The government expects to introduce in January next year the manda pracharath, a new welfare package targeting pregnant women and mothers of small children who are low-income earners.
The benefits, which includes financial help for pregnant women and allowances for mothers with children up to six years of age, were promised by the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) during the election campaign.
PPRP deputy leader Suvit Maesincee said the relevant state agencies are studying who will be eligible for the benefits. Recipients will be those not currently eligible to receive state welfare cards allocated to the needy but who face financial difficulty rearing children.
"But we expect to begin with low-income earners before expanding the welfare coverage to other groups," said Mr Suvit, who is also the higher education, science, research and innovation minister.
Currently, the welfare card scheme covers 14.5 million poor people whose annual income do not exceed 100,000 baht. The cards give them monthly subsidies including 1,500 baht for public transport.
To provide the welfare, officials need to carefully plan the budget allocation.
"We’re working on it," Mr Suvit said, adding the government has already reserved a budget to offset expenses giving birth.
The tentative plan is to provide pregnant women 3,000 baht monthly for the duration of their pregnancy, plus 10,000 baht towards birth expenses.
For women with small children, a 2,000-baht child-rearing allowance will be given each month until the children are six years old.