![\"China\u2013Thailand](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/c1_3147907_800.png\")
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Chinese tourists visiting Thailand can now enjoy easier payments, thanks to expanded, interoperable quick response (QR) code services enabled by deepening cross-border collaboration between the two countries. The initiative is powered by UnionPay\u2019s global payment capabilities and QR infrastructure from UnionPay International (UPI).<\/p>\n
Making cross-border QR payments seamless<\/p>\n
UPI, a global leader in payment solutions, has partnered with National ITMX Co Ltd (NITMX), Thailand\u2019s national payment infrastructure operator, to allow UnionPay users to make PromptPay-supported QR payments in Thailand.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The China-Thailand QR code interoperability is based on a Network-to-Network (N2N) model. Under the guidance of the Bank of Thailand (BoT) and with bilateral policy support, UnionPay and Thailand\u2019s local QR code network have implemented cross-border interoperability collaboration on a commercial basis, to support trade, investment and tourism.<\/p>\n
The partnership enables Chinese tourists to scan and pay at Thai merchants, enhancing their digital payment experience while travelling. The service has been available since 30 October this year.<\/p>\n
With this collaboration, Chinese visitors can make purchases at participating merchants across Thailand\u2014especially in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai\u2014by simply scanning merchant\u2019s QR code using their familiar mobile payment apps such as Yun Shan Fu (UnionPay app).<\/p>\n
This removes the need for currency exchange and delivers the same fast, secure and convenient experience they enjoy at home. For example, a tourist buying mango sticky rice at a Chiang Mai night market can pay just as they would in China, according to Chinese media reports.<\/p>\n
Under the China\u2013Thailand cross-border QR interoperability project, UnionPay has become the first international card scheme to provide PromptPay QR code payment services for visitors from China.<\/p>\n
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Driving QR interoperability across Asean<\/p>\n
As payment digitisation spreads across Southeast Asia, QR code scanning has grown increasingly popular. UPI has become a leading global payment partner in the region, supporting multiple cross-border interoperability initiatives across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) over the past two years.<\/p>\n
In 2024, UPI and Vietnam\u2019s National Payment Corporation (NAPAS) launched a \u201cmodel project\u201d for government-to-government cross-border QR payments.\u00a0 UPI also partnered with Laos\u2019 national payment network (LAPNet) to roll out QR interoperability in the same year.<\/p>\n
In 2025, UnionPay\u2019s efforts accelerated further. UPI signed agreements with Indonesia\u2019s Payment System Association (ASPI), Ant International, Bank of China (Hong Kong) Jakarta Branch and the country\u2019s four switching networks\u2014Rintis, ALTO, Artajasa and Jalin\u2014streamlining project implementation.<\/p>\n
ICBC, together with UPI, NAPAS, and Vietcombank, established the \u201cQuadrilateral Cooperation Agreement on China\u2013Vietnam QR Code Retail Payment Interoperability,\u201d marking a landmark bilateral initiative.<\/p>\n
In Thailand, UPI and NITMX are focusing on tourism, enabling cross-border payments for Chinese and Thai travellers. Following the 2024 mutual visa-exemption agreement, two-way tourism has surged. From Jan 1 to Nov 16, Thailand welcomed 28.3 million foreign visitors, with Chinese tourists among the largest groups.<\/p>\n
Strengthening connectivity through trusted ties<\/p>\n
UnionPay continues to deepen collaboration with the BoT, local payment networks, financial institutions and other partners to advance QR payment interoperability between China and Thailand.<\/p>\n
Through comprehensive UnionPay solutions, the company tries to provide integrated connection with Thailand\u2019s payments ecosystem\u2014using digital connectivity to support economic cooperation, smoother capital flows and enhance people-to-people links.<\/p>\n
With QR payments now embedded in everyday spending, what crosses the border is not only money, but also trust, convenience and a shared commitment to a more seamless financial future.<\/p>\n
In line with UnionPay\u2019s corporate vision of \u201cTrusted Ties, Shared Success,\u201d this collaborative and open \u201cUnionPay model\u201d is emerging as a meaningful catalyst for broader regional financial cooperation.<\/p>\n
As more interoperability project take shape, cross-border payments are expected to progress from simple \u201ctechnical connectivity\u201d to deeper \u201cecosystem connectivity\u201d \u2014ultimately strengthening genuine people-to-people exchange.<\/p>\n
This evolution highlights UnionPay\u2019s contribution to smoother cross-border transactions and a more connected ASEAN.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chinese tourists visiting Thailand can now enjoy easier payments, thanks to expanded, interoperable quick response (QR) code services…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":295062,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[891,2306,119220,227,86,4654,387,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-295061","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-china","9":"tag-mobile","10":"tag-qr-payment","11":"tag-tech","12":"tag-technology","13":"tag-thailand","14":"tag-travel","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}