A VPN is a must-have tool for everyone these days, even for folks living in the West who want to keep a low profile online.
For those living in places where the government censors the Internet, the situation is even more clear – they absolutely have to run a VPN across their devices. It will help them access the Internet in its entirety while also unlocking content and services that could otherwise be outside of their reach.
When it comes to Internet freedoms, the situation in Thailand leaves a lot to be desired. Without a VPN, you may not be able to access a popular website during some protests. On the other hand, with a good VPN – there is nothing and no one standing on your way to the “full” Internet.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg – you must have a VPN for Thailand, and here are your best options:
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
- You can't pay with PayPal
Summary
Its network includes more than 5,000 servers spread across 60 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Good for both torrenting and streaming
- Works in China
- Solid network with servers in 60+ countries
- Easy to use apps on multiple platforms
- Live chat isn't always available
- Fairly pricey
Summary
Whether you need a VPN for watching Netflix shows or downloading files via BitTorrent, Astrill can help you out — all while keeping your identity under the radar. And this is especially true if you live or work in China when the company's stealth protocols will kick in to let you access all the popular sites that are by default blocked by the country's censors.
Astrill's apps are easy to use and available on all popular platforms. Nevertheless, they still manage to provide a host of advanced features tech-savvy folks are used to get. Highly recommended, again, especially if you're looking to bypass the Great Firewall of China.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- Fast download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, etc.
- Great for torrenting
- Advanced privacy features (i.e. Tor over VPN)
- Relatively small number of servers
- There are no browser extensions
- Live chat support is not always available
Summary
Specifically, you can rely on PrivateVPN for both torrenting and streaming, without paying a premium. It is, in fact, one of the most affordable options in its league and we love it for that.
Customer support may not be on par with bigger players but it's not like you should experience many problems anyway. You will get the same level of security and privacy as with other services, and a single license will let you run PrivateVPN on up to 6 devices. Pretty cool.
Pros
Cons
- Works in China
- Many servers in Asia
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Advanced services like VyprVPN Cloud
- No browser extensions
- Torrenting could be better
Summary
It manages to bypass restrictions in high-censorship countries and elsewhere by relying on its proprietary Chameleon protocol, which can easily slide under the radar.
VyprVPN is also great for accessing video streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and so on — delivering the true buffer-free experience every single time. It will also work with BitTorrent, and consequently - Kodi.
VyprVPN has a strict zero-logs policy. Period.
Internet censorship in Thailand
Prior to the September 2006 military coup d’état, most Internet censorship in Thailand was focused on blocking pornographic websites. In the subsequent years, we’ve seen a constant stream of sometimes violent protests, regional unrests, emergency decrees, a new cybercrime law, and an updated Internal Security Act.
And so, Internet censorship has started growing, with its focus shifting to things like national security and political issues. By 2010, estimates put the number of websites blocked at over 110,000. In December 2011, a dedicated government operation called the Cyber Security Operation Center was launched.
Then came the coup d’état of 2014 which led to further restrictions on Internet content in the country.
Unlike many other constitutions, the one Thailand has provides for freedom of expression and press “as regulated by law” and that’s the catch — with the government imposing overwhelming limitations on these rights.
Internet filtering in Thailand was classified as selective in the social, political, and Internet tools areas, and no evidence of filtering was found in the conflict/security area by the OpenNet Initiative in November 2011. On its end, Reporters Without Borders has put Thailand on the list of countries under surveillance in 2011.
As of 2019, Thailand is “not free” according to Freedom House, with an overall score of 35, fourth worst in the Asia-Pacific region, after China, Vietnam, and Pakistan.
You need a VPN for Thailand…
Chances are you won’t be meddling in the country’s political affairs but that doesn’t mean you won’t be affected by any measure the government may put in place. For one thing, it could suddenly decide to block some popular service like YouTube, Facebook or Twitter — since it already did that in the past. Then, you’ll be out of luck for accessing said services. Except, that is if you’re not using a good VPN, which will help you bypass these newly created restrictions. It will let you connect to a server in another country that will be routing all traffic to your device. This way, you will be able to bypass all kinds of restrictions.
Furthermore, this same capability will let you access video streaming services that may not be available from Thailand. We are talking about the likes of US Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, and so on. Even if a “variant” of these services is available locally, in most cases it doesn’t have a catalog of movies and TV shows that is as big as the one offered in the U.S.
In addition, a VPN will keep you protected while connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots — encrypting all traffic coming to and from your device(s). And by doing this, a VPN will make it impossible for a hacker to steal your personal information.
Ultimately, a VPN will get you more privacy online so that no one can know what you’re up to on the Internet. This doesn’t include only the government of Thailand, but also Big Tech companies like Google and Facebook.
In a nutshell, all of us need a VPN these days, and not just to be able to bypass any government’s restrictions, but for many other needs — including:
- Accessing content that could otherwise be restricted in your physical location.
- Preventing tracking and minimizing your digital footprint so that no one can track you online (at least not that easily).
- Avoiding throttling from your ISP – which is known to happen when you’re torrenting or accessing video streaming services.
- Bypassing firewalls in a workplace, university, school and so on.
- Bypassing censorship in places like China, North Korea, countries in the Middle East, and even Turkey and Russia.
- Securely connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots – with a VPN encrypting all the traffic coming to and from your devices.
The bottom line is – get a VPN that fits all your needs. The top contenders include the following:
