Cashless Thailand

[Daryle]

I use a Thai Bank issued Visa Debit for most of my shopping these days and when I'm in Thai bars, they mostly accept Visa in the upper end venues, that is! Do you think Farang bars (Drinking St) will move to cashless transactions? I mostly use bottle service (Whiskey or Vodka) these days and I'm not really a GoGo hopper.

[JAS21]

I use a Thai Bank issued Visa Debit for most of my shopping these days and when I'm in Thai bars, they mostly accept Visa in the upper end venues, that is! Do you think Farang bars (Drinking St) will move to cashless transactions? I mostly use bottle service (Whiskey or Vodka) these days and I'm not really a GoGo hopper.

Yes but I don't think it will be in your lifetime ...unless of course you are still at school ... silly season rears it's head again ...

[NickJ]

Where is Drinking Street?

[KhunBENQ]

Where is Drinking Street?

Basically everywhere.

But there is indeed an open beer bar complex on the north end of Pattaya 2nd rd. called "drinking street".

Have been there maybe two or three times with a friend on visits.

https://goo.gl/maps/jdbUBsBdhyx

Edited June 11, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[colinneil]

Cashless Thailand. You joking or what?

Today wife and myself were at an izuzu dealer, to buy a new pickup.

I proffered my card for payment. No only money no cards !! <deleted> !!

So my wife will have to go to the bank, what a bloody joke.

[KhunBENQ]

Still a cash nation and I don't complain.

Sometimes you need a little more

Like this to pay my car in 2011, a million:

(some left over)

But the trend is quite strong towards cashless pay.

There is a plan for some citizen e-payment card.

Makes me nervous because foreigners will surely be excluded again.

Edited June 11, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[taotoo]

Cashless Thailand. You joking or what?

Today wife and myself were at an izuzu dealer, to buy a new pickup.

I proffered my card for payment. No only money no cards !! <deleted> !!

So my wife will have to go to the bank, what a bloody joke.

I'd find another dealer.

[mogandave]

Between my credit cards & the Rabbit card I don't use much cash.

Paid for the cars with checks and service and fuel with credit cards.

[OMGImInPattaya]

I could do 70-80% of my purchases using my Thai bank debit card...and i probably actually do about 50%. In terms of baht value, probably 80-90% of my transactions are cashless. So yeah, it's very feasible to be almost cashless in Thailand.

[wooloomooloo]

Cashless Thailand. You joking or what?

Today wife and myself were at an izuzu dealer, to buy a new pickup.

I proffered my card for payment. No only money no cards !! <deleted> !!

So my wife will have to go to the bank, what a bloody joke.

I'd find another dealer.

Well said. Carrying around 1MM baht in cash is pretty daft way to settle a big ticket purchase.

Sometimes glad I live in the UK for the majority of the year.

Cash for sandwiches etc., and cards for the rest. Can you imagine carrying in 20k sterling to settle the price of a car? No way.

[JAS21]

Between my credit cards & the Rabbit card I don't use much cash.

Paid for the cars with checks and service and fuel with credit cards.

So you never eat chicken and yellow rice at the local shop ... well our local shop won't accept a cc for 50thb.

Did you know that you can pay at Starbucks from your phone ...

Edited June 11, 2016 by JAS21

[mogandave]

Between my credit cards & the Rabbit card I don't use much cash.

Paid for the cars with checks and service and fuel with credit cards.

So you never eat chicken and yellow rice at the local shop ... well our local shop won't accept a cc for 50thb.

Did you know that you can pay at Starbucks from your phone ...

I said I don't use much cash, I didn't say I never use cash.

I no longer trade with Starbucks.

[NickJ]

I cant help but think.....were all doomed....

[Bender]

Cashless Thailand. You joking or what?

Today wife and myself were at an izuzu dealer, to buy a new pickup.

I proffered my card for payment. No only money no cards !! <deleted> !!

So my wife will have to go to the bank, what a bloody joke.

I'd find another dealer.

Well said. Carrying around 1MM baht in cash is pretty daft way to settle a big ticket purchase.

Sometimes glad I live in the UK for the majority of the year.

Cash for sandwiches etc., and cards for the rest. Can you imagine carrying in 20k sterling to settle the price of a car? No way.

you dont have park in the UK?

[B1TcoinLife]

Cashless Thailand. You joking or what?

Today wife and myself were at an izuzu dealer, to buy a new pickup.

I proffered my card for payment. No only money no cards !! <deleted> !!

So my wife will have to go to the bank, what a bloody joke.

I'd find another dealer.

Well said. Carrying around 1MM baht in cash is pretty daft way to settle a big ticket purchase.

Sometimes glad I live in the UK for the majority of the year.

Cash for sandwiches etc., and cards for the rest. Can you imagine carrying in 20k sterling to settle the price of a car? No way.

I have found in the past that's the best way to buy a used car

Most people get more greedy at the sight of bags of cash than a cheque for example....

[55Jay]

Metro/developed areas sure.

We live outside metro area up north a bit, so I'm maybe 30% credit card, if that, 70% cash. Do our shopping in the city at Makro, which only accepts Citibank card. With the exception of infrequent, random trips to BigC/Tesco/Freshmart, the rest is cash at typical Thai local markets, and we hit the ATM on the way.

My cash back card returns are only $8-$10/mo here. In the US, $80-$100/mo.

[01322521959]

What do you think my local 'talard' would do if Thailand went cashless? Ridiculous question IMHO

[The Old Bull]

If you have a small buisness you most probably need cash right away.

[WhizBang]

Cashless Thailand. You joking or what?

Today wife and myself were at an izuzu dealer, to buy a new pickup.

I proffered my card for payment. No only money no cards !! <deleted> !!

So my wife will have to go to the bank, what a bloody joke.

I'd find another dealer.

Well said. Carrying around 1MM baht in cash is pretty daft way to settle a big ticket purchase.

Sometimes glad I live in the UK for the majority of the year.

Cash for sandwiches etc., and cards for the rest. Can you imagine carrying in 20k sterling to settle the price of a car? No way.

In the UK, and pretty much every other first world country, you would never use cash. You would pay by cashiers check. Any car dealer that demanded only cash would make me run screaming from the place.

[IMA_FARANG]

About 6 months ago I was in Singapore.....paid by Credit Card for the hotel booking.

Next day had a meal at the same hotel....good food to.

When it came time to pay for the meal, it took the hotel manager to approve my paying for the meal by cash.

I am NOT a friend of Credit Cards....especially for such small expenses.

Bill for the food was in Singapore Dollars to.

They wanted me to pay on my "cellphone".

I don't have one....in Singapore that is almost a crime.

[Pattaya46]

"cashless" and "no payment by card" are 2 different things.

I understand many shop owners refuse cards for big amounts, because of the huge fee they have to pay for cards in Thailand, but there are other ways to pay cashless, and I think the most popular here is to pay by bank transfer.

You can easily make a transfer from your phone or from an ATM. No need to go take a big amount a cash from your bank.

[mogandave]

If you have a small buisness you most probably need cash right away.

Small business owners are not able to manage their finances?

[taotoo]

If you have a small buisness you most probably need cash right away.

Small business owners are not able to manage their finances?

They often haven't got any finances to manage :-)

[akampa]

If you don`t won`t to carry large amounts of cash to buy a car then what could be easier than a bank cheque, worked for me!

[White Christmas13]

So your Mom and Pop shop next to you accept credit cards

[300sd]

Try to post bail at the Criminal Court. They want to see the cash, even if bail is rejected. So 2 million Baht in CASH, take it from the bank and go to Court. Wait there until you can show it and then wait to see if bail is accepted. No not accepted, take CASH back to the bank. Amazing Thailand! Banks must love it.

[akampa]

The thing with cash is you can`t be sure where the money has been and it`s dirty where as a card is cleaner and a safer option.

[Hedghog]

Cashless Thailand. You joking or what?

Today wife and myself were at an izuzu dealer, to buy a new pickup.

I proffered my card for payment. No only money no cards !! <deleted> !!

So my wife will have to go to the bank, what a bloody joke.

Recently bought a Toyota,they didn't want cash,only a cashiers check would do.

I presume the dealer would suffer some sort of charges,from the credit card company so decline the card usage.

Not really sure as I don't possess a credit card.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Try to post bail at the Criminal Court. They want to see the cash, even if bail is rejected. So 2 million Baht in CASH, take it from the bank and go to Court. Wait there until you can show it and then wait to see if bail is accepted. No not accepted, take CASH back to the bank. Amazing Thailand! Banks must love it.

The standard bail in criminal cases in Thailand, if it's a bailable offense, is 200k baht...not 2M. This is so even in serious cases like rape and murder. I don't know if the court takes debit or credit cards because I've never had to post bail...sounds like you may know, however.

Edited June 12, 2016 by OMGImInPattaya

[mogandave]

So your Mom and Pop shop next to you accept credit cards

I live in a residential area, there are no stores next to me, mom and pop or otherwise.