BANGKOK, Dec28 (TNA) – The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a 1-month subsidy for state welfare card holders as the Government’s New Year present, said Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister and Acting Government Spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri.
The Cabinet endorsed an allocation of 2.644 billion baht from the government’s contingency fund for emergency to mitigate financial burden of 13.2 million state welfare card holders through the additional subsidy of 200 baht/person for 1 month (January 2023).
With the additional subsidy, 3.54 million state welfare card holders, who have been supported with 200 baht/person/month subsidy will receive the total of 400 baht/person/month, and another 9.68 million, who have been supported with 300 Baht/person/month subsidy will receive the total of 500 baht/person/month in January 2023.
According to the government spokesperson, the reason behind this approval is to boost purchasing power of low-income earners. Although the COVID-19 situation has eased, global economic situation remains unstable. With the high inflation rate and continued gasoline price hike, the country’s consumer prices have increased, which directly impact state welfare card holders who are vulnerable to poverty. (TNA)