Hello, in provincial Thailand around New year 22-23 I saw Thai people "pay by scan" in many small shops and noodle carts. They held their mobile phone onto the vendors’ QR codes, and 10 seconds later the payment was confirmed.

Thais were perplexed that I (foreign tourist) couldn't "pay by scan". One time a car wash almost didn't wash my car because I wasn't able to pay by scan, and they didn't like cash (maybe because of corona worries). I didn't see much "pay by scan" in Bangkok or Pattaya, but it was widely used upcountry. And I would like to use it too, if reasonable for a foreign tourist staying 2+ months. I would use it to pay groceries, restaurants, noodle stalls, hotels, gas stations, Bolt and Grab drivers.

I will come back to provincial Thailand on another tourist trip around New year 23-24 for 2+ months (aware of visa rules). Can I as a foreign tourist do this "pay by scan" easily, or do I need a Thai bank account etc etc to "pay by scan"? I do have Google Wallet in the phone, and it's connected to two traveler-friendly Visa credit cards without foreign fees ("home currency" is Euro). And I will have an AIS SIM card.

If access to "pay by scan" is rather complicated to get for a mere tourist, I would stick with cash.

Thanks for your advice!

You'll need a thai bank account which isn't easy to get on a tourist visa.

 

Truemoneywallet is also an option, i only use that in 7 Eleven and Otteri but perhaps it's ok for general use, I've not tried

Yes, you need a Thai bank account. In 7/11 Shops and some other shops with NFC capable reader you can also pay with Google Pay!!

9 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Truemoneywallet is also an option

Thanks! So I will forget about "pay by scan".

 

I will look into Truemoneywallet, or maybe another forum member could say here if that service is useful for a tourist to pay everyday things like groceries, restaurants, gasoline.

Just pay with cash.  You'll end up "upcountry" (without a paddle) if you believe you can do cashless transactions in the part of Thailand where power and internet outages are a fact of life. 

???? "I'm sorry.  I can't pay you right now because the power is off."
???????? "You give me money - NOW."
???? "I'm sorry.  I don't have any money."
???? ???? ????

17 minutes ago, connda said:

Just pay with cash.  You'll end up "upcountry" (without a paddle) if you believe you can do cashless transactions in the part of Thailand where power and internet outages are a fact of life. 

???? "I'm sorry.  I can't pay you right now because the power is off."
???????? "You give me money - NOW."
???? "I'm sorry.  I don't have any money."
???? ???? ????

If you have WiFi & battery on your phone, the scanning app should read their QR code and transfer the money to their bank, even if their lekky is off. 

How do market traders or lottery sellers do it?

4 hours ago, connda said:

 

Just pay with cash.  You'll end up "upcountry" (without a paddle) if you believe you can do cashless transactions in the part of Thailand where power and internet outages are a fact of life. 

 

living in the part of Thailand that you are referring to , you are absolutely wrong. almost every shop and vender does scan to pay, PromptPay or direct bank transfer for almost every transaction from a few baht to hundreds of thousands. I carry some cash with me but almost never need to use it. certainly it may be convenient in the fresh food market to use cash rather than scan but since everyone has a bank account and can use PromptPay using their phone number if they wish

Here in Isaan territory it is  very true that digital payments are very  common but I have yet  to come across  any  business or vendor that will refuse  cash.

The Makro Branch I frequent has a "cash only" checkout which defies  a claim I have seen that Makro only accepts electronic  payments.

That might please some checkout operators who have to have the patience to deal with a Mom & Pop store owner who  counts out copious numbers of 20 Bht notes to pay for 5 Thousand worth of mixed  items which requires them to recount it !

Thailand may indeed be rapidly participating in the cashless economy project which leaves Tourists and/or non Thai Bank account holders at increasing disadvantage. But not exclusively in the rapidly changing global suppression of  human cattle.

 

5 hours ago, connda said:

Just pay with cash.  You'll end up "upcountry" (without a paddle) if you believe you can do cashless transactions in the part of Thailand where power and internet outages are a fact of life. 

???? "I'm sorry.  I can't pay you right now because the power is off."
???????? "You give me money - NOW."
???? "I'm sorry.  I don't have any money."
???? ???? ????

Yes, or the scanner doesn't work or people are so incompetent they cannot get it right on their phones for a 20 b purchase.  It is a huge waste I hate being behind people who scan always some problem maybe find a way to carry 20 b with you!

57 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Yes, or the scanner doesn't work or people are so incompetent they cannot get it right on their phones for a 20 b purchase.  It is a huge waste I hate being behind people who scan always some problem maybe find a way to carry 20 b with you!

This is a common boomer argument...  boomers stuck behind other boomers !!! 

 

Paying by 'scan' is quicker than using cash for all but the technically inept...  with an added bonus of not ending up with loads of coin. 

 

That said.. there are other valid argument for society not to go cashless, but those debates have been discussed in many other threads. 

 

The main argument I see here is that IF vendors are going 'cashless' and actually do not accept cash, that is going to impact those who do not have Thai accounts.

That said, I doubt business are going to be as daft as to reject cash.

 

 

If the Op really wants the convenience of 'going cashless' and paying with PromptPay type systems the best thing he can do is try to get a Thai Bank Account. 

 

 

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Yes, or the scanner doesn't work or people are so incompetent they cannot get it right on their phones for a 20 b purchase.  It is a huge waste I hate being behind people who scan always some problem maybe find a way to carry 20 b with you!

How many items are rounded to the price of a convenient note ?

Prices of things are more 'odd'... So how are you paying for your 21 baht 50 satang pack of sweets ??  Scan and go is quicker than waiting for 8.5 baht in change....

 

And scan an go is also quicker than waiting for the person to dig out their change. 

 

The reality of all of these arguments is that the same person who causes people to wait with cashless transactions is the same person who hasn't got their wallet/purse out of their pockets/handbag until the cashier tells them the amount... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

How many items are rounded to the price of a convenient note ?

Prices of things are more 'odd'... So how are you paying for your 21 baht 50 satang pack of sweets ??  Scan and go is quicker than waiting for 8.5 baht in change....

 

And scan an go is also quicker than waiting for the person to dig out their change. 

 

The reality of all of these arguments is that the same person who causes people to wait with cashless transactions is the same person who hasn't got their wallet/purse out of their pockets/handbag until the cashier tells them the amount... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you're too important to wait 30 seconds then perhaps the issue lies with you and not the person paying with cash 

CASH IS FREEDOM

 

Cannot believe people actually wanna pay cashless while I leave any store that does not accept my cash.

41 minutes ago, Dan O said:

57 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

How many items are rounded to the price of a convenient note ?

Prices of things are more 'odd'... So how are you paying for your 21 baht 50 satang pack of sweets ??  Scan and go is quicker than waiting for 8.5 baht in change....

 

And scan an go is also quicker than waiting for the person to dig out their change. 

 

The reality of all of these arguments is that the same person who causes people to wait with cashless transactions is the same person who hasn't got their wallet/purse out of their pockets/handbag until the cashier tells them the amount... 

If you're too important to wait 30 seconds then perhaps the issue lies with you and not the person paying with cash 

I completely agree... I'm not the one complaining that people who using 'scan pay' methods cause delays....   the point is, people using cash also sometimes cause delays...  so the argument that 'cashless is slower' is flawed.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is a common boomer argument...  boomers stuck behind other boomers !!! 

Utterly witless statement.

 

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Paying by 'scan' is quicker than using cash for all but the technically inept...  with an added bonus of not ending up with loads of coin.

Not necessarily true, depending on the bank app. But one wouldn’t understand this being socially inept.

16 minutes ago, FarAway said:

CASH IS FREEDOM

 

Cannot believe people actually wanna pay cashless while I leave any store that does not accept my cash.

What freedom exactly... ?

 

My phone gives me the freedom to pay for anything I want (up to bank account limits)... 

My Thai credit card (also cashless) gives me the freedom to pay for anything up to 1.2 million Baht.

 

Cash.. is rather limiting.

 

 

 

Always carry cash, some situations it’s more convenient. Sometimes power is out and the shop is unable to do an electronic transaction. Immigration, cash only. Dead cellular zone or the cell system is down for maintenance. 

14 minutes ago, novacova said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is a common boomer argument...  boomers stuck behind other boomers !!! 

Utterly witless statement.

 

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Paying by 'scan' is quicker than using cash for all but the technically inept...  with an added bonus of not ending up with loads of coin.

Not necessarily true, depending on the bank app. But one wouldn’t understand this being socially inept.

Apologies if the word 'boomer' stings... 

 

Paying by Bank app really is extremely simple...     If you find it slower than cash, thats on you,... millions of Thai's already have no issue with this whatsoever... those who are slow will get used to it and speed up.

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, novacova said:

Always carry cash, some situations it’s more convenient. Sometimes power is out and the shop is unable to do an electronic transaction. Immigration, cash only. Dead cellular zone or the cell system is down for maintenance. 

Agreed on this...    There's no reason for cashless to replace cash... 

 

The biggest reason for me to not want to go 100% cashless is the risk of my battery being drained...    all the other reasons people mention such as 'dead zones'...  etc are a stretch... 

 

There are pro's and con's and I'm not fimly in the 'Pro cashless camp'...  its more than I'm against the dumb arguments against cashless...  Having the option for both is the convenient option. 

 

One example is Bangkok Bank... It seems that around midnight paying by PromptPay with Bangkok bank often returns and error... so I have to switch and pay with SCB, use a CC or pay with cash.... 

 

 

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

What freedom exactly... ?

 

My phone gives me the freedom to pay for anything I want (up to bank account limits)... 

My Thai credit card (also cashless) gives me the freedom to pay for anything up to 1.2 million Baht.

 

Cash.. is rather limiting.

 

 

 

 

Are you serious?

Your bank app can be disabled by your bank if you behave in a "wrong manner", maybe ordered by the government.

While this is not being applied right now, de facto it is a possibility. In China it is being done already, they are exploring a CBDC as well.

 

While with cash, no one can interfere in between you and another party to transact with cash. WITHOUT ANY limits by the way.

 

I think most people who cluelessly use cashless payments do not even understand what door they are opening with their behavior.

2 minutes ago, FarAway said:

 

Are you serious?

Your bank app can be disabled by your bank if you behave in a "wrong manner", maybe ordered by the government.

While this is not being applied right now, de facto it is a possibility. In China it is being done already, they are exploring a CBDC as well.

 

While with cash, no one can interfere in between you and another party to transact with cash. WITHOUT ANY limits by the way.

 

I think most people who cluelessly use cashless payments do not even understand what door they are opening with their behavior.

A bit tin-foil hat that...  Do you keep your savings under your mattress ?

31 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

A bit tin-foil hat that...  Do you keep your savings under your mattress ?

Why tin-foil-hat? Did you even have a look at China? 

Even if it were not for China, you do believe the government would not use a cashless system to enhance their power and silence people who criticize them? Are you really THAT naive?

But no sense to try to convince some old expats here, Thailand is anyway doomed when it comes to this, as the locals totally and blindly follow the heard in any sense, be it COVID vaccines and masking or digital money. 

Saw 2 masked kids today again. Cannot wait to leave this dystopian <deleted>hole soon :) 

59 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I completely agree... I'm not the one complaining that people who using 'scan pay' methods cause delays....   the point is, people using cash also sometimes cause delays...  so the argument that 'cashless is slower' is flawed.

No your comenting the cash users slow you down  so again if your too important to wait the extra 30 seconds they aren't the issue

1 hour ago, FarAway said:

CASH IS FREEDOM

 

Cannot believe people actually wanna pay cashless while I leave any store that does not accept my cash.

Tell that to Subway who insist on payment by scan or credit card. 

53 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Apologies if the word 'boomer' stings... 

no apologies necessary. It comes off as an ineptitude of a social dysfunction as noted on other threads as well.

20 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

If access to "pay by scan" is rather complicated to get for a mere tourist, I would stick with cash.

Cash is probably best for a tourist, every vendor you’ll be doing transactions with will take your money, they want you to come here because they want your money. Be sure to carry small denomination cash, a lot of small street vendors don’t like breaking ฿1000 especially early in the morning.

51 minutes ago, alien365 said:

Tell that to Subway who insist on payment by scan or credit card. 

Why should I talk to them? They are completely irrelevant for my life, they can insist on what they want. I hope they will go broke by their moves, but definitely not in Thailand, sheeps will still buy their overpriced <deleted>ty coffee their despite them opening the door for state abuse.

5 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I carry some cash with me but almost never need to use it.

I carry my phone with me (sometimes) but almost never need to use it.  Cash is king.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

FarAway said:
Are you serious?

Your bank app can be disabled by your bank if you behave in a "wrong manner", maybe ordered by the government.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

A bit tin-foil hat that..

"Tin-foil hat?"  Nope.  Just ask Nigel Farage and a few thousand Canadian truckers. 

 

42 minutes ago, connda said:

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

FarAway said:
Are you serious?

Your bank app can be disabled by your bank if you behave in a "wrong manner", maybe ordered by the government.

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

A bit tin-foil hat that..

"Tin-foil hat?"  Nope.  Just ask Nigel Farage and a few thousand Canadian truckers. 

How will you use cash if your Bank account is 'blocked' ??? you wont be able to get hold of it in the first place... Do you keep your cash under the mattress ?