Pattaya Beer Garden now accepts Bitcoin

[PattayaPete]

 

You can now use Bitcoin to pay for your food and drink at the Pattaya Beer Garden.  As far as I know we are the first business in Pattaya to accept Bitcoin for payment.

 

Background Information

 

Bitcoin got off to a rocky start in Thailand when the financial authorities declared it was illegal to use here.  There was no law covering Bitcoin but an opinion was given and most people (including me) decided to wait and see.  We waited and what we have seen is that the same financial authority came out this week and say it is not really illegal although if you were to buy Bitcoin in Thai Baht and convert it to some other currency then that would probably be illegal.  On the strength of that opinion the Thailand Bitcoin exchange has resumed trading (bitcoin.co.th).  

 

I've said before that when it became legal we would accept it and so now we have.

 

I am not going to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of Bitcoin here but would be happy to enter into discussion in the off topic section.  I know most people don't know and don't care what a Bitcoin is or what use it may be.  However for those of us who know and love Bitcoin it is important to provide opportunities to those who wish to use this amazing digital currency in the real world to do so.

 

We put the We Accept Bitcoins signs up in the Beer Garden this afternoon and within an hour 3 different people approached me and said something along the lines of "I've heard of this Bitcoin thing but what is it and what use is it to me".  Lengthy discussions followed :-)

 

If you want to know more the internet is full of information.  When you first start reading about it you are likely to go into information overload as the full concept and methodology used to create Bitcoin is extremely techy and not easy to understand.  Just as the internet in 1992 was beyond most people and seemed like a nerds wet dream but not much use in the real world.  Bitcoin has recently been described as the "internet of money" which I think is an excellent description.

 

If you would like to know more, I'd recommend coinbase.com as a user friendly and not too techy introduction for the newbie.

 

THE PROCESS

 

In the Beer Garden we are using the Coinbase Merchant software.  If you want to pay in Bitcoin tell you server when you are ready to pay.  She will bring a tablet to your table which shows the amount to pay in Thai Baht and in Bitcoin and a QR code.  Scan the QR code with your Bitcoin Wallet (which is an app installed on your cell phone) and send the payment.  The server takes the tablet to the cashier who will enter the payment into our system and print your receipt, which the server will bring back to your table.  Done!

 

This is a bit new to our staff so please be patient with them as they learn the system.  It can take a minute or two for the payment to clear so allow some time when paying this way.  BTW the exchange rate from Bitcoin to Thai Baht is calculated by coinbase at the time of the transaction.  You can read up on how they do this on coinbase.com if you are interested.

 

 

[max1970]

Yes, cool! It is nice to see real world places popping up where I can spend them! 

[Bionic]

Awesome news ! One more reason to keep mining

[Gnorman]

Will the staff dislike it as they will see it as missing out on tips?

 

Do you think people will still leave a tip in Baht?

 

Great idea to have the Bitcoin option I think.

[PattayaPete]

Very astute Gnorman and that point was quickly picked up by the staff when I showed it to them.

 

There is nothing to stop someone leaving a cash tip of course but if the customer wants and requests it, we can add a tip to the amount of bitcoin charged.  When this happens the cashier will take the cash equivalent from the till and put it in the tip jar.

[Mr Wombat]

The staff will hate it. Its like credit cards. People are less likely to leave a tip when using credit cards.

 

BTW Pattayapete the girl in the blue shirt next to the bitcoin sign in the first photo is a great waitress. I was in PBG in January 3 or 4 times with my girlfriend. We always sat in her section as she is so efficient. When she had nothing to do she was always cleaning.

[Beerburgerbonk]

Taking Bitcoin is cool but keeping me waiting for 40 minutes for a BLT is not.

 

Tthis is despite the waitresses constanly saying "Sorry" and chasing the kitchen.

 

My Thai friend had not only recieved her food but finished it before mine arrived and the place was not even full - several empty tables.overlooking the sea which of course are the 1st to fill up.

 

But taking Bitcoin is a nice option, perhaps though, more focus on getting the stuff that people are paying for rather than how they pay for it is a good idea as this has happened several times before to me and friends have also commented on unreasonably long waiting times for non thai food.

 

PBG is a nice place though the location is great, the staff are nice,, the prices are reasonable and the food, when it eventually arrives, is good and taking Bitcoin is a nice option..

[vipralf]

Very cool. The bars on "the six" are also accepting it. I hope it catches on. 

[Pilat]

Very nice. Where is the like button?