Bangkok--27 May--Spark Communications
Suripong Tantiyanon, Visa Country Manager, Thailand (left) and Vipin Kalra, Visa Head of Merchant Sales and Solutions, Asia Pacific (right) joined Chalermchai Chatchaiganan, Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Operations Officer of Thai Smart Card (center) at the partnership contract signing ceremony to mark the first step towards Visa card acceptance at 7-Eleven convenience stores nationwide
The partnership between Visa and Thai Smart Card will enable Visa cardholders to pay at 7-Eleven stores around the country. The pilot will begin first in Bangkok and locations with high tourist traffic in the fourth quarter this year before rolling out nationwide. The program will play a vital role in widening the geographic footprint of electronic payment acceptance in conjunction with the government's goal to digitize money.
"This is a significant milestone for Visa in Thailand. In today's rapidly changing retail environment, it is not just about how retailers want to sell, but how consumers want to buy. 7-Eleven has an extensive network of stores, while Visa has the most cardholders in Thailand. This partnership with Thai Smart Card will help advance the development of electronic payment in Thailand, enabling more people to use their cards to pay for everyday items," said Suripong Tantiyanon, Visa Country Manager, Thailand.