Employee ID cards double as electronic purses in Bangkok
07 July, 2008
category: Contactless, Financial
Many Bangkok employees are able to use their employer-issued ID cards to purchase drinks from vending machines on company property thanks to contactless technology. Sun108, a Thailand company, is so far handling about 2,000 vending machines located in manufacturing plants and about 1,000 machines in hospitals and other offices.
According to The Nation, a Bangkok newspaper, Sun108 managing director Vathit Chokwatana said the vending machines include an RFID reader to allow employees to use their company identity card with an embedded RFID tag much like an electronic purse.
“The vending machine will dispense the desired product when an employee flashes an ID card instead of putting in coins. Our first customer has implemented six vending machines that enable the staff to buy products electronically,” Vathit said. The verification process is done instantly at the machine and the monetary transaction takes place at the company’s server, simultaneously.
“The vending machines will be integrated and linked to the company’s server, restricting access only to its employees,” Vathit said.