Popular Post webfact Posted June 14 Popular Post Share Posted June 14 In a significant shift, Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat announced today that beneficiaries of the government's 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme can now use the funds to purchase smartphones. This decision comes amid growing recognition of smartphones as essential tools in daily life. Initially, smartphones were excluded from the list of permissible purchases under the scheme. However, the Digital Wallet Board has revised this stance, considering the ubiquitous role smartphones play in communication, work, and access to information. Julapun further confirmed that the digital wallet project is proceeding on schedule. Barring further changes, both beneficiaries and participating shops can begin the registration process in July. The 10,000-baht payments are expected to be disbursed in the fourth quarter of the year. Eligible recipients include Thai nationals aged 16 and over, with an annual taxable income not exceeding 840,000 baht or combined bank deposits not surpassing 500,000 baht by the end of March 2024. These individuals will receive a one-time benefit of 10,000 baht, aimed at purchasing necessities and services from registered vendors. Items deemed ineligible for purchase with the digital wallet money are government lottery tickets, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis, Kratom (a narcotic plant), and products related to cannabis and Kratom. Also excluded are gift vouchers, cash vouchers, gold, jewellery, fuel, and natural gas. The digital wallet initiative is expected to have a significant fiscal impact, with an estimated cost of 500 billion baht. Of this, 175 billion baht will be sourced from the 2024 fiscal budget, 152.7 billion baht from the 2025 budget, and an additional 172.3 billion baht borrowed from state-owned banks. This move to include smartphones aligns with the government's broader vision of integrating digital technology into everyday life, highlighting the evolving nature of what constitutes a 'necessity' in modern times. File photo. Courtesy: Wikipedia -- 2024-06-15 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe 1 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 4 hours ago, webfact said: Julapun further confirmed that the digital wallet project is proceeding on schedule. Barring further changes, both beneficiaries and participating shops can begin the registration process in July. The 10,000-baht payments are expected to be disbursed in the fourth quarter of the year. Long overdue.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwood1 Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Use the 10,000 to buy a smartphone so you can have a way to spend your 10,000 in shops....O-wait......Now we need another 10,000 to spend in shops... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoePai Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 What happens to the people who cannot afford a smart(?) phone - only a dumb phone with an occasional 'pay as you go' SIM - can they still get a digital wallet ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thingamabob Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 From the beginning this has been a shabby, shameful vote-buying exercise by the current PM, with no thought being given as to how it would be financed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneMoreFarang Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 59 minutes ago, JoePai said: What happens to the people who cannot afford a smart(?) phone - only a dumb phone with an occasional 'pay as you go' SIM - can they still get a digital wallet ? There will be some influential person who will help them - maybe sharing 50/50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneMoreFarang Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 How about they cancel that whole thing, buy about 50 million smart phones, and distribute them to the poor. I guess it should be possible to buy them in bulk for not more than 1000B per phone. Or would this upset all those middlemen who are the real beneficiaries of this scam? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthainess Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 So buy a new Phone, walk next door to another phone shop and sell it for cash, off you go to by your Yabba and Lao Khao. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Zioner Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Our income tax is going to pay smart phones for no hopers. Sucks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyf Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 1 hour ago, JoePai said: What happens to the people who cannot afford a smart(?) phone - only a dumb phone with an occasional 'pay as you go' SIM - can they still get a digital wallet ? Probably. In a previous initiative those without a phone, smart or otherwise, got a card to show the vendor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyf Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 26 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said: Our income tax is going to pay smart phones for no hopers. Sucks. Surely a bit better than alcohol. Before you say anything about it being excluded, alcohol was readily available at inflated prices in the previous initiatives so little doubt it will be this time round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Zioner Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 2 minutes ago, sandyf said: Surely a bit better than alcohol. Before you say anything about it being excluded, alcohol was readily available at inflated prices in the previous initiatives so little doubt it will be this time round. You don't get it. This ridiculous hand out wouldn't worry me if it was entirely financed though a half point of VAT. Let's say it would be just half idiotic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyf Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 47 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said: You don't get it. This ridiculous hand out wouldn't worry me if it was entirely financed though a half point of VAT. Let's say it would be just half idiotic. Don't try and change the context, your comment was about including smartphones. If you have a problem with the policy in general, say so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guderian Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Uncle Xi will be clapping in his palace in Beijing since so many Thais use Chinese phones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthainess Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 52 minutes ago, Guderian said: Uncle Xi will be clapping in his palace in Beijing since so many Thais use Chinese phones. He just heard the news. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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