Handout recipients urged to avoid alcohol

Inquiries remain regarding how much and how many more people will receive signal funds.

Recipients of the government’s 10,000-baht cash handout queue in front of ATMs at a branch of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives in Buri Ram on Thursday. (Photo: Surachai Piragsa)
On Thursday, residents of the Buri Ram branch of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives in front of ATMs waited for the president’s 10, 000-baht income flyer. ( Photo: Surachai Piragsa )

Anti-drunk driving politicians are urging recipients of the president’s 10, 000-baht funds flyer not to spend the money on liquor, in order to avoid accidents.

According to Phattarabhandhu Krissana, president of the Network of Victims Against Drunk Driving, the money would be better spent on requirements or opportunities rather than alcoholic beverages because having may cause injuries and cause disability for the victims or others.

He claimed that the network and the Do n’t Drive Drunk Foundation made the decision to use a portion of the proceeds to pay for vehicle taxes, which aid in providing accident victims with protection.

Some users of the 15, 000-strong system, according to Mr. Phattarabhandhu, were given a lifeline during a time of economic pain when the state distributed the money in the first round of supply this year.

The government is currently distributing the 10,000-baht dollars to 2.1 million illness cardholders and 12.4 million condition welfare customers.

The government has given the flyer to vulnerable groups as a priority, with the last batch of beneficiaries set to receive payments on Monday.

The flyer is a component of what was intended to be a “digital wallet” stimulus program that would cover 45 million Thai adults and above. But, amid mounting fears over money, it is not clear how many more people will receive cash, and how much they will receive, in successive sessions next year.

The scheme would continue, according to a government source, but in the second phase, the handouts might be reduced to 5,000 baht per person.

According to the source, who asked not to be identified, this reduction is being considered because the government needs to spend more money on the rehabilitation of flood victims.

The handout scheme will receive about 152.7 billion baht from the 2025 fiscal budget, which is likely to be part of the central fund’s allocation of funds for flood victims.

According to deputy finance minister Paopoom Rojanasakul, the dramatic rise in cash withdrawals following the rollout indicates that recipients are struggling financially and that their spending will spur economic growth.

Sirikanya Tansakun, an MP of the opposition People’s Party, said the reduced size of the cash handout, from 500 billion baht to 145 billion, will not be sufficient to raise GDP as initially planned.

” Many business operators are already complaining that business is still slow despite the handout, and it’s unlikely that we’ll see a jump in economic activity,” she said.