Digital payments nearly double in March amid virus outbreak

Thailand's digital payments jumped 93% in March from a year earlier, the central bank said on Wednesday, as the coronavirus outbreak pushes up demand for online services.

The number of transactions made via the PromptPay platform averaged about 11 million per day in March, up from 5.7 million per day in the same period last year, the central bank said.

The highest daily transactions were 15 million on March 31, it said.

Thailand has recorded 1,771 cases of the coronavirus and 12 deaths. A state of emergency was enforced on March 26, and people have been asked to stay home to limit the spread of the virus.