The Ombudsman's review of feedback from experts on the legality of the government's 10,000 baht digital wallet scheme is expected to be finished later this month.
Chief Ombudsman Somsak Suwansujarit said on Sunday state agencies with legal expertise have been asked to provide feedback on the wallet programme, a flagship policy of the ruling-Pheu Thai Party.
The government is looking to implement the plan later this year. It is being opposed by critics because the government plans to take out a 500-billion-baht loan to fund the programme via a bill to be introduced to parliament. They say it will saddle the country with too much debt.
Pheu Thai has argued the wallet scheme has to be launched urgently to alleviate the impact of what it calls an economic crisis facing the country.
Mr Somsak on Sunday said the Ombudsman was asked by the civic sector to examine the policy. The office will consider feedback as part of its decision whether the policy is constitutional.
"We've sought detailed input from agencies, including those connected to designing and implementing the policy," he said. "The process is ongoing."
He said regulations allow the process to be finalised within 30 days. Since the Ombudsman began contacted agencies involved in the middle of last month, the deadline will be the middle of January, he added.
He said sifting through the feedback and checking the legality will not take long and the office will try to wrap up the work quickly. If needed, the office will seek additional information from state agencies. He said if the Ombudsman finds the scheme unconstitutional, it will refer the issue for a ruling by the Constitutional Court.
Sirikanya Tansakul, list-MP for the main opposition Move Forward Party, said the high interest rate for the government's loan to fund the scheme may drive the country into a fiscal crisis. The high interest could also prompt ratings agencies to downgrade the country's economic outlook, she said.
