Srettha says on track despite loan bill snag
The government insists its 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme will be rolled out in May as planned, and it will gather opinions from all parties involved to ensure a consensus on the matter before launch.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Tuesday the scheme is still on schedule. “We stand by the original timeframe,” he said.
He made the remarks after the Council of State sent its opinions on the legality of the government’s plan to borrow 500 billion baht to finance the scheme to the Finance Ministry.
Mr Srettha said the Council of State has recommended that the government seek opinions from all parties involved, including the National Economic and Social Development Council, experts and members of the government’s digital wallet policy committee.
“The Council of State did not say whether the government’s loan bill to fund the handout is legally viable. We have to listen to various opinions,” the prime minister said.
He said the digital wallet policy committee will hold a meeting to discuss the Council of State’s opinion on the borrowing plan. However, he stopped short of saying when the meeting would be held.
Responding to calls by critics for the government to reveal details of the council’s opinions, Mr Srettha said: “They will be revealed at an appropriate time.”
He said the government would keep pushing for a bill to seek loans to fund the scheme.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said the council has only provided legal opinions on the issue and it has no duty to decide whether the government can seek the loans.
The government is ready to listen and act in line with the law, Mr Julapun said.
The council’s secretary-general, Pakorn Nilprapunt, said on Tuesday the agency had not given “any green light” to the government’s plan to issue a loan bill.
The council only gave opinions on whether such a bill could be issued, as requested by the Finance Ministry, he said. The council’s opinion is based on the 2018 State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act, he added.
Mr Pakorn cited Section 53 of the law. This stipulates that the government is allowed to take loans for reasons other than those provided in the law on public debt administration, but only where there is a need for urgent action to address critical problems and where annual appropriations cannot be fixed in due time.
In light of this, it is up to relevant agencies to consider whether the government’s planned loan bill meets all the legal criteria, Mr Pakorn said.
Jurin Laksanawisit, a Democrat Party MP, called on the government to reveal details of the council’s opinion, saying people should not be kept in the dark as a loan of up to 500 billion baht would impose a massive debt on the country.
“The Council of State is the government’s legal advisory body, but the decision on the matter lies with the government. If any problems occur, the government must take responsibility,” Mr Jurin said.
Senator Tuang Antachai said he did not think the country was facing an economic crisis — a claim the government is using to justify the digital wallet scheme.
He said if the government insists on issuing a loan bill to fund the scheme, the Constitutional Court would be asked to rule on its legality.
The digital money scheme was a key election policy of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which heads the coalition government.
It will be offered to Thais aged 16 and older who earn less than 70,000 baht per month and have under 500,000 baht in bank deposits.
Based on these criteria, an estimated 50 million people will be eligible — down from the 56 million targeted originally.
The money can only be used for food and consumer goods. It cannot be used to buy online goods, cigarettes or liquor, cash vouchers and valuables like diamonds, gems or gold.
It also cannot be used to pay off debts or cover water or electricity bills, fuel, natural gas or tuition fees. The money must be spent in the district where the recipient’s home is registered.