Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has played down concerns about the coalition government, saying aid measures for low-income earners remain the priority.
The state-sponsored welfare smartcard scheme will continue to help with their cost of living, while training programmes will be developed to assist low-income earners generate more income, said Mr Somkid.
"All parties that joined the coalition government share the same goal: to help low-income earners first," he said. "The continuity of policies for the poor should not be a concern."
Uttama Savanayana, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), said a working committee in charge of drafting the new government's policies, chaired by PPRP secretary-general Sonthirat Sonthijirawong, has already decided on 12 urgent policies to be carried out in the first year.
The policies are based on the sufficiency economy philosophy aim to reduce income and narrow social disparity and provide welfare to all people under the basis of fairness and inclusivity.
The 12 policies include state welfare cards; mothers' aid payment; monthly child allowance for newborn children to six years of age; additional living allowances to the elderly, disabled and low-income earners; tax restructuring and credit improvement to allow people to own houses; production cost reduction and productivity enhancement for the farm sector and debt suspension for the village fund members.
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.
Yesterday, the Internal Trade Department reported 64.8 billion baht was spent by state welfare smartcard holders at Pracha Rat low-priced shops between Oct 1, 2018, and May 26 this year, half of which was used to buy farm and community products.
Of the total spending, 61.9 billion baht made via electronic data capture machines at shops and the remaining 2.4 billion was paid at shops that installed the Thung Ngern (Moneybag) Pracha Rat app, allowing welfare cardholders to pay via mobile phone.
Whichai Phochanakij, director-general of Internal Trade Department, said for 20 months the state welfare smartcard scheme averaged 3.2 billion baht of spending per month, helping not only to boost the income of participating community shops but also shoring up the local economy and allowing the poor to buy affordable goods.
Mr Whichai said the low-priced shops also allow eligible the farmers and community-based producers to have additional distribution channels to sell their produce.
There are 14.5 million welfare smartcard holders who receive 200-300 baht a month in living allowance.
Under the scheme, those earning less than 30,000 baht a year receive 300 baht a month, while people earning more than 30,000 baht a year but no more than 100,000 baht receive 200 baht a month. Those who attend job training programmes are given 100-200 baht more per month in monthly living allowance, depending on their actual income.