The director said that the measures issued by the Cabinet on March 10 would support all sectors and offer entrepreneurs a soft loan limit at Bt150 billion and interest at 2 per cent which is the lowest rate. 
Loan extension would not be over Bt20 million to distribute to all entrepreneurs while they would also receive a three-time tax deduction from employment. Withholding tax rate has been lowered from 3 per cent to 1.5 per cent to subsidise entrepreneurs. 
He said the government had prepared Bt20 billion so that several ministries could propose projects to reduce business shutdowns, support workers without welfare and increase working skills for entrepreneurs. 
Suphan Mongkolsuthee, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, added that the measures were a short-term solution while a long-term solution would require the government’s support for tourism, restaurants and airlines. 
However, the government needed to tackle the virus outbreak to find more proper measures, he said.

Govt's economic measures 'will prop economy up short-term'

Thai economic measures would be able to handle the economy during the Covid-19 outbreak until the end of April, Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) director Lawaron Sangsanit said.