Electronic readers of the state-sponsored welfare cards have suffered technical glitches since they were introduced two weeks ago, although the problem is dwarfed by the extent of the scheme's popularity.
The cards, handed out to low-income people registered with the government to receive the welfare grant, are used for redeeming consumer products at designated stores. The card system is known as electronic data capture (EDC).
Since the cards were launched on Oct 1, problems were found in the operation of the the EDC machines. Unstable internet connections rendered the card readers out of order, resulting in long queues at some shops. In other shops, there was no internet connection.
In Ayutthaya, a province with a large number of card holders, only 17 out of 220 EDC devices have been installed at affiliated shops, according to Ayutthaya commerce office chief Suwanna Chaninwanit.
The province hopes up to 60 shops will be fitted with readers across all 16 districts before the end of the month, Ms Suwanna said.
She said it is expected EDC devices will be installed at all shops nationwide by the end of next month, which is the deadline issued to the device installer, the state-owned Krung Thai Bank.
"I want the government to speed up the [card-device installing] job," said Panya Waisuphi, owner of one of Thong Fah (Blue Flag) discount grocery stores in Ayutthaya, which sells products to welfare card holders under licence to the Commerce Ministry.
The sooner his shop has an EDC device, the faster it can begin operation and generate revenue, he said. The registration record shows about 600 welfare card holders live in areas within his shop's vicinity.
Slow installation of the card reader machines has been met with criticism from some quarters, including the Comptroller-General's Department which manages the country's revenue and expenditure.
There have been reports of cards being seized by some shops unequipped with card reader machines. The shops took the cards after letting the shoppers buy merchandise to the full value of the credit for a given month. The shops kept the cards to prevent customers returning to buy more products before they receive the next round of credit.
Users who cannot use the cards to buy products at local shops which lack the card readers, are being permitted by the government to roll over the unused credit to the next month. Normally, card holders must use up the credit within a month.
Welfare cards are ready for distribution. The scheme entitles holders to free basic goods. (Photo by Chudet Sihawong)
Under the aid programme, people earning between 30,000 and 100,000 baht a year are given 200 baht welfare money a month and those to earn under 30,000 baht a year, 300 baht a month. Usually, no roll-over of unspent money will be permitted to the next month.
But while the EDC machines are still not available at all shops nationwide, card-holders can accrue the card credit in October and November and use it in December, Ms Suwanna said.
"This is a legitimate solution," she said.
The number of card holders in Ayutthaya stands at 132,369, 16.5% of a total number of 800,000 residents in the province. This puts it among provinces with the high number of poor people qualified for the cards.
In addition to the monthly allowances for necessary items, welfare card-holders are also granted a right to 500 baht each month for intercity bus fares, 500 baht a month for train fares as well as another 500 baht for city bus and electric train fares for commuters in Bangkok. They also receive an allowance on cooking gas purchases. The government gives them a 45-baht discount per quarter when they buy the gas from stores listed by the Energy Ministry.
Kalong Trimongkhon, 67, is among residents in Ayutthaya who feel more financially secure under the welfare card package. The scheme is a big help to elderly people like her who have no income.
"The 300-baht allowance may seem small in the eyes of many people, but, for the poor, the amount is quite large," she said, adding the money credit in the card is enough to buy 10 to 15 kg of rice which can last many weeks for a small family.
Ms Kalong has already planned what she wants to buy. The top three items on her list are rice, fish sauce and detergents.
The money given to Ms Kalong and other low-income earners is allocated from a 41.9 billion baht aid package approved by the cabinet on Aug 29 this year. The measure is aimed at helping the poor, often viewed as needy grassroots people, cope with financial burdens.
The aid package is a "real benefit" to the people, said Ta Thaola, 71, a resident in Phayao's Muang district.