Life without a credit card in Thailand

[Lemsta69]

16 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Well add another - and for the many of us older than smart phone zombies and that have not joined that clan QR codes are a modern maze art with very little meaning. ????‍???? 

I'm an "older than smart phone zombie" too. I grew up in the analogue age but since I wasn't born old I adapted once the digital age was upon us. that was back in the '80s when I first had a chance to play with an Apple IIe at school. 

 

adapt or be a boring old curmudgeon until the end of your days ????

[Klonko]

Car rental companies usually require credit cards and do not accept prepaid cards.

 

[Lemsta69]

5 minutes ago, Klonko said:

Car rental companies usually require credit cards and do not accept prepaid cards.

 

I don't think the OP is serious. otherwise he would have already investigated what types of credit cards are available here by looking at previous posts. then maybe posting his findings and then asking if anything has materially changed in the interim.

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

that was back in the '80s when I first had a chance to play with an Apple IIe at school. 

An I was in the Philippines getting ready to retire and running IBM computers with hard drives the size of coffee tables (in fact used for that after service life over).  

 

[Lemsta69]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

An I was in the Philippines getting ready to retire and running IBM computers with hard drives the size of coffee tables (in fact used for that after service life over).  

 

so why are you so anti-technology? even my dear old mammy who's 78 and suffers from all sorts of ailments including early onset dementia can use a smartphone. in fact she's quite happy with the hand-me-down S20+ that I gave her last year. she can even make WhatsApp calls. imagine that LOL.

 

why just the other week she was able to talk to me on WhatsApp AND bring up the hidden text message with the OTP I needed to set up an automated payment for her. 

[The Hammer2021]

I rarely use a credit  card. Why use one? Just use a debit  card.

They can't demand a land line chat....Who has one these days.

Get a UK sim card. I have one for a fiver a month

[The Hammer2021]

20 minutes ago, Klonko said:

Car rental companies usually require credit cards and do not accept prepaid cards.

 

They accept  Debit Cards?

[The Hammer2021]

22 hours ago, saakura said:

Yesterday I went to buy a sanwich and coffee at a Starbucks outlet in Rama 4 road in Bangkok and tried to pay cash and was told that they only accept either a credit card or an online transfer using QR code. No cash accepted even for a 20 baht water bottle if you were to buy one.

So? Use your Thai debit  card or the QR code.  When I was in China  they even thought Credit  Cards were old fashioned the locals all paid with phone  apps

[lopburi3]

7 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

so why are you so anti-technology? even my dear old mammy who's 78 and suffers from all sorts of ailments including early onset dementia can use a smartphone. in fact she's quite happy with the hand-me-down S20+ that I gave her last year. she can even make WhatsApp calls. imagine that LOL.

 

why just the other week she was able to talk to me on WhatsApp AND bring up the hidden text message with the OTP I needed to set up an automated payment for her. 

1.  No need for it.

2.  Do not need it.

3.  WhatsApp?

4.  PIA at size of today.  Has to be too big to be usable.

5.  Old size too out of date and limited.

6.  Power hogs.

7.  Did not say can not use - although there are many or us who have such issues.  But at this point do not need and feel it should be a choice rather than a requirement.

[The Hammer2021]

21 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

why? just use your bank app's QR code function and move on with your life. it's no that hard pal ????

Most people manage

[The Hammer2021]

21 hours ago, Robin said:

Do you have a Thai Credit/debit/ ATM card?  Can be useful in LOS, but remember it is Debit card and might have a low spending limit, and not much use for on-line purchases.  Check with you issuing bank.

I have always kept a UK credit card (Mastercard) to use for emergencies and buying air tickets via Expedia, but be aware that Mastercard will not send you a new card to Thailand

Genmerally i do not find a Credit card very useful in LOS.  Most retailers do not want you to use it and my Kbank card does not give me a statement or any credit, so only a very limited debit/atm card

Hopefully sometime in the next 100 yrs Thailand will catch up with the west on this (Thailand 4.0?)

Hopefully sometime in the next 100 yrs Thailand will catch up with the west on this.

Complete nonsense.  All the institutions that could not service you were western  institutions of which American are notoriously behind current standards  and trends.

I find all the services in Thailand  to be far superior  to the UK and most of  Europe. Better, cheaper and more friendly

[david555]

38 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

I'm an "older than smart phone zombie" too. I grew up in the analogue age but since I wasn't born old I adapted once the digital age was upon us. that was back in the '80s when I first had a chance to play with an Apple IIe at school. 

 

adapt or be a boring old curmudgeon until the end of your days ????

Strange that always the new things must become the main thing while trying to put the old working stuff to the dust bin ...

 

Those old system users have nothing against the new things ....just dont force it to us to use it ....let that our own descision...each at their own choice ....

 

As that looks like dictorial  command

 

 

[Lemsta69]

3 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Most people manage

I got caught out one night whilst on the drink in an upstairs bar on Patpong 2. six grand bar bill and all I had was my Visa debit card and a couple grand leftover from the previous club. they don't accept cards for whatever reason (no issue from me, up to them).

 

I thought the cashier boss going to call in the security boys when I told her I was short. ok no problem you pay by QR. I was three sheets to the wind by then but I managed to pay the bill using the Bangkok Bank app. easy peasy. 

 

paying by QR code, what the problem is? ????

[Lemsta69]

2 minutes ago, david555 said:

Strange that always the new things must become the main thing while trying to put the old working stuff to the dust bin ...

 

Those old system users have nothing against the new things ....just dont force it to us to use it ....let that our own descision...each at their own choice ....

 

As that looks like dictorial  command

 

 

of course it's a "dictatorial command". but realistically what are you going to do about it, stamp your your foot and tell them that you're calling your mummy?

[david555]

8 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

I got caught out one night whilst on the drink in an upstairs bar on Patpong 2. six grand bar bill and all I had was my Visa debit card and a couple grand leftover from the previous club. they don't accept cards for whatever reason (no issue from me, up to them).

 

I thought the cashier boss going to call in the security boys when I told her I was short. ok no problem you pay by QR. I was three sheets to the wind by then but I managed to pay the bill using the Bangkok Bank app. easy peasy. 

 

paying by QR code, what the problem is? ????

A bit more control on your bar spending would have avoided that ????

Edited August 21, 2022 by david555

[david555]

1 minute ago, Lemsta69 said:

of course it's a "dictatorial command". but realistically what are you going to do about it, stamp your your foot and tell them that you're calling your mummy?

Just voting with my feet.....not agreed with the one side ruling ...but just be a sheep and accept everything ...and one day you shall also not be agreed with whatever thing new ...

No one go keep me away from my cash part, and i also use digital online banking , but i CHOOSE WHAT I USE  ,that is the freedom i like ...to have a choise ...or else i choose where i spend my money in my way...thats the final thing

[The Fugitive]

4 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

I got caught out one night whilst on the drink in an upstairs bar on Patpong 2. six grand bar bill and all I had was my Visa debit card and a couple grand leftover from the previous club. they don't accept cards for whatever reason (no issue from me, up to them).

 

I thought the cashier boss going to call in the security boys when I told her I was short. ok no problem you pay by QR. I was three sheets to the wind by then but I managed to pay the bill using the Bangkok Bank app. easy peasy. 

 

paying by QR code, what the problem is? ????

Thanks for the warning. Making a mental note on a sheet of paper here; 'Ensure have enough baht available in Bangkok Bank'. Until now, I have always relied upon U.K. credit cards to cover such eventualities. 

[Lemsta69]

Just now, david555 said:

A bit more control on your bar spending would avoided that ????

nope. the seven P's would have prevented it. Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents P1ss Poor Performance. 

 

it was six grand well spent. more than a few rounds of lady drinks for three or four girls including the naked candle wax showgirl. I'd do it every night but with the markets the way they are now ????????????????

 

 

 

[david555]

14 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

nope. the seven P's would have prevented it. Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents P1ss Poor Performance. 

 

it was six grand well spent. more than a few rounds of lady drinks for three or four girls including the naked candle wax showgirl. I'd do it every night but with the markets the way they are now ????????????????

 

 

 

But still you were surprised and pocket overtaken ...????

But anyway you enjoyed it ...and avoided the security boys and hospital...????????

QR saved you...????

 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by david555

[ThailandRyan]

53 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

An I was in the Philippines getting ready to retire and running IBM computers with hard drives the size of coffee tables (in fact used for that after service life over).  

 

Floppy disks became coffee coasters when we switched to the hard diskettes.  A lot of my first computer games were on floppy disks. My first cell phone was a car phone that was wired into my Suburban

then came the smaller bag phone, the brick phone   and then what we have today.  One wonders how us old dinosaurs from the 60's who grew up with the new technology ever survived.  I had to teach my father how to use the cell phones and his original MOS in the Airforce when he was here in Udon Thani in the 60's was as a radio intercept officer.

[Chris.B]

16 hours ago, ChrisP24 said:

Poppysdad, you might check out virtual wallets like Revolut, Skrill or Chime that also offer a credit card number (it's really a debit card linked to your wallet but payments are processed as credit card charges that don't require a PIN.

Never heard of Skrill and Chime. USA only or UK as well?

 

[worgeordie]

In the UK had several credit cards, as mostly used for business ,

when I retired here 35 years ago cancelled them and used mostly

cash ,some Debit card use online, if they ever go cashless society

here I will be f#cked , don't have a smartphone , sure they can be

useful ,but what I see is they are turning people into Zombies , my

wife good example ,cannot go anywhere without it, MUST answer

it when it rings. why I have banned her bringing it into the bedroom...????

 

regards worgeordie  A.K.A   Johnny CASH.......

[lopburi3]

22 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Floppy disks became coffee coasters when we switched to the hard diskettes.  A lot of my first computer games were on floppy disks. My first cell phone was a car phone that was wired into my Suburban

then came the smaller bag phone, the brick phone   and then what we have today.  One wonders how us old dinosaurs from the 60's who grew up with the new technology ever survived.  I had to teach my father how to use the cell phones and his original MOS in the Airforce when he was here in Udon Thani in the 60's was as a radio intercept officer.

Mine (Army) was 058 manual-Morse intercept operator in 1960 Japan.

[1FinickyOne]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Dishwater coffee tastes as if it has been made with the leftover water from cleaning cups, plates and dishes. As Starbucks serves what it calls coffee in paper cups,

How would you know what dishwater coffee tastes like? I've never had that before...

 

I make my coffee at home but the couple of times I had Starbucks coffee it was ok and came in a ceramic mug... not a paper cup. 

[1FinickyOne]

2 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

In the UK had several credit cards, as mostly used for business ,

when I retired here 35 years ago cancelled them and used mostly

cash ,some Debit card use online, if they ever go cashless society

here I will be f#cked , don't have a smartphone , sure they can be

useful ,but what I see is they are turning people into Zombies , my

wife good example ,cannot go anywhere without it, MUST answer

it when it rings. why I have banned her bringing it into the bedroom...????

 

regards worgeordie  A.K.A   Johnny CASH.......

I also prefer cash - but I do have a smart phone and recently got a QR code and it actually came in handy as a money transfer to a branch in Bkk was free whereas it would have cost me 1,000 baht otherwise... 

[Chris.B]

8 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

I also prefer cash - but I do have a smart phone and recently got a QR code and it actually came in handy as a money transfer to a branch in Bkk was free whereas it would have cost me 1,000 baht otherwise... 

You don't need a QR code to make a bank transfer using your smart phone?

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by Chris.B

[Liverpool Lou]

21 hours ago, tgw said:

legal tender is legal tender.

Private businesses do not have to accept cash, if that's their policy, regardless of it's being legal tender.

[1FinickyOne]

1 minute ago, Chris.B said:

You don't need a QR code to make a bank transfer?

 

of course not, and I have made many w/o one for years... however w/the QR code it was free.. and very easy. 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

Plus, the staff have to bank the takings and there are fewer and fewer bank branches around.

Oh, yes, banks are such a rare sight these days, there hardly ever seen.   Jesus Christ... 

[The Fugitive]

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Oh, yes, banks are such a rare sight these days, there hardly ever seen.   Jesus Christ... 

If it was your business what would you prefer; an employee going on a bank run or remaining at their post serving your customers?