Street vendors in Thailand are accepting mobile payments

Street-food vendors in Bangkok are embracing the digital revolution by offering e-payment methods for cashless transactions via smartphones. For many Thais, eating out at a pavement stall is part of their daily routine. Now, some vendors in the capital Bangkok are offering cashless payments after the Bank of Thailand (BOT) gave the green light for five banks to implement electronic payment systems using Quick Response (QR) barcodes. Typically, transactions range anywhere from THB5 to THB70 (or USD$0.15 to USD$2.11). “The global trend is towards a ‘cashless society’ as it is more convenient and there is proof of transaction. The QR code system would be most practical in Thailand as less investment is needed on behalf of vendors,” Somsak Khaosuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, told Reuters.