Govt approves Covid handouts
published : 13 Jan 2021 at 09:46
writer: Gary Boyle
The government on Tuesday agreed to two cash handouts to those most in need following the latest Covid-19 outbreak.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the two monthly payments of 3,500 baht, alongside other measures, will reduce people's cost-of-living expenses and put more cash in their pockets.
Casual workers, freelancers and farmers who are not covered by the social security system will be eligible for the new relief measures.
A government source said about 30 million people were expected to receive the handouts and a budget of 210 billion baht had been set aside.
Electricity and household water bills will be reduced for February and March.
Water charges for households and small businesses will be cut by 10% for February and March.
The government will also be asking internet service providers to consider reducing bills, boost internet speeds to support those working from home, and provide free downloads of the Mor Chana app for three months.
Vocabulary
- boost: to increase - เพิ่ม
- casual (adj): not official - ไม่เป็นทางการ
- cost of living (noun): the amount of money that people need to pay for ordinary goods and services such as food, clothing and a place to live - ค่าครองชีพ
- eligible: allowed by rules or laws to do something or to receive something - มีสิทธิตามกฎหมาย
- freelancer: a person who earns money by selling their work or services to several different organisations rather than being employed by one particular organisation - ทำงาน อิสระ, บุคคคที่เสนอตนเองเพื่อรับทำงาน
- handout: an amount of money or goods giving to people who need them - การให้ทาน
- household: a group of people, often a family, who live together - ครัวเรือน
- measures (noun): actions taken to solve a particular problem - มาตรการ
- social security: money that the government pays regularly to people who are poor, unemployed, sick, etc - สวัสดิการสังคม,ระบบการประกันสังคม
