Low-income welfare programme begins amid hiccups

By The Nation

 

 

MANY REGISTERED low-income earners nationwide, except in Bangkok and its vicinity, started using welfare cash cards for discounts at Blue Flag outlets or other shops participating in the government’s scheme for the first time yesterday.

 

The scheme is meant to help 11.67 million people registered as earning no more than Bt100,000 a year to cope with living costs.

People earning less than Bt30,000 a year will get a Bt300 monthly allowance, while those earning more than Bt30,000 but less than Bt100,000 a year will get Bt200 monthly allowances. 

 

In Buri Ram’s Muang district, many immediately used the entire credit allotted by their cards to buy commodities at participating shops such as Thaweekit’s Khok Wat branch, saying they did not want to have to make multiple trips to the store. 

 

Huai Rat district resident Chid Nikumram brought her own and her elderly mother’s card, which she presented with an authorisation form, to buy items in Muang district. She said Huai Rat did not yet have participating shops so she had travelled 10 kilometres and spent both cards’ entire monthly allowances.

 

An unstable Internet connection also interrupted service at a card reader, interrupting the flow of sales at the Khok Wat store branch.

 

In Si Sa Ket, Governor Thawat Suraban said 644 shops out of the 1,199 that applied in 22 districts were in service while the rest were pending card reader installations. At Si Sa Ket’s Tha Rua shop, card holder Chusri Jindawong said she was happy with the allowance but wished the| government would increase it to Bt500.

 

In Nakhon Ratchasima’s Muang district, |one shop gave out one free egg for every Bt100 purchase to encourage cardholders to spend |their entire allowance. 

 

Benjamas Patchima, 47, spent Bt200 on food and thanked the government for the scheme, which she said she hoped would be permanent. 

 

Another beneficiary, Choom Chompho, said the Bt300 worth of commodities would last 10 days and were a big help. Morya Plaza owner Jakkarin Cherchai said more cardholders than expected showed up to buy items. Besides |helping folks cope with living costs, the scheme also was a boost for retail shops, he said. 

 

Nakhon Ratchasima has 497,879 registered low-income earners in 32 districts.

 

In Surat Thani, farmers used the cards to buy fertiliser and tools at Sahathai Garden Plaza, as provincial commerce official Wutthichai Wongnakphetch inspected the scheme’s progress and had bank officials fix |malfunctioning card readers. 

 

In Songkhla, 216,032 registered cardholders are eligible to buy goods at 71 equipped shops |in 10 districts while 200 other shops were in process of installing devices. 

 

Other people used the cards for bus transport, such as Surat Thani resident Lek Phromdee, 61, who bought bus tickets to Bangkok using credit. In Udon Thani, few beneficiaries used the cards for transport as only three bus routes operated |by the government-owned Transport Co had applied for the scheme.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30328165

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-02

Fags and whiskey in bag ? 

will be a boost for lottery sales

The entire article was very depressing to read, but I'm sure a few Thai Visa posters who came with their dollars, euros and pounds will still find some precious time to complain about the nanny state and a council tax back home. 

There are no participating shops in our town. Korat is 55 km away and the bus fare is 50 baht each way.

Junta looking after there mates who own these big stores where they have to spend the money But as i say the remedy is for these people is to get a job Ooops did i say something wrong? Mention the word WORK in a crowd of Thais sitting around and it is like dropping a fart They all scatter 

Low income does not equate to being unemployed.

I seriously doubt your claim to have ever been in a group of Thais having a conversation with them and bringing up the subject of work. More bar stool nonsense talk.

 

Nice try at Thai bashing though 7/10

Edited October 2, 20178 yr by tryasimight