richard_smith237

Hilarious... You are questioning why means of digital payment vs cash are being discussed on a thread about using a credit cards ????? So... according to you DezLez... We are only allowed to discuss Big-C requiring a Passport for Credit Card use.... but no permitted to discuss credit card payment itself ? Thats kind of out there on the nutcase spectrum and seriously lacks the understanding and compression of what a discussion is, how they evolve and what a discussion forum is actually about... Its not as if we started discussion the pro’s of flying vs taking a motorcycle !!!....

Sometimes the person in front paying with the QR code is slower. They let the cashier ring up all their items... Then they get their phone out, then take of their mask for face recognition to open the phone, then search through their phone looking for the Bank App, then open the App, the do face recognition again, then select QR Payment, then take 5 attempts to scan because they are only lined up with half the image... then finally scan, bingo... But, that same type of person is the one who never has their wallet ready until all the times have been rung up and they are then given the amount... they dig around for cash etc... then faf about as they are receiving change.... they are slower than the efficient people with QR codes / credit cards. So... swings and roundabouts - but, an efficient person using a Credit Card or QR code is just as quick as an efficient person using cash..... And the Tap ’n Go is quicker than them all by far !!!... Each to their own.... I think I implied that there is something strange about people who try so hard to justify using cash above all else and dig up some quite irrational excuses.... .... and then there’s the cash is quicker argument used a lot by people who for some reason just don’t like digital payment when its a false claim... cash is not quicker at all when comparing like for like. You stated that you use CC’s in the UK supermarkets but not in Thailand... whatever your implication was the point was moot because you don’t have a Thai Credit Card so you are not offering a like for like comparison between credit card use in the UK and credit card use in Thailand - you don’t want to use your UK card in Thailand because it would be more expensive to do so than paying cash. A sensible choice, but not a sensible argument to present as a comparison between using CC’s in Thailand and the UK.

Wear your face mask and do your best to protect others and thats about all you can do - I don’t think anyone begrudges you going to immigration, its a necessary trip. I suspect there are 100’s of thousands of people walking around positive without knowing - the only difference is you know and will take better precautions, thats all. Online test results - you mean examples right ??? Positive ATK tests usually have two lines (same colour - both usually red)... But that depends on the test itself. I’ve not seen an ATK (Lateral flow test) which has different coloured lines - you may be getting wires crossed there. T (Test) is the first line / C (Control) is the second line. C = Negative Valid test. C & T = Positive Valid test T = Invalid test

Perhaps should have led with that info !!!

Its actually a very interesting point... Why some don’t want to use credit cards, they are scare of fraud or their purchases being somehow tracked and logged ? - do the same people carry the same fear with online purchases on Amazon or Lazada ? Why do some not want to pay with QR codes ?..... is it really slower, quicker ? I don’t think there is much difference at all, but some people clearly do... why do they think that? they see someone using QR payment, its different and the change somehow upsets them such that they develop some distorted bias ? Is cash really better ??? --------- I can go a whole month in Bangkok and only use tiny amounts of cash... For flag-fall Taxi’s and to pay the 10b or 20b to take the shortcut through the nearby moo-baan.... perhaps cash at a bar etc.. In any month perhaps 10% of my spend is cash these days... its just interesting how experiences differ... Its more interesting how some people a really fearful of digital payment. Even more interesting how they’ll justify not using it.

Discussions evolve... They always have and always do... You are free to continue discussing the point that Big-C wanted to see a Passport, but that issue has already been explained - It was simply a Proof of ID for a ‘points’ thing rather than requiring a Passport to use a Credit Card - Op didn’t explain clearly and misunderstood... The discussion of course evolved to ‘Why use a Credit Card to pay in a Supermarket, why no use Cash’ which is a very very close point to the Op itself... So... to use your words... ‘go away and read a new thread’ !!!

We had moved the discussion on to what is the best method of payment , cash or card . I was stating how progressive it is in the UK with card payments and Thailand will likely catch up within a few years Thailand already is extremely progressive.... QR payment here is extremely convenient and pretty much every point of sale apart from wet-markets and beer-bars !! Credit Card payment is everywhere and extremely convenient, although many places still want to charge 3% which is somewhat irritating (I like to use my CC and get the points). Apple Pay and Google Pay have not really evolved here - so Thailand is somewhat behind the times with that... but when it does, it will be extremely convent to just ’swipe’ your phone or watch over an NFC Payment machine, click yes and there you have it.. paid... Cash is king ?????..... No... Cash is out-dated. And for the ’tin-foil-hatters’ who worry about being tracked - At some point soon we may be able to pay in crypto via NFC and no one can trace it.

No - but I am not sure that even if I had that I would use it. My personal choice and the reasons are not relevant to this thread in case anybody was going to ask. Fair enough - but you made it relevant when you stated that you pay with credit cards all the time in the UK but don’t in Thailand... The reality is you don’t have a Thai Credit card making your statement moot because your comparison is not presented on a even playing field...

You could get those ‘thumbs working’....

You have concerns over theft and fraud, but never about loosing your wallet ? I think perhaps you are being selective in your pro’s and con’s. IF my wallet is stolen or I loose it - I loose the cash. What about ’skimming at an ATM’ - never worried about that ? I am protected from any fraudulent activity on my cards. QR payment is as secure as the user - i.e. I could thumb in the wrong amount by mistake, although usually the amount is automatic from the QR receipt. Tap n go also presents a risk of theft which is why we should place our cards in an RIFD / NFC blocking wallet (which many are these days).

Each to our own, but lets make sure we are thinking of this from a balanced perspective. Do you have a Thai issued credit card to pay with ??? I pretty much use cards exclusively here and the UK... But I use my Thai CC here and my UK CC in the UK.

You are somewhat lost. This is a Thai forum. What occurs outside the borders of Thailand is largely irrelevant. You are totally lost... What Mac has described happens in Thailand... Plenty of Tops Supermarkets around with self-check out. All points of sale accept credit-card and QR payment. Many PoS take ’Tap and Go' Many Take Google Pay /. ApplePay (and that is growing). Rabbit Pay has been around for a While. Cash... A growing number are no longer accepting cash. Go to a supermarket and there are ‘card only’ checkouts. Who is ’somewhat lost’ ??.... You are, you’re lost in the wrong entry BonMot... Thailand has moved on and is continuing to do so.

Hmmm.... Sorry to break it to you boomer... cash is no faster than paying with QR code or Credit Card..... the transactions take a similar amount of time... IF paying by credit card takes YOU so long, thats your issue... You’ll probably be equally as slow finding the cash in your wallet then waiting for change. iF paying by QR code takes YOU so long, again thats your issue... You need to get up to date with technology. Payment via NFC is instant... and quicker than anything else - it doesn’t surprise me if you don’t know what that is. 'Real men use cash' ??? ..... haha.... real men don’t make such ridiculous claims !!!

You have seen loads of posts that Pattaya Policemen don’t accept foreign licences ??? Strange, I haven’t.... But I have seen lots of posts where foreigners are stopped and believe the BiB are targeting foreigners... Because thats the law... If you are on a resident visa (non-Imm etc) you need to have a Thai licence. It’s also a good ID to carry around. It also shows the BiB that ‘you know the game’ if stopped and are not a tourist to be fleeced - which what I guess your point it. Agreed... the main tourist area’s are always a good money earner for the corrupt BiB - they hope a foreigner is not wearing helmet, or can’t show a copy of the green-book, or is on an untaxed vehicle etc.... And, if a Policeman pulls over a tourist (i.e. a British Tourist) riding a motorcycle with a British Car licence, they rightfully fine them... Its the motorcyclist in Pattaya who are targeted because the BiB know so many of them are not properly licensed. They don’t bother so much with car drivers unless its night time for a DUI check point. IF a Policeman in Pattaya stops a driver who has a British Driving license, I don’t think the BiB laugh in their faces... they may ask for an IDP.. it then depends how well you communicate with them and inform them its not needed... mileage clearly varies. I’ve been pulled over twice in Pattaya (area) - One for speeding another for being in the right hand lane when I ’should’ have been in the left.... (I’d just passed another vehicle). Both times the BiB were clearly chancing it... I argued my point, they couldn’t prove speeding (couldn’t even tell me how fast I was going), and the second one I just laughed, of course I was, I was passing another car.... Both situations they realised they were getting absolutely nowhere. - The point I want to make there is: Sometimes foreigners get pulled over for a ’nothing reason’ then come on here and moan about it thinking they’ve been targeted, when really, just like every other motorist in the area they have been politely extorted by the BiB. -------- All of that said: I do believe it easier for a tourist to carry an IDP - I’ve said that all along. But I do believe you will want to find something to argue with even if agreeing with me !!

If you’re projecting and don’t think the ‘socks n sandalled boomers’ fit in there you maybe right... If you’re the type of person who thinks ‘real’ Thailand is mor-lam music and listening to destitute splay-toed farmgirls calling you hansom-man while trying to earn an extra buck in a bar, then you might be right !!! Yet, the area is and always has been very popular with young Thai’s.... and not for the ‘back-packer’ element, but because the area has a vibrant nightlife and has for decades...

Reckon he’s gonna take her to Koh Chang ?

Would they not accept your Thai Drivers licence as proof of ID in such circumstances ???? They insisted on Passport ??? Sometimes Thai’s say ‘passport’ when what they really mean is any form of photo ID... perhaps this was the case ?

In the real world of what actually happens, in Pattaya, police would laugh in your face if you show them a foreign licence, more money for them Don’t you have a Thai Licence ???...... The Police in Pattaya always laugh in your face when you show them your foreign licence ???... otherwise how would you know this ??? That said: I do agree with your point, its just easier and avoids hassle if you have an IPD to accompany a foreign licence... But, if someone has already arrived in Thailand and does not have an IDP and can’t get one, they they can legally drive in Thailand on their Foreign licence if its in English, has Photo ID and is from one of the countries signatory to either the 1949 or 1968 convention on road traffic.

This figure comes from the SAS, which the article says is an independent research project, located at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Why would an institute in Switzerland distort gun ownership figures in Thailand? I look forward to your 'conspiracy theory' explanation. No conspiracy at all.... Just questioning the stats... how is the data collected ??? Who sourced this data? are they simply listing the numbers they were provided with? and who gave them this information? is it valid, how was the information collected... Having been both here and the Philippines knowing a lot of Thai friends and Philippine friends, having worked in both countries.... I would argue that there are more guns in the Philippines than in Thailand which is why this article surprised me. I have... And to Filipinos more.... thats why I would have expected to read that there are more guns per capita in the Philippines than in Thailand.

No its not... Boomers tend to be very selective about this because they seem to dislike change. I haven't paid with cash in a supermarket for years... because its so much quicker and convenient to pay by card. The people who are slow to pay with ‘cashless methods’ are the same people who are also slow to pay with cash. Tap and go is very simple and quick. Payment with a credit card is a quick as handing over a card, then signing a receipt. Payment with a QR code is also as quick and simple as paying with cash.

you allegedly drive with a foreign licence, no IDP? not been stopped by police? Two different things in play here... What Police think the law is Vs What the Law is !!! Firstly - Some police ask for an IDP, try arguing that you don’t need one with a Police officer who doesn’t know the law, but has learnt it from his colleagues who in turn learnt from his colleagues etc etc... So.. Its advisable for tourists to have an IDP, but the letter of the law does not require a tourist to carry an IDP. For many visitors on a Tourist Visa or Visa exempt entry, with driving licences issued in countries which are signatories to either the 1949 Geneva, or the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic an IDP is not required IF the driving license issued in the home country has a photo ID and is in English. Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522 (1979) - translated below, highlights this: Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522 (1979). https://driving-in-thailand.com/motor-vehicle-act/ http://web.krisdika.go.th/data/outsitedata/outsite21/file/Vehicle_Act_BE_2522_(1979).pdf Signatories listed here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Convention_on_Road_Traffic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Convention_on_Road_Traffic ---------------- Those on resident Visa’s (i.e. Non-Imm O and Non-Imm B etc) need to get a Thai Driving Licence. That discussion is covered here. https://aseannow.com/topic/1039100-international-driving-permit/

Yes, you are free to leave the Airport - Check Visa status (mostly not needed but if travelling with a Thai they need a transit visa to enter Dubai). Landing at 7pm - flight out at 9am: It would be easy to get a hotel in Dubai, chill out by the pool in the evening, have beer and bite to eat, have a good nights sleep, get up and get to the airport for 7:30am and walk straight to your flight. Uber in Dubai is reliable / Hotels near the airport are relatively inexpensive. Something like Crowne Plaza at Festival City (10 mins from the Airport by Taxi - about 4500 baht per night) and nest to festival city shopping mall.... If you have a vaccine cert or PCR cert - print them off. No one is checking them anymore anyway, but just incase they do you don’t want to have run out of battery on your phone etc...

I don’t know from reading the article looks to me that dad had to work to me it’s a horrible horrible accident I’m sure the father will grieve for the rest of his life it’s just a sad horrible accident rip little one I hope the family can find some peace and perhaps heal with time sad…… Just because he ‘didn’t want’ that to happen doesn’t mean its an accident... Its negligence... The father had warned the child, he knew the child was at risk yet continued rather than ensuring the area was safe.... total, utterly complete carelessness and negligence. I feel sorry for the poor feckless father, but he is wholly responsible for his ignorance of the risks he placed the child at.

This ‘gun control’.... is it going to be as effective as enforcing traffic laws, as effective as enforcing helmet wearing, stopping at pedestrian crossings.... .. its all just hot air... Ban guns... Ban policemen from taking their guns home. Ban the army from taking their guns out of barracks. Jail time for those breaking the laws Its difficult because pandoras box is already open... but Australia managed it. That said - given the amount of guns in Thailand gun crime is not as prolific as it is in the states which by far exceeds countries such as Thailand on gun-death per capita basis. Something needs to be done of course - the knee jerk ‘controls to be tightened’ is just media lip-service, we know nothing will change because change takes effort.

Easy enough if they have a job here in Thailand , their own funds etc... i.e. genuine reason to return etc... and the rest of the requirements are met with bookings, itineraries etc...