Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was seemingly at odds with her deputy finance minister yesterday in response to a rumour that the government plans to scale back its 10,000-baht cash handout scheme by 50% during the second phase of its implementation next year.
Ms Paetongtarn told the media that participants in the second phase will receive the full sum despite speculation that financial constraints would see the payout cut to just 5,000 baht per eligible person.
"People will definitely receive [all] the money," she confirmed, adding the agencies responsible for handling the scheme will provide further clarification after the cabinet meets on Tuesday.
Sirikanya Tansakunl, an MP of the main opposition People's Party, said the party was in favour of the scheme that is aiding vulnerable groups first.
However, she said it would not have as much impact as the government claimed, dismissing the notion of it creating an economic "whirlwind".
She noted that it was initially being handed out to just 14.5 million people rather than 45 million people as was previously planned. Moreover, it has now been segmented into various phases.
The government also predicted the digital wallet app will be completed in the first quarter of 2025, with 5,000 baht to be distributed next year and the remainder in 2026 due to budgetary constaints.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said the government is currently mulling this plan over so that it can also use the central budget for other economic stimulation campaigns.
He said the registration data showed there are about 10 million people whose names seem to appear repeatedly, which is why the number of recipients had been cut to 26 million people in the second phase.
Although the number of eligible recipients has decreased, Mr Julapun said the government would continue with the digital money handout project but will reconsider the amount to be paid out in the second phase and possibly reduce it to 5,000 baht per person.
Moving forward with phase two will require clarification from the next meeting of the Economic Stimulus Policy Committee chaired by Ms Paetongtarn. However, a date for this has not yet been set, Mr Julapun said. Whether 5,000 or 10,000 baht is ultimately be distributed will depend on a number of factors, he noted.
"If the numbers are not much different from what we have calculated, we can manage the budget in a way that allows us to roll the scheme out as planned," he said.
But if there are large discrepancies, such as in the event of a 100-billion-baht budgetary shortfall that would require replenishment using the central budget ... we would have to resort to multiple phases, Mr Julapun added.
The government planned to spend 450 billion baht for the scheme to ensure 45 million people aged 16 and above benefitted from it. It predicted this would boost economic growth by up to 5% this year instead of 2% as forecast.
"Now the money has reached the hands of vulnerable groups, I hope they will have the opportunity to use the money to benefit their lives... This is an economic stimulus. It should boost GDP by 0.35% this year," Mr Julapun said.