PromptPay

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Jun

Re: PromptPay

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 3:36 pmAfter all, ATMs are also relatively new technology and improvements and additions are made to them.
:)
The word's first ATM was installed by Barclays in London in the year I was born. I'm pleased to hear this can be described as "new".
Numerous technologies have come and gone since then.
Gaybutton wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 3:36 pmYou insert your card, enter you pass code, and the card immediately pops out before you do any transactions. In Thailand the card doesn't pop out until you have finished your transaction - and that makes it easy to forget your card. I've had that happen twice over the years.
I've done that in Thailand as well.
Well, I didn't forget the card, rather the machine presented it whilst I was counting the cash and then it pulled the card back into the machine before I grabbed it.
In the UK, I think they return the card back before the cash, which is far more sensible. UK banks do not charge for replacement cards.
Thai banks do charge, so I guess the ATM behaviour is driven by financial incentives.
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Gaybutton
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Re: PromptPay

Post by Gaybutton »

Jun wrote: Sun Oct 30, 2022 3:53 pm Thai banks do charge
That is correct. I remember paying 300 baht for a replacement debit card.
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Re: PromptPay

Post by Dodger »

Oops...

Watch video at 2:52 related problems with on-line bank payments.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11016&start=70
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Re: PromptPay

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Sun Nov 13, 2022 3:36 pm Watch video at 2:52 related problems with on-line bank payments.
Are you sure you posted the correct link? I don't see anything there about problems with online bank payments.

In any case, I'm sure if a person looks hard enough, sooner or later it is possible to come up with something to make a position credible, no matter how farfetched it might be.

All I know is I've been doing online banking and online payments for many years in Thailand and have never experienced a problem. More recently now I can say the same for PromptPay.

I've never seen any news articles saying any of that is a problem.

However what I have seen, is problems using ATMs. I think most of us have seen those articles, but I have seen no such articles for quite some time now - enough time to convince me the banks have solved that problem too.

It is a mistake to assume that nearly everything in Thailand is always somehow screwed up, doesn't work correctly, has something wrong with it that renders it useless or unsafe to use. Those things do happen, but I have seen no evidence to suggest there is anything wrong or unsafe about online banking, online payments, PromptPay, or any of the rest of the banking apps. They work just fine.
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Re: PromptPay

Post by Gaybutton »

Another thought about PromptPay - now all the Thai bank smartphone apps allow use of it. More and more places are allowing use of PromptPay to pay the bill, even many mom-and-pop shops. More and more people are using it.

As far as I know there have been no problems or glitches at all. There has been nothing in the media to indicate problems of any kind.

For those reluctant to use it for fear something will go wrong or hacks can somehow tap into it and affect your bank account, then the banks would suspend use of it until the problem is fixed. But so far nobody has had any problems at all and now you can count the number of Thais using it in the millions, probably in the tens of millions. Personally, I feel much safer using PromptPay than carrying around a lot of cash and it is very convenient.

Certainly you can use cash everywhere and I doubt use of cash will become obsolete in the foreseeable future, but if the reason you don't want to use PromptPay or any other online banking apps because you are worried that your money will be stolen, in my opinion that's the wrong reason to be reluctant. These apps are working perfectly and again, I know of no incidents anywhere in Thailand where anyone has lost any money due to any flaws in the apps. If you do know of any incidents as a result of use of these apps, please post what you know and how you know it.
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Re: PromptPay

Post by BKKDreamer »

Gaybutton wrote: Sun Nov 13, 2022 4:51 pm It is a mistake to assume that nearly everything in Thailand is always somehow screwed up, doesn't work correctly, has something wrong with it that renders it useless or unsafe to use.
As a newly retired person living here in Thailand, I have to say that I have been impressed with how things work. I provide some examples:

1.) I live in a big condo building. The feeling in this building is very caring - as if most of the people want to take care of each other. Especially on the ground floor where all of the building services are (laundry and dry cleaning, rental agents, mini markets, restaurants, condo pool, Juristic office, guards, cleaning people, etc.),

2.) Deliveries are accepted and stored with the building guards - so if you are home or not you can get still receive anything that you have ordered will be safely waiting for you with the guards office,

3.) Large shipments into the condo building - when I bought furniture for my new place - these were big and bulky - there was NO fuss by the condo management - as everyone does his or her part to ensure that the deliveries get to your condo quickly without issue via the service elevator. When I lived in Europe - this was a BIG NO-NO - all large BIG bulky deliveries that would consume any of the elevators had to be pre-scheduled for an approved time slot, and notices had to be put up around the building regarding the potential discomfort to the other building residents,

4.) Sometimes when I am returning to my condo building and I am carrying things from the Grab taxi to the building elevators - if the security guards see that I am struggling they are on the spot to offer kind assistance,

5.) Speedy repairs - 2 times so far, something was broken or malfunctioning in my condo, and I told the rental agent and she coordinated with the condo building maintenance team that someone would come to my condo to fix and/or resolve the issue. I always said to her, "when can I schedule for this service?", She would always reply, "NOW". Within minutes (1 hour max wait) someone from the condo building would arrive at my condo. In Europe this would NEVER happen,

6.) PromptPay - up until GB was promoting PromptPay - I was using foreign debit cards or cash from the ATM to pay for purchases. Now I do not bother, as I just ask if I can pay with QR code from my Thai bank (which I believe is the same as PromptPay - please correct me if I am wrong...), and I have to admit that it is soo much easier. I don't recall us in Europe having this QR code payment facility (at least not in Hungary),

7.) Shopping in the bigger stores (HomePro, Big C, BnB Baan & Beyond, MR.DIY, etc.) the number of assistants is abundant - often more than the number of us customers. They will do almost anything to help you and if there is a communication problem (due to a language barrier), I can use Google Translate and/or use a stock image from Google to show them what I am looking for. They either bring you to the product or quickly give you to an associate who finds the product for you,

8.) Grab Taxi people - Again with BIG purchases they were very kind to help me get my boxes and/or big purchases into their taxi - and were not put off by my needs.

So, so far, I am a happy camper in Thailand.
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Re: PromptPay

Post by Gaybutton »

BKKDreamer wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 12:48 pm I just ask if I can pay with QR code from my Thai bank (which I believe is the same as PromptPay - please correct me if I am wrong.
That is probably PromptPay. If the QR code comes up on their end, it is definitely PromptPay. If the only thing on their end is a bank account number, you have to do an online transfer, which can be done with a Smartphone. That was a precursor to PromptPay and a few places still use it.

Instead of asking for a QR code, ask for PromptPay. If they use it, they'll know what you mean. Asking for a QR code can be confusing for them.

Do you know the Thai word for PromptPay? "PromptPay". They use the same word as we do.

There are dozens of free smartphone translator apps if you don't know the Thai word or phrase. With the best ones, the language is interchangeable. If somebody Thai wants to use the English word, he can type it in or simply speak the word. Also with the best ones, you can input entire simple sentences by typing them in or simply speaking them and the app will translate the whole thing.

You'll be the one using the apps most of the time. I don't know why, but it seems to me that oriental language speakers have an easier time learning English than the other way around.

The app I like best is VoiceTra, but that's just personal preference. Again, dozens of them to choose from. You could spend an entire day downloading and trying them out. Most I've tried are very good. They are on Google Play for Android phones.
Jun

Re: PromptPay

Post by Jun »

Where I have been asked to pay by QR code in Thailand, the QR code results in a the Kasikorn banking app payments page on my phone being pre-filled with with retailer details.
So I just need to type in the amount and pay it.
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Re: PromptPay

Post by Gaybutton »

I don't think it will, but does anybody know whether PromptPay or payment by QR code works with foreign bank account apps? I believe it works only with Thai bank accounts, but maybe I'm wrong.

For many years I have been urging people contemplating retirement in Thailand or spend substantial time in Thailand to open a Thai bank account while you still can. Now, unless you have a retirement or other long term stay visa, it has become very difficult, perhaps impossible, to open a Thai bank account.

Fortunately there still are services such as Mots ( https://www.mots-services.com ) that seem to be able to do it for most people. Again, I urge those of you who stay in Thailand long enough to warrant it to open a Thai bank account. Services such as Mots can do it for you, but you never know. The day may come when the rules change yet again and such services no longer can. You can open a Thai bank account with as little as 500 baht. If you spend substantial time in Thailand I think you are foolish not to do it. Your Thai debit card will work in ATMs in your home country.

I suggest either Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn Bank (aka K-Bank). Those seem easiest for international money transfers and WISE now works with only those two banks.
Jun

Re: PromptPay

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 3:34 pmYou can open a Thai bank account with as little as 500 baht. If you spend substantial time in Thailand I think you are foolish not to do it.
Agreed. I opened a Thai bank account years ago.
I walked into the first branch of Kasikorn and they said I needed a work permit.
The second branch of Kasikorn opened the account.

The typical cost of using a UK bank card in a Thai ATM would be about 200 plus 3% on the forex. So if withdrawing 20,000 baht, that's about 800 baht in fees.
If using a Kasikorn ATM card, that's free if local to the bank and 12 baht if elsewhere in the country. Plus I lose about 0.5~0.6% when moving the money to Kasikorn. So 132 baht on a 20,000 withdrawal.
There are some fees for operating the account, but this amounts to under 200 baht a year, so I'm ahead after the first cash withdrawal.

My other tip for regular tourists is to keep your Thai mobile phone number alive between trips. True allow you to extend validity by paying for it or crediting your account. I think the cost is about 3 baht a month or something silly. Which is cheaper than getting a new SIM. Then all I have to do is pop the SIM in the phone on the plane & type in the USSD code to buy a data package as soon as we land. (I think the other phone companies have similar systems)
Since the phone is linked to the bank account, the banking is easier if I keep the same phone number.
Plus it's easier to remember the number.
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