Bt5,000 cash handouts to commence on Wednesday

[webfact 60,248]

Bt5,000 cash handouts to commence on Wednesday

By THE NATION

 

 

More than 260,000 out of 24.2 million registrants for the government’s Bt5,000 cash handout campaign have cancelled their applications, while the first batch of people will receive the money starting this Wednesday (April 8), the Finance Ministry said.

 

The government is offering eligible citizens whose livelihoods were impacted by Covid-19 Bt5,000 a month for three months. To be eligible, candidates must be Thai nationals, aged over 18, be self-employed, freelance or non-permanent employees who are not insured under social security.

 

Fiscal Policy Office director-general Lavaron Sangsnit said that since April 4, the registration time has been adjusted to 6am to 11.59pm via website www.เราไม่ทิ้งกัน.com (“we do not leave anyone behind”) and will remain open until no more people register.

 

“The government also allowed those who have already registered to cancel their applications in case they are not sure whether they are eligible for the handout, as the recipients of cash will later be audited to verify that they were really affected by Covid-19,” Lavaron said. “So far more than 260,000 people have cancelled their registrations.”

 

He said the first batch of cash will be handed out starting on Wednesday.

 

“Registrants who passed the screening process by AI of Krungthai Bank will start receiving the money via the bank account they chose from April 8,” he said. “There is no quota limit of how many persons will get the cash per day, as the system will operate on a first-come-first-serve basis to make sure those who have been affected get the money as soon as possible,” Lavaron said.

 

“The Finance Ministry will notify all registrants via SMS, both those who have passed or failed the screening process,” he added. “Detailed screening criteria can be found on the website.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385471

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-04-06

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[kevin612 1,144]

Feel happy for the poors to get some relieved funds to eat and I hope the government truly provides them funds for the next 3 months.

[darksidedog 46,775]

I remember the queues at the ATMs when they gave out the 500 Baht before Xmas, so advisable to get yourself some cash by Tuesday. I have to say, it is not before time, as many Thais I know are seriously on the floor right now.

[Nanaplaza666 610]

5000 baht for freelancers as well , i thought i read about they will not be getting any ????? 

[Jaeju 3]

Unfortunately this does not help people like a long-term female Thai friend of mine. She was made redundant from her full-time hotel job (5-star in Bangkok) just over a year ago due to contracting TB. She is also type 1 diabetic. She has used all her savings to keep paying rent and the 400bt/month social security fee so she could access the continuing TB treatment, as well access to insulin injections. She applied for this money but was turned down because she still has access to social security for medical treatment. But she has no other income at all and now has to rely on borrowing money and some money from me for rent and food. I will continue to help her as much as I can but this is obviously not a long-term solution. Even if she were fit to go to work, she couldn't because so many of the hotels have now closed, or will close. Poor girl has said that if she gets evicted she will just run into the road in front of a bus and end it. And she has a 12-year-old son to take care of. These are desperate times for so many Thai people but the millionaires and billionaires of the Thai establishment don't care one bit about people like her and her son. 

[Trip Hop 90]

13 hours ago, kevin612 said:

Feel happy for the poors to get some relieved funds to eat and I hope the government truly provides them funds for the next 3 months.

It's a good idea in principle but just speaking with the G/F, she said that it's not that easy.  She decided to apply even though she don't really need it and said that it's a right pain.  She said her son who's 16 and a really smart kid tried several times over the last few days and when he did manage to get through, the amount of questions/boxes to tick were a right nightmare.  In the end she's given up and opened the restaurant back up as a takeaway.  She was really angry with Prayut, saying that if she's had this trouble with a smart kid doing it for her, what chance have the really poor who really need it, when they have no real concept of email, internet and all the questions that are being asked?  As I haven't seen it myself I can't really comment accurately but it would be interesting to see if any others are of the same opinion?

[offset 335]

21 minutes ago, Trip Hop said:

It's a good idea in principle but just speaking with the G/F, she said that it's not that easy.  She decided to apply even though she don't really need it and said that it's a right pain.  She said her son who's 16 and a really smart kid tried several times over the last few days and when he did manage to get through, the amount of questions/boxes to tick were a right nightmare.  In the end she's given up and opened the restaurant back up as a takeaway.  She was really angry with Prayut, saying that if she's had this trouble with a smart kid doing it for her, what chance have the really poor who really need it, when they have no real concept of email, internet and all the questions that are being asked?  As I haven't seen it myself I can't really comment accurately but it would be interesting to see if any others are of the same opinion?

It is so difficult that 24.2 million people have done it

[ChoakMyDee 631]

It seems to be a universal thing, governments giving the appearance of helping its poor through this crisis but in actuality doing very little. The huge hurdles they place between the poor and their relief are not mistakes of bureaucracy or bugs in the system, they are barriers placed there deliberately.

 

It isn't important whether or not they help their citizens; what's important is the appearance of helping their citizens. 

[sammieuk1 15,187]

Next up cash runs out on first payment in a mystery of where has it gone and has the pinky red notice been issued in time 

[champers 8,895]

I am told from a reliable source that anyone who was working in a massage shop gets zilch while motorcycle taxi drivers; who can still work; are somehow eligible. Friends 4ever.

[Trip Hop 90]

3 hours ago, offset said:

It is so difficult that 24.2 million people have done it

As I previously said, only conveying what I am told so no need to be so sarcastic? Anyway, what’s your source? Wait don’t tell me, the government?

 

 

 

[scubascuba3 8,314]

2 hours ago, champers said:

I am told from a reliable source that anyone who was working in a massage shop gets zilch while motorcycle taxi drivers; who can still work; are somehow eligible. Friends 4ever.

Thai logic we see time and time again.

 

On Facebook daily posts about people not getting the 5k a month, i have a feeling the people that need it the most won't get it.

 

Pattaya beach road is getting record breaking homeless people

[cauldlad 66]

Not true regarding massage shops.

 

The girls have to be a genuine masseuse (not a happy ending job) and need to produce a certificate from the owner confirming this.

 

My wife knows six of the girls who have all been accepted onto the programme.

[Thailand 17,205]

People have lost their jobs since the applications were "closed".

 

Can people still apply, will there be a second phase etc?

[rickudon 1,138]

The problem with all these 'handouts' is the criteria and bureaucracy involved, so many fall through the cracks. You need a simple, non-criteria tested system to distribute money which people can rely upon.

 

This is a problem in Europe currently, with many half baked schemes which inevitably result in haves and have-nots. Spain has decided to implement a universal income scheme ASAP - because they realise that trying to tailor temporary schemes to cater for everyone is nearly impossible. Also the coming recession will mean that support will need to be ongoing for substantial numbers of people for some years. Hear's wishing them every success.