By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE PHEU THAI-INITIATED, 10,000-baht digital wallet campaign will be implemented in the third and fourth quarters of this year, confirmed Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat today (Mar. 25).
All Thai nationals aged 16 years and over as well as restaurant owners, store owners and vendors may register themselves for access to the populist handout campaign in the third quarter or between July and September so that a sum of 10,000 baht in digital wallet will be granted to each eligible recipient in the fourth quarter or between October and December, according to the deputy finance minister.
Julapun confirmed that the government committee in charge of the digital wallet project chaired by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is scheduled to finally approve it on April 10.
The Pheu Thai-led government plans to borrow a sum of 500 billion baht in loan either from domestic or foreign financial sources or both to finance the much-heralded populist handout campaign from which an estimated 50 million Thais nationwide will benefit.
The eligible recipient of the populist handout campaign may buy a maximum of 10,000 baht in value of goods or services via their digital wallet in the boundaries of their home district within a six-month period.
The prime minister and members of the Pheu Thai rank and file had evidently wooed votes from among constituents in last year’s electoral campaigns with this populist handout project invariably viewed as a flagship policy of the ruling Pheu Thai under de facto party boss Thaksin Shinawatra.
Nevertheless, the digital wallet project has been delayed until the third and fourth quarters this year amidst allegations launched by critics to the extent that it could probably be carried out against the law with respect to the gigantic amount of loan money, obliging the Pheu Thai-led government to raise public debt.
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Top and Front Page: Representative images of the digital wallet scheme. Photos: Thai Rath
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