Cambodians and credit cards

[amirite]

A 40 year old Khmer that I know asked me today how to book a hotel. He’s traveled a lot for work, but this time needed to book his own hotel. Turns out he doesn’t have a credit card so couldn’t book online.

I understand all Cambodians don’t have credit cards, but someone who makes more than the average Tefler here should have one, I would have thought.

Do any Khmers (other than the elite) have credit cards?

[Lucky Lucan]

Of course rich people here have credit cards. The local banks don't offer what might be considered credit-cards in the west though. You have to have a reasonable balance maintained, like $2000 or so, and can't spend more than that sum, which effectively makes them debit cards. It's only in recent years that many have started using banks at all though, it was very much a cash economy for a long time and people just hid their wedges and gold around the house.

[epidemiks]

I understand all Cambodians don’t have credit cards, but someone who makes more than the average Tefler here should have one, I would have thought.

Why? Having a credit card never struck me as something to aspire to. Managing income better, on the other hand, is.

Visa/Mastercard debit cards offer the same convenience, without the debt trap.

[Youn Hoo Fatt]

dont know about khmer and credit cards but fairly sure most barang dont have access to internet search engines

Once you activate your Angry Birds™ FTB / WING
Visa CashCard, the first thing you need to do is sign
your name on the signature panel on the back of
the card, as some purchases will require signature
verification. To make an in store purchase, simply
swipe the card as you would for a credit card and
then sign to complete the purchase. For shopping
online, enter the 16-digit card number, expiration
date, and the 3 digits printed to the right of the
signature panel on the back of the card. For cash
withdrawal at ATM, insert your card, enter your
6-digit PIN, and follow the directions on the ATM
screen. Each time you make a purchase or cash
withdrawal, the funds are automatically deducted
from your prepaid balance

[Pu Li]

I'm fairly sure that some barang dont apply for Angry Birds FTB/WING Visa Cash Cards because they are adults.

[Youn Hoo Fatt]

I'm fairly sure that some barang dont apply for Angry Birds FTB/WING Visa Cash Cards because they are adults.

cant see any age restrictions on it

The Angry Birds™ FTB / WING Visa
CashCard is a prepaid and co-branded
Visa card with WING, Cambodia’s #1
mobile payment service. By partnering with
WING, all FTB Visa CashCards can now be
loaded directly from your WING account or at
a WING Cash Xpress outlet. The card can be
used to make purchases from tens of millions
of Visa merchant shops or restaurants around
the world, withdraw cash from more than 500
ATMs in Cambodia, 2.0 million Visa PLUS ATMs
worldwide, make online payments, and also
receive international remittances. Plus, all
FTB Visa CashCards can be reloaded as often
as you like – simply load, spend, and reload,
it’s that easy!
With no bank account, collateral, or deposit
required, the card is easy to purchase and is
available at FTB branches, WING Cash Xpress
outlets and selected merchants. Purchase one
today and start enjoying the many benefits of Visa!

[kinard]

I'm fairly sure that some barang dont apply for Angry Birds FTB/WING Visa Cash Cards because they are adults.

[Spigzy]

That's a blast from the past!
1. The Wing/Angry Birds contract expired as far as I know.
2. FTB pre-paid cards can be taken in standard Gold/Silver/Blue FTB bank styles & still work for reloading via Wing.

[Youn Hoo Fatt]

That's a blast from the past!
1. The Wing/Angry Birds contract expired as far as I know.
2. FTB pre-paid cards can be taken in standard Gold/Silver/Blue FTB bank styles & still work for reloading via Wing.

http://www.ftbbank.com/
click "card services" and mostly they just got angry birds.
you're saying the website is past useby date?

[LaudJohn]

I use a visa Debit card from ABA. Works just like a credit card for online and in shops.

[Miguelito]

Aren't Cambodians just skipping over credit cards and moving towards AliBaba Pay (or whatever it's called) and others such as PiPay? Will these be able to be used to book things like hotels in the future?

[Gardiguy]

I've never had a problem in Asia with a visa debit card, in the US and Canada though, they have always asked me for an actual credit card when checking in just in case of incidentals.

[Spigzy]

That's a blast from the past!
1. The Wing/Angry Birds contract expired as far as I know.
2. FTB pre-paid cards can be taken in standard Gold/Silver/Blue FTB bank styles & still work for reloading via Wing.

http://www.ftbbank.com/
click "card services" and mostly they just got angry birds.
you're saying the website is past useby date?

Yes I think so- the deal was for two or three years only, that page is dated 2014. But even if somebody extended it, fact is the standard bank looking prepaid Visa cards FTB issue also work exactly the same. The Angry Birds design was aimed at a more youthful segment than K440 readers- except YoungWill, who may have picked up a few to assist with running one of his bars!

[the chicken]

I have a Master and a Visa debit cards rarely find the need to use them a part from making myself look cool at supermarkets every once in a while.