What: Central Thailand caters to all Asian tourists with this new payment option.

Why it is important: This might be a first step to the generalization of this offering across the international division of Central Retail.

Central Retail Corporation (CRC) has partnered with Ant Group to introduce Alipay+ across its stores in Thailand. This move aims to enhance convenience for Asian tourists from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Korea by offering full services for international digital payments.

Users can make payments using their local digital wallets, such as Alipay, AlipayHK, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, and Kakao Pay, without the need for cash or currency exchange. The service will be available across more than 3000 Central Retail outlets in Thailand.

This partnership aims to target Asian tourists visiting Thailand, with plans to expand payment services to accommodate tourists from other countries. The introduction of Alipay+ coincides with a rise in Asian tourists visiting Thailand, and sales to international travelers at Central Retail stores have reportedly doubled year on year during the quarter.

Central Retail teams up with Ant Group to launch Alipay+ in Thailand