Thailand approves handouts for 2.4 million people, plans more over new virus wave

[snoop1130]

FILE PHOTO: Thai baht notes are seen at a Kasikornbank in Bangkok, Thailand, May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's cabinet on Tuesday approved an additional 3.04 billion baht ($97.4 million) for a current handout scheme which will cover another 2.4 million people as the country deals with a third coronavirus wave.

 

The scheme was first approved for 31.1 million people, worth about 210 billion baht, in January during a second virus wave.

 

The money can be used until the end of June, extended for another month, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said in a podcast.

 

About 200 billion baht ($6.4 billion) under the scheme has been injected into the economy, according to the finance ministry.

 

The government also plans to introduce more economic stimulus measures to help ease the virus impact, Anucha said.

 

"The government still has nearly 380 billion baht ($12.16 billion) that can be used to support and restore the economy," he added.

 

The new outbreak, which includes a highly contagious variant, have caused over 16,000 infections in three weeks, dealing a further blow to Thailand's tourism-reliant economy.

 

The spread, which accounts for a third of Thailand's cases so far, comes as the country takes tentative steps to reopen to foreign visitors after a year of tightened entry controls.

 

Last week, the government said its economic growth target of 4% this year might be missed due to the epidemic.

 

Kasikorn Research Center on Tuesday slashed its gross domestic product growth forecast to 1.8% this year from 2.6% projected earlier, saying the outbreak could mean less than 2 million foreign visitors this year.

 

That would compare to 6.7 million foreign arrivals last year and a record of nearly 40 million in 2019, whose spending accounted for over 11% of GDP.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-04-20

 

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[Olivie]

Quote

Kasikorn Research Center on Tuesday slashed its gross domestic product growth forecast to 1.8% this year from 2.6% projected earlier, saying the outbreak could mean less than 2 million foreign visitors this year.

 

Even if they really open in October without quarantine for vaccinated people, I don't see 1 million tourists coming in those 3 months.
But at least with those figures, we won't hear too much those expats explaining that "Thailand does not need tourism".

 

[Danderman123]

Maybe my math is wrong, but the numbers in the first paragraph indicate that 2 million people will receive $45 apiece, minus program costs. 

[webfact]

Thai cabinet agrees to another 7,000 baht each for 33.5 million Thais under “Rao Chana” scheme

 

 

The Thai cabinet, today (Tuesday), approved the Finance Ministry’s proposal to extend the “Rao Chana” economic stimulus scheme until end of June for 33.5 million Thais, including 2.4 million new recipients, to support them during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Under the scheme, each of the 33.5 million recipients will have 7,000 baht wired into their “Pao Tang” accounts in seven weekly instalments of 1,000 baht, so they can spend it on necessities and other items at retail outlets registered with the scheme.

 

This new round will cost about 213.24 billion baht of taxpayers’ money.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-cabinet-agrees-to-another-7000-baht-each-for-33-5-million-thais-under-rao-chana-scheme/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-04-21

 

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[ozz1]

the money tree must be getting pretty thin 

[impulse]

4 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Maybe my math is wrong, but the numbers in the first paragraph indicate that 2 million people will receive $45 apiece, minus program costs. 

 

Your math may be right, but it will be more like 2 million people getting $10-20 apiece and the rest being pocketed by the Elite and their minions.

 

[Excel]

4 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Maybe my math is wrong, but the numbers in the first paragraph indicate that 2 million people will receive $45 apiece, minus program costs. 

7000 baht is around  $ 222 at todays exchange rate. Bt7000 x 33.5 million is 234.5 billion, not 213.24.   But in the 1st para it quotes 2.4 million people extra so at Bt7000 pp that is 16.8 billion baht, not an additional 3.04 billion as quoted.  Its both theirs and you Maths that are wrong or perhaps the reporting

Edited April 20, 2021 by Excel

[PatOngo]

Kaching, kaching! ????

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, ozz1 said:

the money tree must be getting pretty thin 

Shame they didn't use all those millions for stimulus packages on vaccines... Thailand could have been 100% inoculated now and open.

[Nanaplaza666]

5 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Your math may be right, but it will be more like 2 million people getting $10-20 apiece and the rest being pocketed by the Elite and their minions.

 

If you talk to people around you , you can see that about 5 out of 10 aren't getting that 7000baht(and i am not talking about the wealthier ones not getting it anyway) so that means half of those billions is being pocketed same as from the beginning . And all that money would have bought a lot of vaccines in the past 12 months . And now they are saying they are nagotiating for vaccines . Yeah right they are in the back of the line because they where let as ........ thinking everything was under controle .(actualy surprised by so little people getting infected and over joyed that there was so much money to share between them, one a little more the the other ofcourse) 

[PETERTHEEATER]

7 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Your math may be right, but it will be more like 2 million people getting $10-20 apiece and the rest being pocketed by the Elite and their minions.

 

Ooh! Go wash your mouth out.....????

[kingstonkid]

OKAY STUPID QUESTION TIME

 

What are the qualifications to be able to take part in this?

[Dogmatix]

This is pathetic.  Only a few hundred baht to a handful of people and equivalent to 0.02% of GDP.  Not likely to move the needle much when everything is grinding to a halt as we speak.  But not surprising as the govt has already reached its borrowing ceiling for the fiscal year that ends in September and it would be political suicide to try to amend the law in parliament to raise it.  This expenditure is from the B400bn that remains unspent from last year's 1.9 trn stimulus package, presumably because the govt couldn't find the funding for part of the spending already approved.  

 

This is clearly a key factor in the govt's decision not to lock down when it really needs to.  It has run out of cash and is now a rabbit caught in the headlines.  Can't borrow more and can't put the economy on hold and lose more tax revenues. 

[Scott Tracy]

5-10% to those businesses that give cash... Nice work if you can get it.

[GreasyFingers]

8 hours ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

If you talk to people around you , you can see that about 5 out of 10 aren't getting that 7000baht(and i am not talking about the wealthier ones not getting it anyway) so that means half of those billions is being pocketed same as from the beginning . And all that money would have bought a lot of vaccines in the past 12 months . And now they are saying they are nagotiating for vaccines . Yeah right they are in the back of the line because they where let as ........ thinking everything was under controle .(actualy surprised by so little people getting infected and over joyed that there was so much money to share between them, one a little more the the other ofcourse) 

You need to get out of the city and into the country. Many people receiving it here and the small shops are getting the relief as the tourists are not here. The money cannot be spent in the supermarkets so it is helping the local communities.

[GreasyFingers]

5 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

This is pathetic.  Only a few hundred baht to a handful of people

A 1000 baht goes a long way when buying food if you are poor. Too many city people only think of their other expenses.

[BritManToo]

12 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Shame they didn't use all those millions for stimulus packages on vaccines... Thailand could have been 100% inoculated now and open.

Name any country that is 100% inoculated now?

And once you've named that country tell us how COVID has been completely eradicated and the borders opened in that country?

[Kwarium]

8 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

OKAY STUPID QUESTION TIME

 

What are the qualifications to be able to take part in this?

It sounds like it’s going to be the same as the last round of the ‘We Win’ (Rao Chana) program. Those who qualified for a ‘Pao Tang’ account will get the weekly 1,000 Bt deposits again. I didn’t see anything yet about new sign ups. There were requirements such as not over a certain amount of cash in the bank, etc. Sorry I forgot the exact details.

 

It is really helping out folks in the country... especially when some shops allow beer purchases! But really, 1,000 x 7 goes a long way outside of big cities!