Tourism is central to Thailand’s economy, contributing nearly $60 billion annually before the pandemic. But recovery has been uneven. For 2025, tourist arrivals are projected at 33-35 million, still about 10% below the 39.9 million peak in 2019. To bridge this gap, the government has launched an innovative initiative: the Thailand TouristDigiPay Payment Scheme.
Thailand TouristDigiPay Payment Scheme: Reviving Tourism Through Digital Payments
The 18-month pilot, beginning in late 2025, aims to attract more spending by allowing tourists to convert cryptocurrency into Thai baht. These funds can then be used with local merchants through e-money wallets, making purchases as easy as scanning a QR code.
Officials estimate that if each tourist spends just 5,000 baht extra, the economy could gain an additional 175 billion baht ($5.3 billion). This highlights the program’s potential to revive revenue at a time when traditional spending channels remain subdued.
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How the Thailand TouristDigiPay Payment Scheme Works
Tourists participating in the scheme must open accounts with licensed digital asset and e-money operators. They are required to pass KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) checks overseen by Thailand’s SEC and financial authorities.
While tourists can fund their wallets using cryptocurrency, all merchant payments are made in baht. This ensures stability, protects small vendors from price volatility, and integrates seamlessly with existing payment systems.
The program imposes strict conversion and spending caps:
- Up to 500,000 baht (~$15,000-17,000) per tourist per month.
- A maximum of 50,000 baht per month for small vendors.
These limits are designed to prevent misuse while giving smaller merchants access to digital payment opportunities.
Supporting Small Vendors and Local Communities
One of the most notable features of the scheme is its focus on small merchants. Many street vendors and small shops have previously been excluded from digital payment ecosystems. With TouristDigiPay, they can now tap into international tourist spending directly.
The system also helps reduce reliance on cash, often inconvenient for visitors and difficult to track for tax and regulatory purposes. By expanding QR-based transactions, the program supports greater transparency, inclusion, and modernization in Thailand’s tourism sector.
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Balancing Innovation with Regulation
While the TouristDigiPay initiative opens doors for digital adoption, it is carefully regulated. Authorities emphasize that this is not a free-for-all use of crypto in Thailand. Instead, crypto acts as a funding source, while all local transactions remain baht-based.
This structure addresses global concerns over money laundering and illegal flows. Transactions are monitored, and withdrawals are restricted until account closure. By combining innovation with strict safeguards, the government hopes to gain both economic and reputational benefits.
Thailand TouristDigiPay Payment Scheme: A Strategic Gamble for the Future of Tourism
Thailand’s tourism recovery has been slower than expected, and officials recognize the need for bold measures. By launching Thailand TouristDigiPay Payment Scheme, they position the country at the intersection of tourism and digital finance. This move is more than just about payments. It signals Thailand’s ambition to reconnect tourism with the digital economy, offering visitors a modern, frictionless way to spend while creating new growth for local businesses. As one official described, it is a “strategic gamble”—but one that could reshape how nations use financial technology to fuel tourism recovery in a post-pandemic world.
