Accepting Payments in Thailand: PromptPay, Cards, 2C2P
You want to sell online in Thailand. But payments here work differently than the West. Credit card penetration is low. Bank transfers are huge. And there's a dozen payment gateways competing for your business.
Here's what actually works, what it costs, and what to use.
How Thais Actually Pay
Before choosing a payment method, understand your customers:
- PromptPay/QR transfers: By far the most common. Free, instant, everyone has it.
- Mobile banking apps: KBank, SCB, Bangkok Bank apps—used for transfers and bills.
- Credit/debit cards: Growing but still minority. Higher among urban professionals.
- Cash on delivery (COD): Still huge for e-commerce, especially outside Bangkok.
- Wallets: TrueMoney, LINE Pay, ShopeePay—popular for smaller purchases.
Payment Options Breakdown
The national QR payment system. Linked to phone number or citizen ID. Free transfers between any banks.
- Fees: Free for customers. 0.1-0.2% for merchants via payment gateways.
- Settlement: Instant for basic, next day via gateways.
- Integration: Static QR (manual confirmation) or dynamic QR via gateway (automatic).
Best for: Everyone. This should be your primary payment method.
Visa, Mastercard, JCB. Higher fees than PromptPay but familiar to international customers.
- Fees: 2.5-3.65% depending on provider.
- Settlement: T+2 to T+7 depending on provider.
- Requirements: Thai company registration for most gateways.
Best for: International customers, higher-value purchases, subscriptions.
Customer transfers to your bank account, sends slip, you confirm manually.
- Fees: None (except your time).
- Settlement: Instant.
- Downside: Manual verification, doesn't scale, slip fraud exists.
Best for: Low volume, B2B, invoiced services.
TrueMoney, LINE Pay, ShopeePay. Popular for smaller purchases and younger demographics.
- Fees: 1-3% depending on wallet and gateway.
- Settlement: T+1 to T+3.
- Integration: Usually via payment gateways like 2C2P or Omise.
Best for: E-commerce, food delivery, entertainment, younger audience.
Payment Gateways Compared
| Gateway | Card Fee | PromptPay | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2C2P | 3.65% | Yes | Enterprise, full features |
| Omise | 3.65% | Yes | Developer-friendly, startups |
| PaySolutions | 2.5-3% | Yes | Lower fees, Thai businesses |
| Stripe | 3.65% | No | International, cards only |
| PayPal | 4.4%+ | No | International customers |
| GB Prime Pay | 2.9-3.5% | Yes | E-commerce platforms |
My Recommendations
For Most Thai Businesses
Use: Omise or 2C2P
Both support PromptPay (dynamic QR with auto-confirmation), credit cards, and Thai wallets. Omise has better developer docs. 2C2P has more payment methods and enterprise features.
Setup requires Thai company registration and takes 1-2 weeks for approval.
For International/Expat Businesses
Use: Stripe + manual PromptPay
Stripe is the best for cards but doesn't support Thai local payments. Add a static PromptPay QR for Thai customers. Downside: manual verification for PromptPay.
For Low Volume/Starting Out
Use: PromptPay QR + manual bank transfer
Free to set up. Generate a PromptPay QR linked to your phone number or bank account. Customers pay and send slip via LINE. You verify manually.
Doesn't scale, but works fine under ~50 transactions/month.
For E-commerce Platforms
Use: 2C2P or GB Prime Pay
Both integrate with Shopify, WooCommerce, and other platforms. Support installment payments, which Thai shoppers love for bigger purchases.
Costs Reality Check
Assume a 1,000 THB sale:
- PromptPay via gateway: ~2 THB (0.2%)
- Credit card: ~37 THB (3.65%)
- PayPal: ~54 THB (4.4% + fixed fee)
If your margins are tight, pushing customers toward PromptPay saves significant money.
Integration Difficulty
- Static PromptPay QR: Zero integration. Just display an image.
- Omise: Good docs, clean API. A competent developer can integrate in 1-2 days.
- 2C2P: More complex, enterprise-focused. Expect 3-5 days integration.
- Stripe: Best docs in the industry. Half a day to basic integration.
Common Mistakes
- Cards only: You'll lose most Thai customers. Always offer PromptPay.
- PayPal only: High fees and Thai customers often don't have PayPal. Not recommended as primary.
- Ignoring mobile: Most payments happen on phones. Your checkout must work perfectly on mobile.
- No confirmation system: If using manual PromptPay, automate slip uploads and notifications. Don't rely on LINE messages.
Bottom Line
For Thailand:
- PromptPay is mandatory. Not optional.
- Credit cards matter for higher-value and international.
- Omise or 2C2P for automated payments with proper Thai business.
- Stripe for international-focused businesses.
- Manual QR + slip works fine for low volume starting out.
Need payment integration?
I build e-commerce sites and integrate Thai payment gateways. Let's talk.
Get in Touch