Smart rings with contactless payment?

honestly youre prob better off just getting a smartwatch if u want NFC payments, rings are still kinda niche here. MBK has a few stalls selling random Xiaomi or Samsung wearables but most rings dont support Thai banking apps yet, theyre more for fitness tracking. TrueMoney Wallet works with some NFC devices but Ive only seen it on watches and phones. If youre set on a ring try checking the Samsung store at CentralWorld, they might have the Galaxy Ring but last I checked it was like 14k baht and no guarantee it links to your bank

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fwiw u could try the Rabbit Card bracelet instead of a smart ring - they sell them at most BTS station ticket booths for like 200 baht and they tap just like the card. not a full payment system obviously but covers the BTS and a bunch of 7-Eleven locations.

another option nobody mentioned yet is getting a sticker NFC tag from your bank - Kasikorn and SCB both do those little adhesive chips u can stick on your phone case or even a ring band. theyre basically a mini card that taps. cost like 300-500 baht at your bank branch, way cheaper than a smart ring and works with every Thai contactless terminal.

if u really want a ring form factor check the random gadget stalls at Fortune Town IT mall on Rama 9. they sometimes have generic NFC rings from China for like 800-1500 baht but no idea if theyll actually work with your bank - its a gamble. test it at the stall with their own terminal before buying

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yeah rings are still pretty limited for Thai banks tbh. most of the contactless payment infrastructure here runs on the Visa/Mastercard tap standard or Rabbit Line Pay, and rings rarely support those properly.

if you're really set on a wearable solution without a watch, try looking at the Garmin Venu Sq 2 or something similar at Power Buy in Siam Paragon - they accept Garmin Pay which works with Krungthai and SCB. not a ring but smaller than a full smartwatch.

for rings specifically, the only one I've seen actually demo working with a Thai bank was the Oura Ring at a popup in EmQuartier last month, but it was a limited test and they weren't sure about full rollout. might be worth asking at their shop on the 2nd floor near the food court.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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