14 million Thai’s crash online registration for 5,000 baht cash handout
It is estimated that 14 million Thai citizens have registered for the government’s stimulus measure for a ‘cash hand-out,’ crashing the website entirely. The number of people rushing to register was 4 times greater than the government’s initial predictions.
The director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office, Lavaron Sangsnit, says…
“On Sunday as of 11.30 am, the number of people who had registered reached 14 million on www.เราไม่ทิ้งกัน.com (we do not leave anyone behind). The program had opened on Saturday evening for online registration but the website crashed soon after opening due to the huge traffic.”
“The website will remain open for registration and will not be closed down, so people should not rush to register”
“He assured that everyone affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and business shutdowns that they will get cash handouts. Employers and farmers would not be eligible as there are other relief measures designed to support them. Workers covered by the Social Security Fund are not eligible as they can get unemployment benefits from the fund.”
“The system will screen eligible persons within seven days.”
The Finance Ministry has guaranteed that every unemployed Thai worker, freelancer and part time employees will receive 5,000 baht every month for three months. Initially, the Finance Ministry had estimated that three million people would be eligible and proposed a budget of 45 billion baht. But due to the unpredicted rise in numbers the Finance Ministry plans to borrow at least 200 billion baht.
SOURCE: The Nation
