Thai App Store vs your own countries

[cyril sneer]

Question for longer term expats

 

Do you switch your phones App Store to the Thailand one 

 

I’ve done so but thinking of changing it back to my UK one, really need my bank app but worry I’ll lose access to the Thai bank apps

 

What do you use?  

[poppysdad]

Personally I find it ridiculous that we cannot in this day and age just download app from any country. There are on occasions apps on the Thai website that would be useful to me but I cannot access them because I’m tied to the uk website. Yes I know I can change to the Thai one but then it becomes even more ridiculous that I have to have a SE Asian or American registered credit card, cannot use my uk one even for free apps. 

[JayClay]

Which phone are you using?

 

If it's an Android phone you can link up multiple gmail accounts in multiple countries.

[sometimewoodworker]

37 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

 

Do you switch your phones App Store to the Thailand one 

 

I’ve done so but thinking of changing it back to my UK one, really need my bank app but worry I’ll lose access to the Thai bank apps

 

What do you use?  

Changing your AppStore account to the U.K. AppStore is not a good move.

I had 4 AppStore accounts until 3 years ago when I retired.

1 (main account) in the U.K. where all my money purchased apps are from

1 (no credit card account) in the USA for a couple of free apps that are USA only

1 (with local credit card) in Japan

1 (that was a no card account) for Thailand 

 

All the apps downloaded work in all the countries I live in or visit

 

So create a U.K. AppStore account and use that for your bank app, continue using the Thai store for Thai apps.

 

NB this is for the Apple AppStore, I have no idea about android 

 

Edited September 22, 2022 by sometimewoodworker

[Pooreye]

28 minutes ago, poppysdad said:

Personally I find it ridiculous that we cannot in this day and age just download app from any country. There are on occasions apps on the Thai website that would be useful to me but I cannot access them because I’m tied to the uk website. Yes I know I can change to the Thai one but then it becomes even more ridiculous that I have to have a SE Asian or American registered credit card, cannot use my uk one even for free apps. 

That card thing sounds strange? I have never linked any card to my apple id, and can switch from danish to thai appstore and back, to download (free) apps. My bank apps works fine in both regions.

[poppysdad]

Nothing wrong with my card Pooreye, I’ve had it for decades and used it in many different countries including Thailand in just about every scenario possible with no problems whatsoever except for Apple.

No problem with uk app site but if I want to register with the Thai app site when it gets to register my card it gets rejected and the statement reads card has to be registered in the following countries which all are SE Asia or the USA. 
When Siam Icon opened in Bangkok we went into the Apple Store to buy a new iMac, credit card accepted but I asked if they could deliver as my car was parked across the river, the reply was that I would have to order online, I replied that Apple online would not accept my credit card although the store does, he went to check and confirmed I was correct. Ridiculous. 
Have since given up, their loss not mine. 

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

Question for longer term expats

 

Do you switch your phones App Store to the Thailand one 

 

I’ve done so but thinking of changing it back to my UK one, really need my bank app but worry I’ll lose access to the Thai bank apps

 

What do you use?  

Never spent a single thought on that.

Not even aware about this country switch on PlayStore.

Have four Thai banking apps, one German banking app and WISE.

All work flawless.

 

Can't comment whether there are UK specific problems.

Edited September 22, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[warrima]

Ive noticed recently (last few years) that much less apps are region locked. I used to always have the problem with my maybank app from malaysia. I would always have to switch stores to get updates. Even had to just google the apk and install it directly on occasion. Now i just stay on the thai store and they all work fine. 

[DFPhuket]

I periodically change from the US store to the Thai store and back. There are certain Thai apps that are not available on the US store (e.g., Starbucks Thailand) so to download new version or update I have to set the store to my Thai address. It used to be that i had to add my Thai debit/credit card to make the switch as well, but I seem to recall that wasn't needed last time. 

 

I haven't lost the ability to use any apps (e.g., SCB or Bangkok Bank) when making the change. After doing an update, I switch back to the US store since I prefer the App Store to have a credit card rather than a debit card. 

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Never spent a single thought on that.

Not even aware about this country switch on PlayStore.

Have four Thai banking apps, one German banking app and WISE.

All work flawless.

 

Can't comment whether there are UK specific problems.

No UK problems for me with 4 Banking Apps, WISE, National Lottery (need VPN to log in) and a few more. I use 3BB internet.

[KannikaP]

16 minutes ago, DFPhuket said:

since I prefer the App Store to have a credit card rather than a debit card. 

So you like to pay for the App a month later, or in bits.

[extercy]

For Android Play Store, this is what I have experience.

 

Google account is Malaysia and I cannot download apps from Thailand with the exception when I am .. well my phone is physically in Thailand with internet access.

 

To get around this geo-restriction, I would create a Google account when I am in Thailand. By doing this and having both accounts in my Android phone, there will be no problems with apps downloading and updating. Apps from both countries will remain functioning in the phone.

 

I cannot recall the scenario for iPhone as I have switch for a few years but my iPhone have apps from 2 countries also without issue. If I am not mistaken, I have 2 iTunes account for both the countries.

[DFPhuket]

50 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So you like to pay for the App a month later, or in bits.

There is no charge for the apps in which I'm referring (e.g, Starbucks Thailand). It's just that I can't download or update a few of them at all if I'm not using the Thai App Store.

 

The credit card comment was about using a credit card instead of debit for any online site. Having someone fraudulently drain funds from your bank account via a debit card is much more problematic than fraudulent charges being posted on a credit card. 

[SportRider]

8 hours ago, JayClay said:

Which phone are you using?

 

If it's an Android phone you can link up multiple gmail accounts in multiple countries.

Yes this is the way .. I have Gmail accounts for UK, UAE, Thailand, and Singapore..  Just select the country I want in Play Store.

[Kalasin Jo]

8 hours ago, poppysdad said:

Personally I find it ridiculous that we cannot in this day and age just download app from any country. There are on occasions apps on the Thai website that would be useful to me but I cannot access them because I’m tied to the uk website. Yes I know I can change to the Thai one but then it becomes even more ridiculous that I have to have a SE Asian or American registered credit card, cannot use my uk one even for free apps. 

According to Google if you switch your account with them to Thailand to access the Thai version of Playstore then you are stuck with it for 365 days. Not sure what switching will do overall. Not here all the time too.

 

Most things work with my French registration but I can't access the PEA app to pay bills. Why do I need the app to do so? I can and do pay 3 BB bills directly from their website or I can do it from Bangkok Bank online site. PEA does not appear on Bangkok Bank listing of possible payees. Oh well. 711 it is for now as before to pay PEA unless anyone has any other ideas to pay online.

[Paradise Pete]

7 hours ago, poppysdad said:

When Siam Icon opened in Bangkok we went into the Apple Store to buy a new iMac, credit card accepted but I asked if they could deliver as my car was parked across the river, the reply was that I would have to order online, I replied that Apple online would not accept my credit card although the store does, he went to check and confirmed I was correct. Ridiculous. 
Have since given up, their loss not mine. 

I've purchased from apple.com/th many times using a US credit card, including one item I later returned. All went smoothly, free delivery on everything and free pickup for the return.

Edited September 22, 2022 by Paradise Pete

[phetphet]

I have an  iPhone with a Thai phone number. The phone is registered to my UK App Store. I have downloaded several Thai banking app from that store and use them all without problems

[richard_smith237]

39 minutes ago, phetphet said:

I have an  iPhone with a Thai phone number. The phone is registered to my UK App Store. I have downloaded several Thai banking app from that store and use them all without problems

There are some Apps which are not available on the Thai App store. 

There are some Apps which are only available on the Thai App store.

 

Not many, but it has caused inconvenience at times - example: 

When I am on the UK app store and my Mor Prom app needed updating, or I needed to register with the Immigration (Section 32 app) which I couldn’t find online and had to switch. 

 

Switching between the stores (locations) is not an issue, UNLESS you have an on going subscription.

I had an on going Subscription to Apple TV which was for a year, I couldn’t change App store until that subscription had ended... a ridiculous PITA.

[extercy]

2 hours ago, Kalasin Jo said:

According to Google if you switch your account with them to Thailand to access the Thai version of Playstore then you are stuck with it for 365 days. Not sure what switching will do overall. Not here all the time too......

Yea.. this method is not convenient, that was why I created a Google account for each country that I use local apps as mentioned in my post above. Switching between the Play Stores are easy ... Play Store search bar, on far right there is your profile picture. Swipe on it to change between accounts. No need to change if you do updates as it will update whatever apps you have no matter the country.

 

Edited September 22, 2022 by extercy

[phetphet]

52 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

There are some Apps which are not available on the Thai App store. 

There are some Apps which are only available on the Thai App store.

 

Not many, but it has caused inconvenience at times - example: 

When I am on the UK app store and my Mor Prom app needed updating, or I needed to register with the Immigration (Section 32 app) which I couldn’t find online and had to switch. 

 

Switching between the stores (locations) is not an issue, UNLESS you have an on going subscription.

I had an on going Subscription to Apple TV which was for a year, I couldn’t change App store until that subscription had ended... a ridiculous PITA.

I have Mor Prom. Never had any problems updating. My Thai phone has only ever been used with UK app store. Same my Thai banking apps.

[sometimewoodworker]

9 hours ago, phetphet said:

I have Mor Prom. Never had any problems updating. My Thai phone has only ever been used with UK app store. Same my Thai banking apps.

However that does not invalidate the point that there are apps that are exclusively in the Thai Apple  App Store 2 are the PEA Smart plus and 1 or more of the immigration apps 

 

as I have said I don’t do Android so I can’t comment on it.

Edited September 23, 2022 by sometimewoodworker

[phetphet]

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

However that does not invalidate the point that there are apps that are exclusively in the Thai Apple  App Store 2 are the PEA Smart plus and 1 or more of the immigration apps 

 

as I have said I don’t do Android so I can’t comment on it.

I agree. But the OP specifically mentioned his banking apps and I have no problem using any of my ones.

Such apps are probably on many other countries stores due to the number of foreigners having accounts here. 

 

The only thing he might have to check is if there is any difference downloading a particular app froma different store.

 

I just did a quick search and  found Kasikorn, SCB, Bangkok, KrungThai, Bank of Ayudyha (KrungSri), CIMB Thai, and Thanachart. There are probably more.

[Kalasin Jo]

22 hours ago, extercy said:

Yea.. this method is not convenient, that was why I created a Google account for each country that I use local apps as mentioned in my post above. Switching between the Play Stores are easy ... Play Store search bar, on far right there is your profile picture. Swipe on it to change between accounts. No need to change if you do updates as it will update whatever apps you have no matter the country.

 

Cunning plan! My wife has a Thai registered Google account. Guess I could use hers for what I need.