A PromptPay QR code points at a PromptPay ID, and you choose which one. The ID you pick is stored inside the code, which affects your privacy and how confident payers feel. Here is how the options compare, and when a business should use bill payment instead.
The PromptPay IDs QRnaka accepts
The box "Mobile / citizen ID / tax ID / e-Wallet" on the PromptPay QR page takes four kinds of ID:
| PromptPay ID | Digits | Typical user |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile number | 10 | Individuals, small shops |
| Citizen ID | 13 | People who linked their ID card |
| Tax ID | 13 | Companies and other businesses |
| e-Wallet ID | 15 | Wallets that issue one |
Whatever you registered for PromptPay with your bank is what goes in the box. The page checks the format: a Thai mobile needs 10 digits, and a 13-digit number gets its check digit verified ("This 13-digit number is not valid (check digit)"). It cannot see whether the number is registered, or to which account.
One trap: this box is for PromptPay IDs, not bank account numbers. A 10-digit account number that happens to start like a mobile number would be read as a mobile, and the code could send money to the wrong person or simply fail. Always test before use.
What a payer sees
- In a banking app, after scanning: the account name linked to that PromptPay ID, plus the amount if the code has one, on the confirmation screen.
- In any QR reader, such as our Read QR page: the full PromptPay number, whether mobile, 13-digit ID or e-Wallet ID, and the amount.
So a PromptPay code does not hide your number: anyone who photographs your sign can read it. That is true of every PromptPay QR.
A citizen ID on a public sign
If your PromptPay is linked to your citizen ID and you put the code on a shop counter, anyone with a QR reader can read your 13-digit ID. Our printable card does not print the number unless you tick the box, but the number is still inside the code.
A citizen ID is personal and used to prove identity in many places, so for a public sign a mobile number is usually the more comfortable choice. If your PromptPay is only linked to your ID, ask your bank about linking a mobile number.
A mobile number can be read too, and customers may call or add you. If you would rather keep your personal number private, a separate number for the business helps.
PromptPay for companies
Companies and other juristic persons can link PromptPay to the business account using their 13-digit tax ID. It goes in the same box as a citizen ID and gets the same check-digit test.
Payers then see the company's name in their banking app rather than a person's, which builds trust, and the money lands in the business account. A company's tax ID already appears on its trade documents, so the privacy issue is not the same as with a personal ID.
When bill payment fits better
A PromptPay code tells you which account was paid and how much, but not which invoice or customer the money is for. If you issue many invoices or need to match every payment to a customer, a bill payment QR with a Biller ID and references (Ref1, Ref2) is the better tool. The business gets its Biller ID from its bank when it signs up for bill payment. See bill payment QR codes for business.
What about e-Wallet IDs?
The same box takes a 15-digit e-Wallet ID for wallets that issue one. For TrueMoney Wallet there is a separate QR type that only needs a mobile number: see TrueMoney Wallet QR codes.
Test before you use it
- Scan the code with a banking app and check that the account name is yours or your company's, then cancel.
- Open the file on the Read QR page and confirm the PromptPay ID inside is the one you meant.
- For a printed sign, show the account name so customers can compare: see making a PromptPay payment sign.
FAQ
Can I use a mobile number that isn't registered for PromptPay?
The page will draw the code, since it only checks the format, but payments will fail. Register the number for PromptPay with your bank first, then test again.
I moved PromptPay to another bank account. Do I need a new code?
The code holds only the PromptPay ID, not the account number. If the ID stays the same, the old code keeps working and money goes to whichever account is linked at the time. If the name shown in banking apps changes, reprint your sign so the names match.
Will payers see my citizen ID?
In a banking app they mainly see the account name. With an ordinary QR reader they see the full 13 digits, so treat any number in a public code as visible.
Picked your ID? Head to the PromptPay QR page, enter it, test the code, then print or share it.
