Finance ministry ready to launch half-half scheme once approved
The Finance Ministry is fully prepared to roll out a new phase of the “half-half” co-payment scheme as soon as the government gives the green light, according to permanent secretary Lavaron Sangsnit.
Lavaron said the scheme could immediately be implemented through the existing “Paotang” platform, which has been used successfully in previous phases.
If the programme begins on October 1 2025, it can draw on the 25 billion baht set aside in the central budget for economic stimulus in fiscal 2026. Should further funds be required, additional central budget allocations could be redirected.
He explained that participating shops which still had the “Tung Ngern” application installed would be able to resume operations instantly after the new shop registration opened.
The precise details of the scheme—such as the eligible groups and the co-payment ratio—would depend on government policy, but the platform is technically capable of accommodating all formats.
Asked about the project’s economic impact, Lavaron said it was too early to assess as it would depend on the scale of the programme and the daily injection of funds.
However, he stressed that both the technical system and the budgetary framework were ready to proceed immediately once the government issued its directive.
