PM’s Office Minister Paradorn Prissananantakul is confident today that the computer system of the state-run Krung Thai Bank will not collapse when registration for the ‘Thai Chuay Thai Plus’ co-payment system begins on Monday.
He said that the bank has experience of handling a massive number of registrations via the ‘Pao Tang’ platform over a five-day registration period, adding that he does not expect any problems.
In the past, when the Prayut administration launched the 50:50 co-payment scheme, the Krung Thai Bank’s computer system temporarily collapsed as hundreds of thousands of people rushed to register at the same time.
About 30 million Thai citizens who are at least 18 years old, are eligible to receive 4,000 baht financial support from the government to be spent on food, drinks, consumer products and services for four months, beginning on June 1. Each will receive 1,000 baht per month. If the amount is not spent all within a month, the remainder will be forfeited.
13.1 million state welfare card holders will also receive additional taxpayer-funded financial support. Each will receive an additional 700 baht per month for four months, on top of the 300 baht/month they have already receive. They are not, however, required to register.
To be eligible to spend under the ‘Thai Chuay Thai Plus’ scheme, each registrant is required to deposit 667 baht into their ‘Pao Tang’ account. Spending per day is capped at 200 baht. The state will contribute 60% of the amount spent.
‘Thai Chuay Thai Plus’ scheme will cost taxpayers 176 billion baht for about 43 million recipients, including the 13.1 million poor people, but the government hopes that the scheme will increase the purchasing power of the people and boost the national economy amid the increasing cost of living, albeit for just four months.
