Thailand’s 10,000 baht handout: Cashing in to support elderly

The Government of Thailand is moving forward with its plans to distribute financial aid worth 10,000 baht, both in cash and digital form, to specific groups in need.

This initiative, led by the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Comptroller General’s Department, aims to support elderly citizens aged 60 and above as well as those who have registered through the Tang Rath application.

Following a recent meeting of the Economic Stimulus Policy Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the government approved the second phase of financial aid distribution.

This phase targets four million elderly individuals, with a budget allocation of 40 billion baht. According to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Pichai Chunhawan, the elderly, and those in need are the main target group for this phase.

“We are focusing on those we believe to be in need, namely individuals aged 60 and above, who number around 3 to 4 million. This can be implemented immediately.”

The second phase of cash distribution is set to occur by the Chinese New Year in 2025, specifically targeting vulnerable elderly people, who must have registered through the Tang Rath app and not received aid in the first phase. Eligibility criteria include having an annual income not exceeding 70,000 baht and bank account savings not exceeding 500,000 baht.

Third phase soon

Furthermore, the third phase will introduce digital wallets, which will distribute the aid using a remaining budget of 140 billion baht. This phase is expected to start between April and June 2025, once the digital wallet system has been thoroughly tested.

The government is also considering how to accommodate individuals without smartphones, with registration details anticipated to be released soon.

Approximately 36 million people have previously registered through the application. Of these, 14.5 million have already received cash aid in the first phase, with the upcoming second phase set to reach an additional four million elderly individuals. This totals 18.5 million aid recipients across both phases, with a combined budget of 185 billion baht.

However, 17.5 million registered individuals have yet to receive any aid. With the third phase budgeted at 140 billion baht, there are concerns that these funds may not be sufficient to cover all registered individuals. It is possible that some recipients may overlap between the initial phases or that some may choose not to claim the aid.

For elderly individuals who are unsuccessful in registering or verifying their identity through the app, especially those without smartphones, the government is considering alternative solutions. Julapan assured that all eligible registrants will receive their 10,000 baht, though the method of distribution remains under discussion, reported KhaoSod.

“We are reviewing the situation, and if possible, we will allow these individuals to receive cash. Otherwise, they may be included in the digital wallet group.”