Port authority woos more banks to e-payment scheme
The Port Authority of Thailand is seeking four more banks to join its Internet payment network for exporters and importers at Bangkok and Laem Chabang ports.
Siam Commercial Bank yesterday became the second provider of electronic payment services for PAT’s customers after Krung Thai Bank.
The four others that PAT hopes to enlist to offer more services to its customers are Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Kasikornbank and Citibank.
Having more bank partners will help traders pay surcharges more conveniently through www.port.co.th, which is directly linked to those banks’ websites in real time and 24 hours a day.
Surapong Rongsirikul, acting director-general of PAT, said yesterday that the project was developed to facilitate exports and imports when trade goes seamless under the Asean Economic Community in 2015.
Payments through the electronic network run Bt20 million per day.
The electronic system is not very popular among traders as they already have staff to take care of documentation and payments at port offices, but more companies will turn to using electronic payments after many banks have joined the scheme, he said.
