Govt postpones considering 10,000-baht handouts for elders

The government has to postpone finalising the details of the 10,000-baht handout programme in the second phase as further study on relevant laws is required, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said.

She told media after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the session included no discussion regarding the handout scheme.

The second phase of the programme, which aims to inject cash to boost domestic spending and stimulate the economy, will focus on senior citizens aged over 60.

The first phase, which kicked off in September, targeted 14.5 million state welfare cardholders and disabled persons.

Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said last month that the ministry will release the list of some 4 million elderly people who are eligible for the handout this month.

Julapun said on Tuesday that the postponement of the Cabinet's decision should not affect the disbursement schedule, which is expected to start before Chinese New Year on January 29, 2025.

The 10,000-baht handout scheme is one of the key election promises of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, though it was originally referred to as the “digital wallet scheme”. The funds were to be disbursed via a digital platform to push Thailand towards becoming a cashless society.

However, the first phase was disbursed via deposits to eligible persons’ bank accounts, as the digital platform and application system were not ready.