Thais clamour for the “Chim, Shop, Chai” 1000 baht give-away program

PHOTO: buriramguru.com

The “Chim, Shop, Chai” (Eat, Shop, Spend) program has been a resounding success, and it’s still got a another five days or so to go.

Thai citizens can apply for the 1000 baht ‘gift’ from the government and spend the money at selected shops anywhere outside their home province. The government only accepts one million applications each day so, at midnight each night, there is a flurry of activity as Thai’s battle to register on the Chim, Shop, Chai website.

On Monday, the one million applicant target was achieved by 1.43 pm, 8.11am on the second day, 6.18am on the third day and 5.40am on the fourth day. The government has set a target of 10 million applicants for the program which is expected to be reached in the next five days.

Payong Srivanich, managing director of the state-run Krung Thai Bank, who are involved in the program, says that the bank has been closely monitoring the online registration to ensure a smooth, safe and convenient application process while maintaining data privacy.

The 1,000 baht giveaway can be spent, starting today, in any province chosen by the applicants. Out of one million who applied on the first day, 800,000 passed the screening but the rest, whose applications were rejected, can reapply. Successful applicants must spend the 1,000 baht within 14 days at shops which have joined the program. If the applicants do not spend the handout in 14 days, the giveaway will be forfeited and they will not be able to reapply.

Lawan Saengsanit, director of Fiscal Police Office, says that 54% of the applicants are in the 31-60 age group, 32% in the 22-30 age group, 8% in the 18-21 age group and 6% in the over 60s group.

People living in the central region account for 43% of the applicants, followed by 16% northeasterners, 15% easterners, 11% southerners, 9% northerners and 6% westerners.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World