Alipay gains foothold in Thailand at convenience store chain

Chinese travelers can now make purchases at Thai 7-Eleven convenience stores using the Alipay app on the smartphones at 9,000 Counter Service cashiers - with no transaction fees.

The cross-boarder mobile payment service partnership was announced on Saturday night in Bangkok and began on Sunday.

"Chinese travelers need many things when they land in a foreign country, such as food, drinks, mobile sim card. ... They may not have had the opportunity to exchange renminbi for the local currency before they have to make a purchase. Alipay wants Chinese tourists to enjoy the kind of convenience they are used to in their home market," said Jia Hang, executive director of the global strategic partnership department at Ant Financial, the parent company of Alipay.