Anti-corruption agency committee to monitor digital handout scheme

The NACC said on Friday that the 31-person committee would scrutinise the scheme to watch out for possible corruption.

The scheme, pushed by the ruling Pheu Thai Party, aims to stimulate the economy by distributing 10,000 baht in digital money to all Thais aged 16 and above for them to spend at shops within the district of their registered address within a six-month period.

The government expects to start the handouts by April or May next year with a budget of 150 billion to 560 billion baht, depending on the number of recipients, which is yet to be finalised.

NACC secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol said on Friday that the committee would be chaired by commissioner Supa Piyajitti.

During her former stint as the Finance Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, Supa was known for her investigation of the corruption-plagued rice-pledging programme of the Pheu Thai-led government of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Other members of the committee will come from the State Audit Office, the Office of the Attorney-General, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Council of State, the Election Commission, the Bank of Thailand, the Thai Bankers’ Association, the Federation of Thai Industries, the Board of Trade, and the economics deans of Chulalongkorn, Thammasat and Kasetsart universities.

Niwatchai said the committee would be responsible for collecting information and studying the details and the implementation of the digital wallet scheme to formulate measures for prevention of corruption.

“Comprising experts from the economic and related fields, the committee would study and analyse information in all aspects carefully and impartially,” he said. “It will also come up with suggestions to minimise the risk of corruption that could lead to the scheme failing to meet its intended objective.”

The digital wallet scheme, along with 400-baht minimum wage per day and 20-baht cap on electric train rides, are key economic promises made by the Pheu Thai Party in the run-up to the May general election.

Analysts believe that the Pheu Thai-led government coalition would try to push these populist policies as soon as possible to win voter support and strengthen its position before the next election.