How to watch UK TV in Thailand
Chris
Chris, a UK-born media connoisseur, is an expert in watching international TV. Known as "The Global Screen Wanderer", he has travelled extensively across the globe with long stints away from home. With over 10 years of experience he has become the go-to guru for streaming content from home and abroad.
Thailand is an amazing country but let’s face it, if you’re British the TV for us is absolutely rubbish.
Not only the fact that we can’t understand most of it, it just doesn’t seem to have that same quality as good old telly from blighty.
It’s impossible to get an exact number of expats living in Thailand but with nearly 1 million British visitors to Thailand every year, the number is likely to be high.
Regardless of if you’re an expat or just a visitor in this guide I’m going to show you how you can watch British TV in Thailand using the easiest method available.
This method is suitable for all the free terrestrial channels like BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc and if you have access to subscription services such as Sky Go, BT Sport and others.
Keep scrolling down where I’ll show you exactly how.
What you need to get watching
When you visit any of the UK TV streaming services while in Thailand you’ll be blocked from viewing.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a free to air service or a subscription service, they’re all blocked because you’re outside the UK.
Instead of being able to watch the programmes you want, you’ll see a block message similar to the following:
The good news is all it takes is a service called a VPN and you can unblock every UK TV service.
Below you can find out how.
Just follow the four simple steps below and you’ll be able to watch UK TV in Thailand in minutes.
How to watch British TV in Thailand
Let’s get started and get you watching:
- Visit our recommended VPN provider, ExpressVPN.
- Sign-up to their service and download the correct app for your device. (There’s a 30-day money back guarantee so no worries!)
- Once installed, login and select United Kingdom.
- Press Connect.
Connect to the UK on the ExpressVPN app.
It doesn’t take any longer than 30 seconds for the app to connect.
Once it’s connected all you need to do is visit your favourite online streaming website. This can either be a free-to-air one such as BBC iPlayer or a paid-for one such as Sky Go.
If you think it will be too difficult or you’re struggling to find the correct options then take a look at the image above which shows you exactly what to click.
Once you’ve finished watching you can simply disconnect.
You can reconnect at any time as long as your subscription to ExpressVPN is active.
30-day money back guarantee
What UK TV can I watch?
There is a range of UK TV services which you can now potentially access. Make sure you check the terms & conditions of each service before viewing to ensure it’s allowable.
Some TV services that you may consider accessing:
- BBC iPlayer
- ITV Player
- All 4
- Demand 5
- TVPlayer
You can also potentially access any subscription services if you have a valid subscription. A few of the best that you may have access to include:
- Sky Go
- BT Sport
- Sky Sports
- Eurosport
You can also access any other streaming website that you would normally use in the UK.
30-day money back guarantee
Other VPN providers
ExpressVPN isn’t the only VPN services out there, nor is it the only one suitable to get your UK TV fix while in Thailand.
We recommend ExpressVPN because overall we find them to offer the best service but you’re also free to shop around and check out the competition.
If you’ve got a bit of time on your hands and you want to check out the alternatives then three more VPN providers worth considering are:
All three providers work in the same way as ExpressVPN. Simply sign up to their service, download their app and install it and then connect to their United Kingdom server.
The apps from the other providers will look a little bit different but they function in exactly the same way.
Why are UK TV services blocked?
When you visit one of the UK TV services when you’re in Thailand the website knows your location and so blocks you.
The reason they know your location is because of something called your IP Address.
An IP Address is a set of numbers that look similar to a telephone number and they help the internet function. Without one, nothing would work.
One of the drawbacks of an IP Address is it gives away your location.
A VPN works by allowing you to alter your IP Address to one from another country. That way any website you visit thinks you’re in another country.
In the case of watching UK TV in Thailand, they see that you’re in the UK even though you’re really in Thailand.
Summary
Don’t forget, all you need to get watching is to get yourself a VPN service from ExpressVPN.
You can do that by clicking the link below, signing up and downloading the VPN app.
Then connect to the United Kingdom and enjoy streaming TV from home.
✔ Beginner-friendly
✔ Quick to set up
✔ Money back guarantee
30-day money back guarantee
Could not connect to ExpressVPN…tried numerous times and with EE it costs a fortune anyway, at home in the UK it costs £100 per month for just about everything but here it could be per week ??
Hi Lee,
Don’t fully understand sorry. Why would you be using EE in Thailand? It’s better to use Wi-Fi or buy a local sim card.
Did you get any particular error message when trying to connect to ExpressVPN and did you try their live help who can usually resolve most issues.
What do I need to get BBC I player.i have no subscription or address in the UK
Graham
Thailand
Hi Graham,
You simply have to confirm you have a valid UK TV licence, but you don’t need to enter any of its details.
Follow the guide for the other apps you need.