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Chinese tourists visiting Thailand can now enjoy easier, seamless payments through expanded QR code interoperability, enabled by cross-border cooperation between UnionPay and Thai payment networks. Powered by UnionPay’s global payment infrastructure and Thailand’s NITMX, the initiative allows UnionPay users to make PromptPay-supported QR payments at Thai merchants by scanning codes with familiar payment apps like Yun Shan Fu.
Since October 30, 2024, tourists can pay at locations in Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai, eliminating the need for currency exchange and offering a fast, secure experience similar to that in China. This marks UnionPay as the first international card scheme to support PromptPay QR payments for Chinese visitors.
The collaboration is part of broader regional efforts by UnionPay and UPI to promote cross-border QR interoperability across ASEAN, including initiatives with Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, and Vietnam’s Vietcombank. These projects aim to boost tourism, trade, and economic ties, with Chinese and Thai travelers benefiting from smoother transactions and strengthened connectivity.
UnionPay’s ongoing partnership with Thailand and other ASEAN nations underscores its commitment to building trusted, seamless financial ecosystems, fostering deeper people-to-people exchanges and regional cooperation.