Does this mean there will be fewer people "falling" out of their rented room balconies? 

14 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

Given the skint nature of the Pattaya expat the value to the nation is probably net net negative. They could all disappear and only a some floozies purses a bit lighter. No fuss will be raised. Bye bye 

 

I live in BKK and use only cash. I will as long as possible 

     You are woefully out-of-date with your thinking on Pattaya expats.  If you ever do visit, take a gander at all the new high-rise luxury condos that have recently been built, and are still being built.  Dozens of them--from Wongamat in the north to south Jomtien.  Then, venture over to the Darkside and tour all the many new housing developments--and new construction still going on everywhere--maybe start with the Lake Mabprachan area.  More luxury pool villas than you can shake a stick at.   I've lived in four different housing projects on the Darkside, and visited many more, and they are all filled with non-'skint' expats.  

     There may be some Pattaya expats being 'skint' and living in one-room fan rooms but these days they are the distinct minority--and probably always were.  But, of course, a homeless or a down-and-out expat, in Bangkok or Pattaya, or wherever, always gets far more publicity than the vast majority who are living quiet, normal lives in their nice Pattaya villas and condos--no sensational news story there.  

    As for the article, just another scare-mongering one--and why, Asean Now, was Pattaya singled out when expats in other Thailand cities would be facing the same "panic"?  QR codes only used in Pattaya?   By the way, no "panic" with this expat.

4 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

I don’t trust keeping 800k in a Thai bank.

 

see all these freezes occurring?

 

but I have no problem pushing 65000 a month to my Thai account as a requirement to renew

 

All what freezing?

 

Nonsense 

14 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Rubbish 

 

Probably three people in the entire Thai government could explain Blockchain technology.

 

I challenge this.

 

I challenge your figures - they seem overly optimistic...

 

Purveyed philosophies of at least 2 would probably include gold necklace shrouding electric shock collars as a preventative against Indian accosting ladyboys on beach road, aswell as employment of a toilet auger after a particularly fibrous pan filler..

I do wonder what the impact to Tourism would be if they did go cashless?

 

E.g. when my parents come to visit, there is no way they would pay for anything from their UK Bank Accounts, potential scams/fraud aside, the charges would make everything much more expensive.

 

I'd guess that the majority of tourists are the same, they come here with their local currency/atm card and use cash for everything except their hotel/flights, that's what I do when I'm visiting anywhere but Thailand, Singapore & UK where I have bank accounts.

 

 

14 hours ago, bdenner said:

And the agents have to come up with a new method to get potless expat's extension over the hurdle.

800K into a bank account for 5 minutes is over, nation wide.

In my Isaan location some 70% use these agents. ALL their arses are twitching.

 

 

Bribing to get their extensions will come to an end sooner or later

4 hours ago, thesetat said:

There is no way Thailand can go to a cashless QR code system. They rely too much on foreigner dollars

 

The QR code system has nothing to do with how foreign currency arrives in Thailand. It is a local payment system, so the foreign currency has already arrived in the Thai banks before the foreigner can make a payment to a local vendor.

1 minute ago, SamSpade said:

I do wonder what the impact to Tourism would be if they did go cashless?

 

E.g. when my parents come to visit, there is no way they would pay for anything from their UK Bank Accounts, potential scams/fraud aside, the charges would make everything much more expensive.

 

I'd guess that the majority of tourists are the same, they come here with their local currency/atm card and use cash for everything except their hotel/flights, that's what I do when I'm visiting anywhere but Thailand, Singapore & UK where I have bank accounts.

 

 

 

They will never go entirely cashless due to tourism especially as they tighten money and banking making it endlessly complicated. I can't think of a way to make the slide in tourist numbers plummet any faster. 

QR payments have considerable value, as revalatory tracking and habitual behaviour mechanisms, under the guise of convenience.

14 hours ago, Everyman said:

 

There is no charge for the Thai QR code payment system. 

Yet…

I moved east of Thailand a year ago. Since then, I have not paid for ANYTHING using cash. There are no hassles or fees if any kind. I keep $2 in my otherwise empty wallet just in case if an emergency, which has never happened. 

14 hours ago, phetphet said:

Just avoid those places that insist on cashless payment. Likely better coffee places than Starbucks anyway.

 

Costa coffee started doing that in the UK. Tried it with me once and I never went back. Read in he news today that they were bought out by Coca Cola a few years ago and are going down the pan.

 

The last time I went back, I got scammed using my credit card to buy coffee. Massive bills run up by some scammer who had somehow got my card details. It wouldn'y have happened paying cash.

 

I understand it from the seller's point of view; less cash to handle, less chance of theft, time saving etc., but I prefer to have the choice. Not have it forced upon me.

You didn’t get "scammed" which involves you being tricked into consenting with a fraudulent transaction. You simply had card details cloned which sometimes doesn’t even require a transaction. 
However if using your phone to pay  (google wallet) your actual card details aren’t even used at the point of the transaction so much less risk. Using cash you too can be scammed by being short changed 

5 minutes ago, newnative said:

     You are woefully out-of-date with your thinking on Pattaya expats.  If you ever do visit, take a gander at all the new high-rise luxury condos that have recently been built, and are still being built.  Dozens of them--from Wongamat in the north to south Jomtien.  Then, venture over to the Darkside and tour all the many new housing developments--and new construction still going on everywhere--maybe start with the Lake Mabprachan area.  More luxury pool villas than you can shake a stick at.   I've lived in four different housing projects on the Darkside, and visited many more, and they are all filled with non-'skint' expats.  

     There may be some Pattaya expats being 'skint' and living in one-room fan rooms but these days they are the distinct minority--and probably always were.  But, of course, a homeless or a down-and-out expat, in Bangkok or Pattaya, or wherever, always gets far more publicity than the vast majority who are living quiet, normal lives in their nice Pattaya villas and condos--no sensational news story there.  

    As for the article, just another scare-mongering one--and why, Asean Now, was Pattaya singled out when expats in other Thailand cities would be facing the same "panic"?  QR codes only used in Pattaya?   By the way, no "panic" with this expat.

 

I had lived d there on off from 2000 to 09. I was one of the skint bastards (40s). Pattaya might have an influx of money, but it's always going to be Pattaya. 

 

Unfortunately, it seems to have lost what was epic about the place and gained everything that is not.

 

If you ask Thais what they think of the dump they will tell you much the same 

 

Thank you for your long response 👍

10 minutes ago, proton said:

 

Bribing to get their extensions will come to an end sooner or later

A payment is made to an agent to help facilitate visa extension. It's not a bribe.

Seems the only ones complaining are those bending the rules. So the government plan is working it seems. 

Yet another "article" that delivers a lot of hype with zero substance. I've yet to see a single vendor in Thailand refuse cash payment, and highly doubt we're going to see that anytime soon. Being unable to illegally falsify documents to get visas you're not entitled for? ohh cry me a river. Aside from rising cost of entertainment and some negative factors like Indians blocking the road not that much has actually changed.

Ops! This will get the boots shaking, right? How many fear you have to leave Thailand? Did sell it all and have no way back? Scary scary! The day of doom is coming!

I just call it cleaning up. It´s a great way to weed out the ones who are staying in Thailand with insufficient funds. 🙂 

9 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

A payment is made to an agent to help facilitate visa extension. It's not a bribe.

A large percentage of the agents fee go to the IOs and bank managers, what's that if it's not a bribe?

14 hours ago, Everyman said:

 

There is no charge for the Thai QR code payment system. 

Except in waiting in line as they fiddle with their phone to get that simple fast payment made LMAO

The original post is not news but a feeble attempt at gas-lighting. Just a lot of whining about change. Good grief people learn to adapt,it can be fun. Coincidentally, a buddy just used an agent for annual visa renewal and had to open an account at a new bank. Took 45 minutes, big deal. 

The US, UK and Australia expats have already been screwed over by the monthly income letters cancelling. Still strange why this happened to only these three countries,??

There are virtually no expats in Pattaya. Only  SEXPATS.

3 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

Yet another "article" that delivers a lot of hype with zero substance. I've yet to see a single vendor in Thailand refuse cash payment, and highly doubt we're going to see that anytime soon. Being unable to illegally falsify documents to get visas you're not entitled for? ohh cry me a river. Aside from rising cost of entertainment and some negative factors like Indians blocking the road not that much has actually changed.

I don't know if it's the same everywhere but I know of at least a couple of Starbucks that don't take cash. 

1 minute ago, bdenner said:

A large percentage of the agents fee go to the IOs and bank managers, what's that if it's not a bribe?

And they in turn kick up and up and up. It's a transaction done Thai style. 

1 minute ago, SamSpade said:

I don't know if it's the same everywhere but I know of at least a couple of Starbucks that don't take cash. 

Swensen's Ice Cream is now cashless, my gym is now cashless. World gone mad.

14 hours ago, johng said:

So how do they make money ?

Once they get everyone on the digital payment system, then the banks will start taking their cut and we won't have any alternative except to pay. It's all part of their grand scheme to control our every move.

Just now, fittobethaied said:

Once they get everyone on the digital payment system, then the banks will start taking their cut and we won't have any alternative except to pay. It's all part of their grand scheme to control our every move.

 

100%

 

It happens every time. 

30 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

A payment is made to an agent to help facilitate visa extension. It's not a bribe.

 

I assume you are one of those rich expats who use agents because they don't have the funds in he bank?

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

With a growing trend towards cashless transactions, even major chains like Starbucks and DHL are opting for digital payments

Good luck if there's a power outage or internet is down.

1 hour ago, Mason45 said:

I need to go to my agent to do my 90 days next week, so I'll get an update on the latest rules. Especially as I need to use Bangkok Bank and I'm not sure whether they will allow 80 yo's like me to keep my app. Krungsri Bank have already locked my app because of my age. Are there any guys here who use agents that don;t request a Bangkok Bank app. 

Why not do your 90 check online for free ?