser extensions pretty basic. However, its speedy 24/7 live chat support is super useful in case you run into some issues. Again, you can try out NordVPN yourself for 30 days risk-free.
Today’s best NordVPN deals
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3. Surfshark
The best cheap Thailand VPN
Server/s in Thailand: Yes | Number of servers: 3,200+ | Server locations: 100 countries | Maximum devices supported: Unlimited | Trial length: 30 days | 24/7 live chat support: Yes
Compatible Devices
Android, Chrome, Firefox, iOS, Linux, MacOS, Windows
Simultaneous Connections
999999.0
Works With
Facebook, Twitter, Youtube
Excellent price
Unlimited device use
Excellent unblocking
Improved WireGuard speeds
Kill switch issues in extreme situations
Below average OpenVPN speeds
The best cheap VPN out there, Surfshark is anything but low in performance. Plus, its easy-to-use apps are perfect to install and navigate making the provider the perfect choice for those new to the VPN world.
Surfshark boasts more than 3,200 international servers spread across 100 countries, Thailand included. For better security and unlocking results, we recommend switching on its obfuscation option (here called Camouflage mode). Its No Borders feature is also handy to navigate in restricted online spaces as it connects you to the servers performing the best under network disruptions by default.
Surfshark is also one of the most secure VPNs you can get. Its impressive list of features include a DNS leak protection, kill switch and an AES-256 encryption with double-hop for extra safety. Powered by its innovative Nexus technology, there are also a few extras like an IP rotator and Dynamic MultiHop option to make it even harder to track your online activities.
Surfshark’s unblocking capabilities are quite impressive, too. From Netflix and Hulu to iPlayer and Peacock, it managed to unlock everything we tried last time we checked. Its top speeds were also amazing, pushing the provider to the top of our fastest VPN list when connected to the WireGuard protocol.
It’s worth keeping in mind that we found Surfshark’s kill switch had some troubles on Windows. Despite these being observed only in extreme situations, it’s worth considering. Nothing to worry about if you use it on mobile or as a reliable Mac VPN, though.
Today’s best Surfshark deals
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4. Proton VPN
Swiss security with a good free Thailand VPN
Server/s in Thailand: Yes | Number of servers: 1,900+ | Server locations: 67 countries | Maximum devices supported: 10 | Trial length: 30 days | 24/7 live chat support: No
Free plan with unlimited bandwidth
Secure core servers (paid only)
Open-source, audited and top-quality apps
Customer support needs improvement
Some features limited to premium plan
When it comes to privacy protection, Proton VPN shows some serious commitment. Its apps are all independently audited and open-sourced, for example. It even comes with an unlimited-bandwidth free VPN plan with a new boosted network coverage from 29 to over 100 free servers. However, you need to upgrade to benefit from all its capabilities.
Proton has a slightly smaller network than its competitors aforementioned – around 1,900 across 67 countries. However, it does have servers physically based in Thailand, and in use we’ve never found any issues regarding server overload. Paid subscribers can even connect to its Secure Core option for extra security. That’s because the internet traffic will be routed via ultra-secure servers based in Iceland to prevent Thai authorities from intercepting any data.
On the security front, ProtonVPN has some pretty solid features like terrific kill switches, powerful encryption, strong protocols to choose from, DNS leak protection and built-in Tor support for accessing Onion sites. Even better, we couldn’t find any trackers on its website nor Android VPN apps last time we checked.
Proton is also great for bypassing any geo-restrictions online. You can use it both as a circumventing tool to access censored sites as well as a reliable streaming VPN to watch all your favorite series during your stay. It is worth noting, though, that its top speeds dropped a little last time we checked (from 670 to 510Mpbs with WireGuard). However, these results should still translate into decent connections overall.
On a negative note, Proton doesn’t have a 24/7 live chat just yet. We recommend trying out its free version first and see if it’s the right software for you. But, remember that you need to upgrade to its paid plans to benefit from its advanced features like P2P and streaming unlocking.
Today’s best ProtonVPN deals
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5. CyberGhost
Thailand VPN with an impressive server coverage
Server/s in Thailand: Yes | Number of servers: 9,700+ | Server locations: 91 countries | Maximum devices supported: 7 | Trial length: 45 days | 24/7 live chat support: Yes
Compatible Devices
Android, iOS, Linux, Windows
Simultaneous Connections
5.0
Lots of server locations
Above average WireGuard speeds
Loads of features
Access is limited by device, not connection
Support site isn’t the best
Keeping security and functionality at the core of its software, CyberGhost comes with easy-to-use apps and speedy live chat support to suit anyone, even beginners, seeking to boost their digital privacy at ease.
Perhaps its most notable quality, CyberGhost offers its users an impressive choice of international servers – more than 9,700 dotted across 91 countries around the globe. To safely browse locally, you can opt for one of its 25 Thai servers – although these are virtual servers and aren’t physically located in the country. For an additional fee, you can even connect to one of its Romanian-based NoSpy servers and boost your security even further.
CyberGhost doesn’t just have a lengthy list of servers – its features and functionalities make it rise above the crowd. Along with all the basics, we really love its Smart Rules panel option that allows users to automatically connect to their preferred server every time they launch its apps.
Unfortunately, the provider didn’t shine in performance last time we tested it. For starters, its unblocking power was limited as it failed to unlock UK Netflix and Disney Plus – it managed to do so with US Netflix, though. Its top speeds weren’t the best, either. Having said that, a solid 730Mbps when connected to the WireGuard protocol still beats the likes of ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN.
What worries us the most is that CyberGhost’s security and apps haven’t been audited yet – at the time of writing, only a no-logging audit has been released. This is becoming a bigger issue as more and more providers back up the trustworthiness of their security infrastructure by having their services regularly checked.
Today’s best CyberGhost deals
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VPN for Thailand FAQ
Are VPNs legal in Thailand?
Yes, VPNs are completely legal in Thailand. This means that you can use such a security software during your stay without being worried of breaching the law.
It is worth noting that, even though using a VPN isn’t illegal, accessing prohibited content or engaging in illegal activities online is against the law. While there’s no precedent of anyone being charged for using a VPN, make sure to know Thai regulations to avoid harsh fines or, in the worst cases, prison sentences.
How can I get a Thailand IP address?
Getting a Thailand IP address is really easy. Everything you need to do is connect your software to a server based inside the country’s borders. All our top five best Thailand VPN recommendations have servers that provide a Thai IP – and most have servers physically located in the country. Our top pick overall is ExpressVPN (opens in new tab).
It is worth reminding that a Thailand IP can be used only to safely browse the web locally or grant access to Thai online services from abroad. Anyone looking to bypass censorship and/or unblock foreign catalogs on streaming platforms have to to pick a server outside the country.
Why should you download a Thailand VPN?
As outlined, there are a number of reasons having a VPN for Thailand is a good idea. The ability to bypass the strict internet censorship and access the open internet is, perhaps, what most people are using a VPN in Thailand for. We also recommend using such a software to protect your online privacy, especially when you’re connected to a public Wi-Fi.
Of course, another popular perk of a VPN is that you can stream live sporting events, Netflix, BBC iPlayer and more when outside the country. Great for travelers and expats especially, this allows you to access broadcasts from your home country by virtually relocating thanks to a streaming VPN.
Round up of today’s best deals
