BANGKOK 3 August 2020: Visa is working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to expand digital payment locations in Bangkok and five major tourist cities across the nation. 

Through the cooperation, Visa will work with financial institutions to help tourism enterprises to migrate to card payments, particularly the adoption of EDC terminals that process contactless payments via a contactless card, smartphone or electronic wearables.

Yuthasak Supasorn (centre), Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) together with Thapanee Kiatphaibool (right), TAT Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business and Suripong Tantiyanon (left), Visa Country Manager, Thailand announced the cooperation to expand the acceptance of digital payment locations in Bangkok and five major tourist cities across the nation.

According to Visa’s latest study on consumer behaviour and Thailand’s payment of the ‘new normal’[1],  three in five Thais (61%) are forming cashless habits, preferring to pay with cards or through mobile applications over cash.

At the same time, the way people intend to pay in the future is consistent across the globe, with consumers in Thailand (69%), the Asia Pacific (75%) and around the world (66%) choosing to stick with electronic payments after the current situation is over.

The first phase will begin with supporting businesses in the Sukhumvit area accepting card and cashless payments. The second phase will expand to cover five major tourist destinations across the country, comprising Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Samui and Hua Hin by the end of 2020.