Big Boy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 27, 2024 5:56 pm
Yes, but all of the takings will most likely be less than if they accepted cash as well as technology. Or am I the only dinosaur left in the village?
I am so bad, even with online shopping, I usually look elsewhere if there is no cash on delivery option.
I don’t using mobile banking in Thailand full stop - it’s either cash or where that doesn’t work I have occasionally bought something using my stepson’s online banking facility and refunded the amount to him.
In the UK I still prefer cash for small value purchases and only use cards/online banking when I have to.
I had a shock when I was last in Bkk, and decided to stop for a cuppa at the large starbucks in the basement food area at Emquartier, which I sometimes take refuge in. I handed over the 100 baht for my brew, only to be told they are now cashless! He must have taken pity on the gobsmacked look on my face, as he asked if I could pay by QR code? 'Not to my knowledge', I replied, he than asked if I had a debit or credit card, so I handed my debit card over, and just like at a check out till, payment was made via the chip in my card, and I walked happily away with my tea and receipt. So if cashless, and accepting a card, I am okay with that.
Another problem with some cashless places in the U.S. is with tipping. You actually have to work at it if you don’t want to leave a tip in the amount that the program wants you to leave.
The QR only restaurants are clearly targeted at the hiso social media obsessed Bangkok millennials and Gen-Zs - wouldn't set foot in such a place and its the first I've heard of locally that does this. Mom and pop restaurants are unlikely to switch to this payment method any time soon - they want cash.
Thai mobile banking works perfectly well, I often use the app and QR to scan stuff for payments when I don't have the cashola in pocket - there are probably more QR pay outlets here than those that accept contactless cards.
The danger is a future when farangs cannot have access to Thai banking or payment services as this is the path they're heading down.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
buksida wrote: ↑Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:54 am
The danger is a future when farangs cannot have access to Thai banking or payment services as this is the path they're heading down.
What a negative policy that would be. Bend over backwards to get Farang into the country to drastically increase Thailand's economy, and then remove the Farang's ability to spend whilst here .
How very Thai, left and right hands not communicating.
sateeb wrote: ↑Wed Aug 28, 2024 8:49 am
I've noticed that check out times are getting longer at Supermarkets and 7/11's with this cashless malarky.
Yep, usually some teenage girl spending 17 baht and wanting to pay with her iPhone.
Big Boy wrote: ↑Wed Aug 28, 2024 8:52 am
What a negative policy that would be. Bend over backwards to get Farang into the country to drastically increase Thailand's economy, and then remove the Farang's ability to spend whilst here .
Its all to do with the banks, digital money, and surveillance, which is why they're trying to link anything to do with finance to a national digital ID - China does the same.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Teenage girls aren't normally the problem. It is adult Thais trying to use the technology that are worse. Contactless payment - that'll be right. The times I've seen checkout girls taking control of phones and doing it themselves.
If they don't give us the technology, at least we'll be excluded from surveillance - another big error excluding corrupt, dirty, smelly Farangs from the policy.
Experienced this a while back in Blueport. One of the Japense buffet restaurants can't remember the name but between Pizza Company and MK on G floor.
Walk in, select buffet option, take a seat. Pay in advance as buffet, take out cash, QR only sorry, OK no problem will find somewhere else to eat. Suddenly cash is OK after 5 mins deliberation between waitress and manager. Look for the menu and little notepad to start ordering (extremely efficient system), nothing on table. Sit for another few mins before getting annoyed and callling waitress. Brings a tablet with a menu that does not contain all the usual items and limits one to ordering a certain amount per round. Menu/ordering software they are using is increibly slow and buggy.
Politely get up and leave.
I do occasionally use QR to pay and don't have any siginificant issue with this as an OPTION, that day I had cash in my wallet and that's what I wanted to use, their loss I guess.
Re open Wifi networks, I personally never use them I always make sure I have phone data but if you do need to, and you have a VPN sub likely your provider will have a phone app which should at least remove the possibility of the man in the middle type attacks. The problem with that is, in the last 6 months (SCB) and the last 3 months (Krungsri) they now will not let you access the app via a VPN connection, despite the fact the app is tied to your phone number, IMEI. location and nuemrous other identiifiers. I fully expect Kbank, BKk bank and all otherrs to roll this out in next updates also.
kwajdiver wrote: ↑Wed Aug 28, 2024 7:34 am
Another problem with some cashless places in the U.S. is with tipping. You actually have to work at it if you don’t want to leave a tip in the amount that the program wants you to leave.
Why would you want to leave a tip if there's no service any more?
Exactly my sentiments at the OP. The only service we got was when the girl had to walk our entrance tickets to the main office to get our bill updated.
I remember going to restaurants in Osaka (you don't tip in Japan anyway), where the entire process of ordering and paying is done with a tablet, and a robot brings the food out.
Maybe Thailand 4.0 with its advanced IT capabilities aspires to be the same...
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
I'm still in the early stages of using mobile banking and currently limiting my QR use of it to filling up with petrol.
But, I too don't have an issue with it from a security point of view. I've got a data package and that gets switched on every time I leave the house. I never use anybody else's wifi connection because I don't need to.
I recently changed my data connection with True because they were saying that the promo I was on was coming to an end. I've got no idea what I've got now but it's as quick as ever and cost me less than 90 thb last month. I don't use much data when out.
So, two days ago I was visiting the local Lotus to stock up on beer and ciggies (as you do) and decided to get some cash from the ATM as I was golfing the next day. No money in it so off to the 7-11 round the corner and the machine told me to contact my bank - don't know why as the card is fine now. Back to Lotus and paid with my debit card.
But now I'm concerned about golf the next day. I can pay for the caddie and cart on my card and always do. Could have paid by QR code. But how am I going to pay for drinks at the kiosks around the course? How am I going to able to tip my caddie? I've got 90 baht in cash. Maybe it'll be best to cancel?
Spoke to the missus and she said surely the kiosks will have facilities to pay by card or QR code? Well, I still don't know because I got some later anyway.
My wife also said the caddies would surely be able to get their tip by phone to phone contact. That part I was very dubious about but I did ask my caddie if I could have tipped him that way. It would have been no problem not just with him but with almost all the caddies.
So, that's it for me. I still don't use the mobile banking much but I see no reason not to as long as I'm using my own connections. My domestic internet connection is through TOT and they don't issue physical bills any more so I just scan their email sent one and the job is done. I'm still paying the electric physically at a 7-11. I've tried to scan the QR code but I can't get that to work but when paying the True Move bill the other day, I noticed that the PEA logo was there as well. I'll be trying that out very soon.
I'm getting there. I appreciate all the stuff that's been written on the thread re security and surveillance and I don't know enough to comment but I'm relaxed about things as long as I use my own connections.
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