The Pheu Thai Party's promise to give away 10,000 baht to anyone 16 or older as part of its proposed economic stimulus policies has raised some questions.

ORIGINAL WRITERS: SUPOJ WANCHAROEN, PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN and APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

The party said on Wednesday that if it can form a government after the May 14 general election, it will give 10,000 baht in digital currency to everyone 16 and over to spend on a local economic stimulus scheme.

The project was described by Pheu Thai's Paetongtarn Shinawatra as a blockchain technology-based effort to help distribute products made in Thailand abroad and bring digital currencies into the kingdom.

The 10,000 baht is to be spent within a 4-kilometre community radius within six months.

Pheu Thai's aim is to make Thailand Asean's fintech hub, Ms Paetongtarn said.

In response to this, a commercial bank employee said everyone likes free money, but the question is where it comes from. The scheme would likely be funded by the taxpayer, he said.

Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, declined to comment on the policy.

The United Thai Nation Party estimated the budget would run to 500 billion baht if 50 million Thais were each given 10,000 baht.

One second-year university student disagreed with the 10,000-baht handout policy and questioned the source of funding.

"The policy is disgusting," she said. "Do they really think most people are that foolish?"