Card launch set to help Thailand on path to cashless society 

The launch aims to support the country’s transition into a cashless society, with the ‘Generation Me’ (Gen Me) group empowered more than ever before to shop online.
There are expected to be one million AirPay Card owners by the end of next year.
Maneerut Anulomsombut, chief executive officer of Garena Online (Thailand) – a leading consumer Internet platform provider – said AirPay offered an offline payment service with the support of 85,000 over-the-counter distribution channels across the country.
Moreover, the AirPay mobile application allows users to conveniently pay their bills, refill their credit, buy movie, air, bus and ferry tickets – and even donate money to charities, she said. 
At present, the AirPay app has up to 1.4 million registered users, most of them between 17 and 24 years old and who love spending money on entertainment and lifestyle products.
Recognising that there are opportunities to develop new payment services on top its application, AirPay has decided to launch the AirPay Card to respond better to online shoppers’ needs, encourage spending and pave the way for Thailand to transit into a cashless society. 
Through AirPay’s collaboration with MasterCard and Thanachart Bank, AirPay (Thailand) is now introducing the virtual prepaid card which can be used at any online shops and merchants, in any location where MasterCard is accepted. 
The card comes with 3-D Secure (MasterCard SecureCode), which requires a one-time password prior to completing a payment, ensuring additional safety and security while making online transactions. 
Furthermore, card registration has been made easy for consumers, since it does not require any personally identifiable information to register, while credit top-up can be made through a variety of channels. 
Card owners can top up anytime, anywhere – on the   the AirPay application, at 85,000 AirPay counters, and at participating branches nationwide, including more than 1,700 Tesco Lotus stores, various bank counters and Internet banking services.
Natsicha Voraprukpisut, vice president and head of market development at MasterCard Thailand, said that partnering with AirPay and Thanachart Bank had enabled the card giant to bring the benefits of innovative payment to AirPay existing and prospective wallet holders to access 43 million merchants across the world. 
“A cashless society has long been MasterCard’s priority. MasterCard has always aimed to eliminate cash through introducing electronic payment in order to make payment more secure, transparent and convenient,” she added.