A PromptPay QR code for a shop lets customers pay straight into your account by scanning with any Thai banking app. To use one safely, create it from your own PromptPay ID, check the receiver name shown in a test payment, protect the printed sign from sticker overlays, and confirm each payment in your own bank app.
PromptPay QR payments are now normal at markets, cafés, salons and street stalls across Thailand. They are cheap to run and quick for customers. The risks are simple too: a fake code placed over yours, or a customer who shows a fake confirmation instead of paying. This guide covers both.
Setting up your shop's PromptPay QR code
A PromptPay QR code carries your PromptPay ID, which is linked to a bank account through a mobile phone number, a national ID number or, for registered businesses, a tax ID. Your bank's app or merchant service can usually give you one, and you can also make one with a PromptPay QR generator.
Before you print anything, decide which identifier to use:
- Phone number. Easy to set up, but it shows customers part of your number and ties shop income to a personal account.
- National ID. Works, but many owners prefer not to display anything connected to their ID.
- Tax ID or business account. Usually the cleanest choice for a registered business, because takings stay separate from personal money.
Whichever you choose, make one small test payment from another phone and check that the receiver name shown in the banking app is exactly the name you expect customers to see.
Static QR or amount QR?
There are two common ways to use a PromptPay QR code at a shop.
A static QR code without an amount is printed once and used for every sale. The customer scans it and types the price. It is ideal for stalls and small shops, because you never need to change it.
An amount QR code has the price built in, so the customer only has to confirm. It reduces typing mistakes, which helps with larger or odd amounts. Many point-of-sale systems and some bank merchant apps create a fresh code for each bill. You can also generate one on a tablet or phone and show it to the customer.
A practical approach for many small shops is to keep a static sign on the counter and create amount codes only for larger orders, deposits or deliveries.
Printing the sign and protecting it from stickers
The most common trick against shops is low-tech: someone prints a different payment code and sticks it over yours. Customers then pay a stranger, and you may not notice until the day's takings fall short. Our guide to protecting printed QR codes goes into more detail, but these habits cover most of the risk:
- Laminate the sign or put it behind clear acrylic. A sticker on top of plastic is easier to spot and easier to peel off.
- Print your shop name next to the code. Add a line such as "Receiver name should show: [your name]", so customers know what to check.
- Keep the sign where staff can see it. Codes on tables near the door or at the back of the room are easier to tamper with.
- Use one design consistently. If every sign looks the same, a strange one stands out.
- Avoid loose cards and stands that can be swapped. Fix the sign to the counter if you can.
- Keep a spare. If a sign is damaged or looks wrong, replace it straight away rather than leaving a suspicious one in place.
Confirming that a payment really arrived
The second risk is a customer who shows you a screen instead of paying. Some people show an old slip, a screenshot of someone else's transfer, or an edited image. On a busy afternoon, a quick glance at a phone is easy to fool.
The rule is simple: a payment is confirmed only when you see the money in your own account. That means one of the following:
- A notification from your own banking app or merchant app showing the amount and time.
- The transaction appearing in your account history.
- A sound box or merchant device linked to your account, if your bank offers one.
A customer's slip or screenshot is useful as a reference, but it is not proof by itself. If you want to check a slip someone shows you, our free slip checker can read the small verification QR code printed on Thai bank slips and help you spot a reused or doubtful slip. Even then, matching the payment against your own notifications remains the final check.
If a payment has not arrived, stay polite. Ask the customer to check their app for a pending or failed transfer, and wait for your notification before handing over goods.
A daily checklist for shops that accept PromptPay
A few minutes a day keeps your QR payments safe:
- Before opening, look closely at every QR sign. Run a finger over each one to feel for a sticker or extra layer.
- Scan your own sign with a banking app, without paying, and check that the receiver name is yours.
- Make sure notifications are switched on for the account that receives payments, and that the staff phone or device is charged and nearby.
- Remind new staff that a screenshot is not a payment.
- At closing time, compare the sales you recorded with the money that arrived in the account.
- If anything does not match, check the signs again before the next day.
The general advice in our article on QR payment safety is worth sharing with staff too, because the same checks protect customers.
What to do if something goes wrong
If you find a fake sticker on your sign, remove it, keep it if you can, and take a photo. Replace the sign and warn regular customers if any of them may have paid the wrong account. Contact your bank for advice, and report the matter to the police if money was lost.
If you realise a customer left with goods after showing a fake slip, note the time, amount and anything you remember, and keep any image they sent you. Report it to your bank and the police. Then tighten your process so that goods are released only after your own notification arrives.
FAQ
Can I use one PromptPay QR code for my whole shop?
Yes. A static PromptPay QR code without an amount can be printed once and used for every sale. Customers type the amount themselves, so check the amount on your notification each time.
Is it safe to show my phone number on a PromptPay sign?
A QR code linked to a phone number can reveal part of that number in the customer's banking app. Many businesses prefer a tax ID or a separate business account to keep personal details private.
Is a payment slip enough proof that a customer paid?
No. Slips and screenshots can be reused or edited. Treat a payment as complete only when it appears in your own banking app or merchant notification.
How often should I check my QR sign?
At least once a day, ideally before opening, and again after any busy period or whenever the sign has been out of sight.
Ready to set up your counter? Create your sign with the free PromptPay QR generator, and keep the slip checker bookmarked for the times a customer's slip looks doubtful.