MRT has gone very unfriendly to foreigner residents - NO transit cards for you. Cannot buy one. Passport in hand - go away! Get a token! And for their scan in with a bank card, you better have account with the right bank and the right type of card. Bangkok Bank? Forget about it.

My MRT Elder card still works, but I cannot top it up and it will soon die.

Why Thais can continue to have them and not foreigners is true xenophobia.

Same has happened with ARL cards.

It's all down to Chinese scammers and money laundering legislation.

On 4/25/2026 at 5:48 AM, LatPhrao said:

MRT has gone very unfriendly to foreigner residents - NO transit cards for you. Cannot buy one. Passport in hand - go away! Get a token! And for their scan in with a bank card, you better have account with the right bank and the right type of card. Bangkok Bank? Forget about it.

There is no sinister plot. This was announced as part of the Common Ticket Policy to allow for a single card payment system for all public transit. You are making a fool of yourself. The new Mangmoom EMV cards are available to Thai citizens only because the card will allow access to the government's 20 THB flat fare policy on MRT lines when registered. The flat fare policy is intended to help Thai citizens. It is not a subsidy for foreign visitors. Some foreigners have a Thai national ID card and can access the subsidized transit format.

The requirement for a bank card is not unusual. Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay are acceptable. The card just needs to be set up to allow electronic payment transactions. My card is. It requires a chip.

FYI

-Bangkok's MRT system will fully transition to EMV Contactless payments starting June 1, 2026, making existing stored-value cards obsolete on the Blue and Purple Lines.

-Commuters will be able to pay fares by tapping standard contactless credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay) or a new dedicated Mangmoom EMV card.

-The phase-out of old travel cards will begin with the cessation of top-ups on April 1, 2026, and customers could claim refunds for their remaining balance as of March 1, 2026.

There is no sinister plot. This was announced as part of the Common Ticket Policy to allow for a single card payment system for all public transit. You are making a fool of yourself.

The fools are the Thai officials who think that tourists waiting in the new queues are going to be happy and tell their friends to come to Thailand.

During busy times, the queues at (for example) Sukhumvit are already half an hour long to "get a token". They're going to explode if foreigners can't get stored value cards. Especially those with kids and more family members than they have viable contactless cards.

They're shooting themselves in the foot. Again.

Edited April 27Apr 27 by impulse

The requirement for a bank card is not unusual. Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay are acceptable. The card just needs to be set up to allow electronic payment transactions. My card is. It requires a chip.

FYI

How does that work if you have 3 kids in tow? You know, like a wholesome tourist family they're so keen to attract...

Edited April 27Apr 27 by impulse

15 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

There is no sinister plot. This was announced as part of the Common Ticket Policy to allow for a single card payment system for all public transit. You are making a fool of yourself. The new Mangmoom EMV cards are available to Thai citizens only because the card will allow access to the government's 20 THB flat fare policy on MRT lines when registered. The flat fare policy is intended to help Thai citizens. It is not a subsidy for foreign visitors. Some foreigners have a Thai national ID card and can access the subsidized transit format.

The requirement for a bank card is not unusual. Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay are acceptable. The card just needs to be set up to allow electronic payment transactions. My card is. It requires a chip.

FYI

-Bangkok's MRT system will fully transition to EMV Contactless payments starting June 1, 2026, making existing stored-value cards obsolete on the Blue and Purple Lines.

-Commuters will be able to pay fares by tapping standard contactless credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay) or a new dedicated Mangmoom EMV card.

-The phase-out of old travel cards will begin with the cessation of top-ups on April 1, 2026, and customers could claim refunds for their remaining balance as of March 1, 2026.

If or when they transition to a single card system will that mean that my Rabbit card for the BTS and not card for the airport rail link will also be useless? While having the low common fare for Thais is a good idea why didn’t they plan to have a card for non-Thais? After all the MRT had separate cards for adults, seniors and students?

I don’t like the idea of having all of these small charges on my visa or Mastercard.

2 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

The new Mangmoom EMV cards are available to Thai citizens only because the card will allow access to the government's 20 THB flat fare policy on MRT lines when registered. The flat fare policy is intended to help Thai citizens. It is not a subsidy for foreign visitors.

That's just a lame excuse, typical for an apologist. Surely they could have different kinds of EMV cards that are CODED differently to give different kinds of pricing to different kinds of cardholders. That even works with the old cards.

Bad idea that needs to be re-thought. Way too complicated, especially for tourists.

7 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

There is no sinister plot. This was announced as part of the Common Ticket Policy to allow for a single card payment system for all public transit. You are making a fool of yourself. The new Mangmoom EMV cards are available to Thai citizens only because the card will allow access to the government's 20 THB flat fare policy on MRT lines when registered. The flat fare policy is intended to help Thai citizens. It is not a subsidy for foreign visitors. Some foreigners have a Thai national ID card and can access the subsidized transit format.

The requirement for a bank card is not unusual. Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay are acceptable. The card just needs to be set up to allow electronic payment transactions. My card is. It requires a chip.

FYI

-Bangkok's MRT system will fully transition to EMV Contactless payments starting June 1, 2026, making existing stored-value cards obsolete on the Blue and Purple Lines.

-Commuters will be able to pay fares by tapping standard contactless credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay) or a new dedicated Mangmoom EMV card.

-The phase-out of old travel cards will begin with the cessation of top-ups on April 1, 2026, and customers could claim refunds for their remaining balance as of March 1, 2026.

BLAH BLAH BLAH...May you personally the ludicrous experience of transiting MRT and non-existent solutions to same. Will look for your humble apology.

And the situation for Non-Thais is going to get worse.

At present if you do not have/or wish to use a Visa debit/credit card, you can purchase a token (with cash) from the ticket office. According to the MRT website, from 1 January 2027, they (MRT) will go completely cashless. No more tokens. You will have to go to a ticket machine and obtain a QR printout which has to be paid via your bank's app on your phone.

Whilst I have no problem at loosing my 50% Elder card discount, or Thais getting reduced fares, I'm totally P..... -off at not being able to obtain a replacement pre-paid MRT travel card. I don't see the fun in having to go to my bank on a regular basis in order to obtain a new bank book because it quickly gets filled up with low value purchases.

As another member has indicated, there appears to be no technical reason as to why MRT cannot programme their travel cards for Thais or foreigners.

I did some searching via the internet for pre-paid visa cards in Thailand and hit another brick wall. For example, Bangkok Bank advertises a visa pre-paid card liked to the Mall. They indicate that you just need to present your ID or passport, so I went into my local BB to enquire if I could have one. They advised that these cards can only be issued at BB inside one of the Malls. A few days later, when in BKK, I called into BB inside Paragon (which is part of the Mall Group) and was very bluntly told "they are for Thais only". No reason given as to why a foreigner cannot have one.

I think its a case of watch this space but don't hold your breath.

Tried to reply 007 Red from my cell, but running in 2nd place behind MRT quandry is the app you're reading this in. Anyway, 007 Red verifies and deepens the miserable facts. One ray of hope however. The MRT has a big promotion board of new system at MRT Lad Prao, likely others. On it is a small cluster of bank emblems. It may be these are the banks they are co-operating with for use of scanning in with a debit card. My experience, Bangkok Bank emblem is not on that board and Bangkok bank debit cards fail when trying to scan in/out. BUT the UOB bank is on that board (with a few others) and I was able to scan in/out with UOB debit card. Fare charged: Lad Prao to Sukhumvit 32 thb. Check that board for the '"participating' banks. "Beats a poke in theye with a sharp stick"

Oh no

My very first time in Pattaya I checked into my hotel and soon went for a walk. Passed a bar beer, one of the gals was standing in the street berating a foreign gent, loudly explaining to him "falang no gip munnee falang no good!" Didn't take long to understand this seven word phrase encapsulates the spirit of Thai tourism.

13 hours ago, impulse said:

How does that work if you have 3 kids in tow? You know, like a wholesome tourist family they're so keen to attract...

It works just like it does with the 750+ other public transit systems that use tap and go technology with credit and debit cards.

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

It works just like it does with the 750+ other public transit systems that use tap and go technology with credit and debit cards.

So Dad & Mom will go first, tap their cards, get through, hand them over the rail to kids 1 & 2, who'll tap and go through, and then one of them will hand back the card to kid 3, who'll tap through? Give the cards back to Dad and Mom, and they'll exit their their destination station in the same manner?

Thailand being run by bogans

4 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

It works just like it does with the 750+ other public transit systems that use tap and go technology with credit and debit cards.

but have they discontinued travel cards used by children, tourists (because their debit cards incur a fee when used abroad) or those citizens who don't have a bank account?

so, yes tap and go with debit cards, but also have travel cards. it's not rocket science.

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

Thailand being run by bogans

Doubt if Shaz ,Daz and their 7 kids + to all different father's) are running it ,

8 hours ago, rwilem said:

So Dad & Mom will go first, tap their cards, get through, hand them over the rail to kids 1 & 2, who'll tap and go through, and then one of them will hand back the card to kid 3, who'll tap through? Give the cards back to Dad and Mom, and they'll exit their their destination station in the same manner?

It's not my problem if you are too lazy to read the updates from the MRT and would rather whinge.

As of April 2026, the MRT Blue and Purple lines offer free travel for children under 14 years old who are under 120cm tall, while children under 90cm generally ride free on both BTS and MRT.

Do you live in a different world, a world of make believe? How do you think families do it now in Hong Kong or Tokyo or Chicago or Toronto? They do multiple taps or they have separate cards for their children.

Edited April 28Apr 28 by Patong2021

5 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

It's not my problem if you are too lazy to read the updates from the MRT and would rather whinge.

As of April 2026, the MRT Blue and Purple lines offer free travel for children under 14 years old who are under 120cm tall, while children under 90cm generally ride free on both BTS and MRT.

Do you live in a different world, a world of make believe? How do you think families do it now in Hong Kong or Tokyo or Chicago or Toronto? They do multiple taps or they have separate cards for their children.

Who died and left you in charge?

It works just like it does with the 750+ other public transit systems that use tap and go technology with credit and debit cards.

I hope you're right and I'm wrong. But I'm forecasting a fustercluck.

I've tried my chipped, almost new K-Bank card a few times (just for giggles) and it hasn't worked. So I step to the side and whip out my Elder card.

what if your wife, gf, whatever... that is thai, does not use mrt, can she register it and give it to you and you use it, or will thais call that fraud ?

@Jimbolkb Yes, the BEM will call it fraud and will fine you if caught

12 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Do you live in a different world, a world of make believe? How do you think families do it now in Hong Kong or Tokyo or Chicago or Toronto?

No man, I don't know how families do it now in HK, TOK, CHI or TOR, uh-uh.

6 hours ago, LatPhrao said:

It's not my problem if you are too lazy to read the updates from the MRT and would rather whinge.

Well, I read their update about MRT riders being given the opportunity to exchange their current stored-value cards for EMV contactless payment cards. But the announcement, in English no less, made zero mention that foreigners are not allowed to do this, only Thais can exchange the current stored-value card for the EMV one. So their updates are kind of misleading.

And sorry bud, no, I didn't see the 'update' from this month about some children being able to ride for free. But given the MRT track record, gotta wonder if that excludes foreign kids and/or tourist kids.

Since you seem to be so up on things MRT, you got the answer for that?

I have 57 baht on my Blue Card, looks like I am eating that, huh?

Rabbit cards are still good huh? I have waaaaaay too many transit cards regardless.

I guess I can use my Krungsri account

1 hour ago, rwilem said:

No man, I don't know how families do it now in HK, TOK, CHI or TOR, uh-uh.

Well, I read their update about MRT riders being given the opportunity to exchange their current stored-value cards for EMV contactless payment cards. But the announcement, in English no less, made zero mention that foreigners are not allowed to do this, only Thais can exchange the current stored-value card for the EMV one. So their updates are kind of misleading.

And sorry bud, no, I didn't see the 'update' from this month about some children being able to ride for free. But given the MRT track record, gotta wonder if that excludes foreign kids and/or tourist kids.

Since you seem to be so up on things MRT, you got the answer for that?

Have you tried visiting the MRT web page? It is in English language so even you can follow along.

Sounds complicated. Glad I don't live in BKK. 🙂

7 hours ago, LatPhrao said:

Who died and left you in charge?

Did you visit the visit the MRT page and read the revised fare payment information or check the FAQs or visited a fare agent and inquired? Did you just try to purchase the Thai card without explaining what you were trying to accomplish? It's just easier to whinge and pout, isn't it.

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

Did you visit the visit the MRT page and read the revised fare payment information or check the FAQs or visited a fare agent and inquired? Did you just try to purchase the Thai card without explaining what you were trying to accomplish? It's just easier to whinge and pout, isn't it.

All of your above FYI. No solutions of any kind offered. Agents indifferent and poorly versed on their service under new circumstances. in Thai or English.