Will the hi-tech cashless future leave a dinosaur like me behind?

[Big Boy]

Before reading this, you need to understand that in my past, I have designed numerous IT systems, of which several are still in regular use with the MOD today.

I visited a ‘modern’ restaurant a few days ago. The owner had gone (in my opinion) overboard regarding technology, to the extent it was a definite case of tail wagging the dog, and in some instances would keep customers away because they didn’t meet the technical requirement to gain entry. Technical requirements were essential to gain admission – no exceptions. We’ve all experienced how Thailand and Technology are a bad match.

I was put off the place immediately, because it was cashless. No mobile banking, and you do not get past the Gestapo at the entrance from the car park. I was aware that there was an entrance fee, but I was totally unaware that it was cashless. Neither my wife nor I do mobile banking. If we weren’t treating my son to lunch, we would not have been allowed to enter – at least he had mobile banking on his phone. Some treat that turned out to be, my son had to pay. However, despite having mobile banking, he did not have mobile internet – internet is essential for mobile banking. They said its OK, there is free internet inside. Duh, we couldn’t get inside without internet to operate mobile banking to pay our admission fee. I switched on my mobile hotspot to get us all in.

Even if we could have used the restaurant’s internet from the car park, I’m sure we’ve all logged on to a hotel’s internet at some time or another. What is the message we all receive? “This connection is not secure” – it warns us against using apps such as mobile banking on the network. Why would a restaurant’s wi-fi be any more secure?

If this is the future, a dinosaur like me stands little chance of survival. I remember the days when I used to go to the cinema at least once a week – a cashless society stopped that habit very quickly. Yes, I know they accept cash again now, but we just got out of the habit. If this is the future of restaurants, I will simply stop eating out.

However, that wasn’t the end of my dinosaur ways being unacceptable. I was like a fish out of water in this place. We went into the restaurant, and were seated. Only 2 other people were inside. We were given a single menu between 3 of us, and a QR Code. The idea was that we scanned the bar code, and viewed the menu on our phones. I wasn’t having any of that, but realised I had to order or lose my admission fee. We were given a second menu after my protests. The waitress was only there to look pretty, not to take orders, that also had to be done on my son’s mobile.

We got to ordering drinks. I had seen quite an extensive range of drinks online when viewing information about the place online. The menu only had a choice of water, coke or beer. We called the waitress over and asked about other drinks – no it was water, coke or beer. I explained what I’d viewed online. It turned out other drinks were available, but we’d need to go to the coffee shop across the road, which was also cashless, and go through the QR process all over again. My wife is disabled, and that walk would have been very painful for her, and carrying her drink back to the restaurant, nigh on impossible. This was a single establishment, supposedly ‘fully automated‘ by technology, but it wasn’t joined up! That meant it was 2 waters and a coke for us. Table service was very limited for drinks.

Food was very nice, and the menu was quite extensive with Western and Thai dishes. Pricewise, I’d put the place as middle of the road.

I was still reeling from this cashless society. Next came the ‘Thailand 4’ tail wagging the dog magic. We had 3 admission vouchers, and our bill/account was on my son’s phone. He tried and tried, but could not get the system to deduct the value of the 3 vouchers. We’d at last found a purpose for the waitress – called her over and asked how to deduct them. Basically, you can’t. She had to walk the vouchers to the main office, and get somebody to deduct them on the main computer system. She then walked a QR Code back to the restaurant for my son to scan. I couldn’t help myself, I just burst out laughing at such a hi-tech solution.

Despite us liking the place a lot, there is no way I will ever go back unless somebody else is treating – I do not trust mobile banking, so I am excluded.

This restaurant was out in the Boonies, so probably very susceptible to power outages. They will have no option but to close down in such circumstances.

[buksida]

It will leave all foreigners in Thailand behind when they make bank accounts, CBDCs, payment platforms, cards, and apps only accessible to Thais with a national digital ID (NDID), which aliens cannot get. Over the past year, I have been rejected from three separate financial services/companies in Thailand for not having a NDID.

Welcome to the future in Thailand, where cash will be our only option.

[STEVE G]

Since Covid, I've got more used to cashless in Europe but it's all with contactless card payments.
Do these places in Thailand accept them?
If not, the sort of place described above isn't going to get any custom from Western tourists who aren't going to have any kind of QR payment system that is compatible.

[migrant]

Not just Thailand. Last time in the US I visited a mid size restaurant that had good reviews. It had signs around "no cash" well that's OK I have credit cards. When the waitress came to take my order she hadn't given me a menu and I asked for one. She looked at me like I was a moron (well OK but how did she know?) and said use the QR code on the table. I told her I didn't have my phone with me (Mrs M always yells at me for doing that) and she said "we don't have menus anymore" in a very condescending voice. Well she also had one less customer too.

[Big Boy]

^Welcome to my world

At least you hadn't paid an admission fee, so had nothing to lose.

[STEVE G]

Can you make QR payments in Thailand out of your phone credit?
I notice that the AIS app has a QR scanner.

[HHTel]

Just spent 3 months in the UK and you get some very strange looks when offering cash to pay for anything.
This is the future!!

[Big Boy]

But why? One one hand we get told public wi-fi networks are insecure, and we shouldn't trust them for apps such as banking.

On the other hand, when I run out of cash, I'm not tempted to spend. Without limitations such as no money, I'm liable to over-spend.

Remember the days when you could ask the waitress questions about food, and what is in it. You don't get much of a response from a QR Code.

Can somebody please explain the advantages of the technology?

[VincentD]

It is annoying that I can't pay my True phone bill at the True shop in a major shopping center, their way around it was to get one of their staff to use their Thai ID card for my phone payment. The joke is, the machine only accepts cash!
I now pay through the 7-11, it's just a small additional fee and no hassle.
And, horror of horrors, even the S&P bakery is now cashless. I fortunately do have an online banking application on my phone, and to their credit they do accept credit cards. But for a 65 baht purchase?
My feeling is (tinfoil hat now firmly in my head) that with at least 80% of the population unable to qualify for any sort of credit, they are getting them to get bank accounts and use online banking so as to be able to track and monitor spending trends.
You can't track cash..

[Dannie Boy]

Just spent 3 months in the UK and you get some very strange looks when offering cash to pay for anything.
This is the future!!

That’s strange, I’m in the UK at the moment and whilst I’ve encountered a few outlets that have been card/app only, the majority will accept both?

[STEVE G]

Can somebody please explain the advantages of the technology?

I can imagine that from the point of view of the business, particularly in countries inclined to corruption, that the main reason for it is that all the takings will make it to the bank.

[Big Boy]

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.

[derek60]

In the UK I don't carry cash anymore

I visited Poland recently and it is against the law not to accept contactless (EU?)

Thailand is still mainly cash based - I have never used a QR code to pay (this isn't a thing, as far as I know, in the UK), although Apple pay works in some places

I notice my SCB app has a QR code option on it. I will try it when I next visit

Is there any suggestion that using a QR code is less secure than, say, Apple pay?

[Big Boy]

Is there any suggestion that using a QR code is less secure than, say, Apple pay?

Certainly not by me. My suggestion is the lack of security is using banking apps on insecure networks. Or are the warnings given by nearly every hotel when connecting via their unsecured wi-fi unfounded.

[Dannie Boy]

Is there any suggestion that using a QR code is less secure than, say, Apple pay?

Certainly not by me. My suggestion is the lack of security is using banking apps on insecure networks. Or are the warnings given by nearly every hotel when connecting via their unsecured wi-fi unfounded.

It’s obviously a warning because it’s not considered (completely?) safe - hopefully having the VPN switched on provides some degree of extra protection?