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Thailand allocates 100 billion baht to support citizens during COVID-19 pandemic

The Finance Ministry has launched a 1 billion baht relief package including cash giveaways to many more individuals beyond the 14 million people with annual base incomes not exceeding 100,000 baht and who are registered as poor to help cushion fallout from the spread of the new coronavirus, Bangkok Post reported Thursday last week. 

The package is an emergency relief measure and will cover all sectors, not just the tourism industry. It will be submitted to the economic cabinet for consideration.

It includes cash handouts to individuals to help them cope with the impact of Covid-19. The amount of subsidy per head is estimated to be between 1,000-2,000 baht.

He said the cash giveaways are earmarked for low-income earners, farmers and independent workers who have an annual base income exceeding 100,000 baht.

Meanwhile, the Tourism and Sports Ministry is set to propose a domestic travel stimulus plan worth 5 billion baht to the economic cabinet this Friday, aiming to cushion the impact of the coronavirus for the services sector nationwide, said in another report.

Mr Phiphat said the 5-billion-baht budget will come from the 2020 central budget.

Under the scheme, the government will offer 1,000 baht each to 5 million local travellers via the Pao Tang mobile app from Krungthai Bank to buy tour packages to areas outside their home registration province with the condition of at least one night stay.

Each province will receive a different quota amount based on population. Tourists have to start their trips at their hometowns.

Read more at Bangkok Post

Photo: Department of Disease Control / FB