Thai people in their 50s may be the next in line, after the disabled and state welfare card holders, to receive the Bt10,000 cash benefit in the second phase of the digital wallet scheme.
Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul said today that the economic stimulating committee, chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, will meet on Monday to discuss the next group to receive the taxpayer funded benefit.
He said that those in their 50s are most likely to be next, adding that the committee will also decide when the payments will be made, possibly in March.
Paopoom said that everyone else entitled to the benefit will have to wait until software for the payment system has been developed, which is required for the third phase of the scheme.
Most of the country’s roughly 14.5 million disabled people, and those who have state welfare cards, have been paid. 45 million Thais, who are 16 and older, are entitled to receive the 10,000 baht benefit.
The deputy finance minister claimed that the first phase, amounting to 145 billion baht, paid to disabled people and state welfare card holders, has driven growth up to about 4.3% for the fourth quarter.
