An additional 3.1 million poor people who have passed the qualification screenings will be eligible to receive welfare cards under Thai Niyom Yangyuen scheme, one of Prayut government’s populist projects, this month and can use the cards to buy consumer products at the government-supported Thong Fah (Blue Flag) shops starting January 1.
Fiscal Policy Office director Lawan Saengsanit said the 3.1 million poor people qualified to receive the welfare cards are mostly elderly people, disabled and bed-ridden patients who missed the first round of registration during May 15-June 30.
A total of 4.5 million registered in the second round, but only 3.1 million passed the qualification screening.
Lawan said that those who failed to pass the screening could appeal until November 30 results would be announced next month.
According to statistics, about 557,000 welfare card-holders used their cards to buy consumer goods at Thong Fah shops worth about 145 million baht, including nine million baht in VAT – 5 percent of which will be refunded into the e-money pockets of the card-holders, with another 1 percent to be deposited into their special bank accounts arranged by the Comptroller Department.
