Thailand digital wallet handout falls short: Woman gets only 4,000

A Thai woman attempting to withdraw 10,000 baht for her father, as part of the Thai government’s digital wallet handout for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities, received only 4,000 baht, sparking suspicions of debt deductions by the bank.

In Uthai Thani province, the government commenced disbursing 10,000 baht to vulnerable groups and those with disabilities. From early morning, recipients flocked to various ATMs across the province, particularly those linked with PromptPay accounts.

At the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) ATM in Thap Than district, people started gathering as early as 5am, equipped with passbooks and ATM cards to check their balances.

The crowd had grown significantly by 7am, with many eagerly checking their accounts, updating their passbooks, and withdrawing money. Some withdrew portions of the sum for immediate expenses, while others took out the entire amount for family needs. However, one woman faced an unexpected issue when she found she could only withdraw 4,000 baht instead of the full 10,000 baht intended for her father.

The woman speculated that the BAAC might have deducted the remaining amount to cover an existing debt her father owed on behalf of her brother. Frustrated by the shortfall, she planned to seek clarification from the bank, reported KhaoSod.

“I expected to withdraw the full amount that the government provided, but I only received 4,000 baht. I’m concerned that the bank may have deducted the rest for my brother’s debt.”

More news updates on the story as we get it.

In related news, only 36 million people have registered for the government’s digital wallet handout scheme, falling short of the 45 million target. The Finance Ministry reported that this shortfall has resulted in a saving of 100 billion baht from the project’s budget.

In other news, the Finance Ministry is gearing up to overhaul its colossal 400 billion baht stock portfolio, hinting at potential sell-offs. This announcement comes straight from Finance Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit, who let the cat out of the bag.