Prayut calls on ‘rich’ people to give up ‘poor’ people’s cards

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered a thorough inspection of who is being issued the so-called “poor people’s” cards following reports of “rich people” being given these cards. 

He said the issuing of the state-welfare cards must be checked every year from now on, citing complaints that some home and landowners have been issued these cards, which are reserved for people registered with the authorities as being poor. 

Prayut also pointed out that the government deposits money in these cards based on its policies, especially to offer help when the economy has slowed down or the gross domestic product has dropped, as has been done in the third quarter of this year. 

Hence, he said, the ineligible people who have been issued these cards should “give up what belongs to others”, so that “tax money can be used fairly by qualified persons”.