Thailand’s Cabinet has rolled out four new schemes to help people affected by business closures caused by COVID-19 and who missed out on previous aid packages. The new measures will also cover fragile groups, including poor children under the age of 6, disabled people and those over 60.
Deputy government spokesperson, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, said today that the first group of about 1.2 million, are holders of state welfare cards, who did not receive any help from the previous schemes.
They will each receive 3,000 baht, to be paid in three instalments of 1,000 baht, backdated to May. This scheme will cost the taxpayer some 3.4 billion baht.
The second group are those who registered under the “Rao Mai Thing Kan” (We Will Not Abandon You) package, but have not received any money from the state. There are altogether 302,160 people in this group and the cost is estimated at 906 million baht.
The third group are 1.4 million poor children, aged up to six, four million elderly and 1.3 million disabled people. Each will be paid 1,000 baht/month for three months on top of other subsidies.
For some 120,000 farmers who missed out on the three months of 5,000 baht/month cash subsidies, the Cabinet agreed to let them register for the subsidies until July 15th.
