Thailand starts 10,000-baht handout to 3 million needy individuals

Three million needy and disabled individuals in Thailand will receive the 10,000-baht handout under the government’s digital wallet programme today, announced Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat. This initial rollout is part of a larger initiative aimed at aiding 14.5 million recipients in total.

Due to limitations with the PromptPay payment system, only 3 million recipients can be processed initially. These funds are set to be transferred to recipients’ bank accounts at midnight ahead of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s participation in the official launch at 9am.

Eligible individuals can verify their status through the Rath Jai application, developed by the Comptroller General’s Department specifically for state welfare beneficiaries. Julapun noted that approximately 10 million people hold both state welfare and disability cards, causing overlaps in the system.

The second phase of the digital wallet scheme faces delays and is unlikely to roll out this year. Julapun attributed this to ongoing development issues with the payment system. Despite these setbacks, the government has prioritised distributing funds to 12.4 million welfare cardholders and 2.1 million disability cardholders by the end of this month.

Funding for the second phase is included in the 2025 fiscal year spending plan, beginning October 1. The government has allocated 186 billion baht for this initiative. Initially, the Pheu Thai Party proposed a more extensive budget of 450 billion baht to distribute 10,000 baht per person in digital currency to 45 million recipients as part of its economic stimulus policy.

Ministry of Finance spokesperson Pornchai Thiraveja urged state welfare cardholders and disabled individuals to ensure they are registered with the PromptPay system and have active bank accounts to avoid missing payments.

Prospective recipients expressed relief at the decision to distribute the handout in cash form. Many plan to use the funds for essential expenses such as rent, school fees, and utility bills, reported Bangkok Post.

Anek Jongphimai, a 35 year old disabled worker from Nakhon Ratchasima, shared his relief at the programme’s commencement.

“It’s a relief that the scheme is finally starting, after so many adjustments and delays.”