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TAT joins hands with Alipay
Thailand is strengthening its cashless payment options targeting the lucrative inbound China market.
Tourism Authority of Thailand has sealed a partnership deal with China’s giant mobile payment platform Alipay to encourage more in-destination spending via discounts on shopping, spas and hotels stays.
Alipay is the world’s largest digital payment platform with a massive 900 million users.
Cashless payment discounts will be rolled out in main tourist hotspots and up and coming secondary destinations.
Alipay is likey to roll out the new Thailand platform in September, said Zhang Yong, general-manager of Alipay.
"I must express my gratitude to the Chinese movie ‘Lost in Thailand,’ released in 2012, which has led to a wave of Chinese tourists visiting the Kingdom," said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn.
Around 10.5 million Chinese travellers visited Thailand in 2018, spending an average of US$1,746.
TAT and Alipay recently agreed to roll out two new systems, called Zhima and Huabei, which enables Alipay members to complete visa-on-arrival and immigration procedures, and process VAT refunds.
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