Chim-Shop-Chai – more than a million already register for the latest Thai stimulus package

Interest in the government’s latest stimulus package has been massive with online portals being battered by people wanting to know more about how they can get their hands on the 1000 baht give-away from the Thai government.

More than a million people have already registered to join the government’s Chim-Shop-Chai (Taste-Shop-Spend) program, where they will receive a 1000 baht to be spent between September 27 – November 30.

The government hopes to register around ten million Thais as part of the economic stimulus package estimated to inch up economic growth to 3.6% this year.

When a person registers with the Tourism Authority of Thailand website, they will receive a text message within three days. The 1,000 baht handout will be wired into their bank accounts one hour after they spend at shops registered to join the program via the “Pao Tung” application.

The 1,000 baht must be spent within two weeks of registration confirmation by SMS text message.

Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana says that the public response to the program was beyond expectation. To cope with the overwhelming response, he said the deadline for shops interested in joining the program, currently numbering 150,000, has been extended to October 15.

An informed Finance Ministry source said that many people who registered misunderstood that they would get the 1,000 baht giveaway immediately after registration.

The Chim-Shop-Chai program is aimed at promoting domestic tourism.

The Thaiger’s Thai-language website had one of its busiest days of traffic with people clicking on our stories about how to register for the program.

SOURCE: Tourism Authority of Thailand | Thai PBS World