Thailand – A historically rich country can primarily be enjoyed only ‘in cash’!
Thailand, as we all know, is a country of vibrant flavors endowed with a rich history that has amalgamated with various Eastern and Western cultures to carve out a unique and independent identity of its own. I experienced this first-hand during our recent visit to Thailand where things unfolded beyond what I had imagined – a high level of social harmony and contentment!
The guide who took us around shared one of the primary secrets behind such a level of social contentment – their deep-rooted practice of meditation as mentioned in Buddhism. According to him, meditation manifests as peace and harmony that could be seen and felt wherever we visited. Everyone seemed cordial, friendly, and willing to do their bit to make foreigners feel at home. The streets were filled with tourists enjoying the warm Thai hospitality in an atmosphere of traditional values with a touch of the 21st century. The tourism infrastructure was truly magnificent as it gelled well with their historical past – a noteworthy trait of endeavoring to share and promote their cultural and religious pursuits!
At the same time, however, it was a bit surprising to see how in general small businesses, local service providers, and tourist points did monetary transactions on a day-to-day basis. In this modern era where economies are moving from cash to card and other modes of payments, having to face “cash only” scenarios was something that I had never expected!
Even though officially many modes of payments are accepted in Thailand, but for all practical purposes, cash is “king” – small eateries, shops, and groceries, etc., insist on “cash only” payments. Even public entities too insist on payments in cash. The only exception was in the malls, where most of the shops and restaurants also accepted payments by card.
As an Indian, where even small vendors prefer digital payments, paying only in cash was something we had not done for many years. Luckily, we had purchased some Thai Baht as a precaution for airport entry – just in case it was required. That turned out to be our savior without which we would have faced many hurdles. For example, while visiting famous temples and palaces, like the Bang Pa-In Palace in Ayutthaya we were asked to pay ฿100 each in cash for entry to the Palace. The lady at the counter was accepting money in Thai Baht (฿) only – no cards, US$ or any other foreign currency! Thereafter, we were asked to pay in cash at all the places we visited, including Wat Pho, where we paid an entry fee of ฿300 each in cash!
Even while visiting the local Patpong Night Market (where IPR is blatantly flouted and branded products are openly sold – that’s for another day!), shopkeepers insisted on cash payments only – making it apparent that the sale of brands such as Michael Kors, Gucci, Coach, etc., did not carry official sales invoices.
The experience of dealing in currency payments, carrying coins and Thai Baht notes in our wallets at all times took me back down memory lanes. It greatly reminded me of my childhood days when we used to count coins and money while paying and recipients used to re-count them to verify the accuracy of payments.
As I now sit back and reflect upon the hustle bustle and the magnificent urban landscapes, major tourist attractions, rich historical past, and a truly warm and tourist-friendly Thai society – one additional thing that will always remain in my mind is the seeming tendency of the common man in Thailand to lean towards the past in their day-to-day financial transactions. It was apparent to me, that for them “cash in pocket” was better than “money stocked” in their banks!