The government’s co-payment scheme can now be used to pay fares for taxi, public van, and motorcycle taxi services, after the Finance Ministry expanded its scope to cover public transport.
The operators of these services are, however, required to open a bank account with the state-run Krung Thai Bank, in order to accommodate use of the “Thung Ngern” application, and to apply for registration to join the co-payment scheme via “คนละครีงพลัส.com”, directly with the Krung Thai Bank or at all district offices. Registration will start tomorrow.
A taxi-driver told a Thai PBS reporter that he is interested in joining the scheme, hoping that it will persuade more people to use taxi services. He added that he is not concerned over the prospect that revenue officials will check his income.
A “Win” motorcyclist, working at the Mor Chit bus terminal, said that the scheme will not boost his revenue, because the service operation is based on a queue basis and passengers cannot choose riders who have joined the scheme.
A food vendor in the Klong Bang Bua community said she was in the scheme since it was launched by the administration of Prayut Chan-o-cha, adding that she will certainly join the scheme again, because it helps boost her business.
Small business operators can, apparently, rest assured that they will not be hounded by revenue officials, after Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas offered an an assurance that the records of the business operators’ co-payment scheme transactions will not be revealed to the Revenue Department.
Assistant Professor Yutthana Srisawat, founder of the iTAX platform, said that the Revenue Department has other means to check the revenues of businesses, without the need for information from the co-payment scheme.
