Thailand Banking: Face Scanning Exemption and Optional Location Tracking
This is a short post to highlight the new terms and conditions I have just read through for the Kasikorn ‘K Plus’ mobile banking application in Thailand.
Two parts stuck out.
Firstly, this caveat to the face scanning requirement - I have written about this previously, that Thai banks introduced ‘mandatory’ face scanning requirements for customers that make online bank transfers exceeding 50,000 THB ($1,524 USD).
I have not capitulated and scanned my face with the app, but know plenty of people who shrugged and did it anyway, for convenience.
The workaround being making multiple transfers at 49,999 THB if you are making an expensive purchase. Or go to a bank branch and present physical ID to make a transfer. Or use cash.
It is therefore interesting that this popped up in today’s T&Cs within the app:
In the case where the bank requires the user to scan their face for identity authentication when conducting transactions, but the User requests an exemption from face scanning, the User agrees to accept any risk that may arise from such exemption. Exemption from face scanning shall be at the Bank’s sole discretion.
I wonder if there has been more push back than I had thought. I don’t know if such an exemption can be requested in the app or in person at the branch, but I think this is a positive development.
The next clause is weird - I had noticed to my frustration a notification prompt whenever I logged into the app lately, asking me to turn on location services. I ignored it. See the clause below, vaguely worded as to why the banking policy makers would need to see the location of their customers!
The User may allow location services in the User’s Device to determine their approximate location whilst making transactions, for the purpose of the User’s security.
I guess it is just an outright blatant attempt to track customers, because they’d like that data. A non-player-character would probably gladly give up their location to the bank, thinking it would prevent them being scammed or help police track someone who extorts them and coerces them to transfer money to another account.
How about not enabling location services in your banking app, for the sake of your privacy??!
Do you want to be tracked, dear reader, for your user security?
The bank app requesting location services to be enabled by Users ties in with the Thai government’s CBDC plans and the digital wallet scheme - which has had pushback. Initially, the stimulus handout was supposed to be as digital tokens which could only be spent within 4km of a person’s registered address and on government approved products only. The stimulus was then given out in cash for the first phase. Now it appears to be on hold…
Use cash more often.
Insist on face scanning exemptions if you must use a banking app for large transactions.
Vote with your wallet, vote with your banking methods.
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This is an important, timely, and well articulated video. I have a great deal of respect for Benjamin Hart. He is an intelligent critical thinker. I have corrected and formatted the video transcript below, via the YouTube transcript feature, adding in hyperlinks to the articles referenced by Ben.
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Holy crap! Really? This is nuts man. Absolutely nuts. Thank you for sharing this!
I use Bangkok Bank and when you first set up the app in the branch the teller sits with you and helps the app do a complete facial scan. But to my knowledge they never use it - the app just requires a pin.
I made my first Bitcoin purchase recently and was impressed by how easy it was. I hope it becomes a viable alternative to these increasingly creepy banks.