Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced that the 10,000-baht handout under the digital wallet scheme will commence in September, with a focus on vulnerable groups in society, as reported by The Nation.
Thaksin, speaking at a Nation Group event, highlighted that 13.5 million people in vulnerable categories, along with one million disabled citizens, would be the first recipients of the 10,000-baht handout.
He further mentioned that a second phase of the handouts, expected to include up to 30 million additional people, would begin in October, contingent on the completion of the blockchain system that will facilitate the digital wallet scheme.
Funding for the initial round in September will come from the Additional Budget Expenditure Act and the central budget, with the fiscal year 2025 budget allocated for the second round in October.
Thaksin emphasized that this initiative aims to boost the country’s digitalization efforts.
Addressing opposition to the policy, he underscored its importance in preventing financial crises similar to the Tom Yum Kung crisis.
Initially, the scheme aimed to cover 50 million people by September 30, focusing on those earning less than 70,000 baht per month and with bank balances under 500,000 baht.
While some details of the policy, such as eligible stores and specific spending locations, were not revisited during the event, it was previously stated that the scheme would exclude purchases of alcohol, cigarettes, fuel, and online shopping to ensure that the funds are directed toward essential goods and services within local communities.
This announcement marks Thaksin’s first public speech since receiving royal clemency earlier this week.
Thavisin was removed from office by Thailand’s Constitutional Court after he had been in power for less than a year.
Following his removal, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the 37-year-old daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, was elected as Thailand’s youngest prime minister.
She is the third member of the Shinawatra family to hold the position, following her father Thaksin and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.
Featured image credit: Edited from Freepik
