BANGKOK: The government is to launch the first phase of the digital wallet scheme on Sept 25, disbursing 10,000 baht a head to approximately 14.2 million people from a budget allocation of 140 billion baht, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday (Sept 12).
About 90% of target recipients have been screened and checked for qualification, Pichai Chunhavajira, Deputy PM and Finance Minister told members of the House of Representatives on Thursday in the session following the delivery of the government’s policy statement by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
The handout in the first phase will target people in vulnerable groups, holders of state welfare cards and those with disabilities.
Qualified Thais aged over 16 years old will receive 10,000 baht (US$300) to spend at local businesses in a bid to boost domestic spending and the local economy.
Pichai said the government would have a limited budget for the second phase of the handout scheme and that the money would come from leftover funds from the budget to improve the country’s infrastructure as well as fix immediate problems.
Separately, Pichai highlighted the government’s policy in negotiating with Cambodia over overlapping areas in the Gulf of Thailand that also have oil and natural gas fields, in a bid to secure Thailand’s energy stability.
“It could take over 50 years to discuss the territory issues, while oil could no longer be useful in the next 30 years,” he said. “We need to focus on collaborating with our neighbour to fully utilise the available resources now.”
Pichai added that Thailand can produce oil extracted from the Gulf of Thailand at the cost of only $20 per barrel, whereas imported natural gas to produce electricity in the same quantity would cost $75.
“If we can use this oil to produce electricity, the power bill would definitely be lower than 3.5 baht per unit,” he said. - The Nation/ANN
