The Finance Ministry has brushed aside a report that the government is set to increase the amount of cash handouts to low-income earners via the welfare smart card.
Permanent secretary for finance Somchai Sujjapongse denied the government will increase the cash handout from 300 baht to 800 baht as reported by some media.
"It may be a miscommunication. We are studying whether it is possible to increase the amount but have not committed to anything," he said, referring to news reports referring to remarks attributed to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.
The financial aid package worth 41.9 billion baht for some 11 million people kicked off on Oct 1 in 70 provinces. Some 5.3 million cards have been delivered.
Low-income earners in the remaining areas of Bangkok and the six surrounding provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, and Nakhon Pathom picked up their cards Tuesday.
Many people in these provinces flocked to state bank branches to receive the cards.
Meanwhile, former Pheu Thai MP Chaturon Chaisang called on the government to re-assess its welfare scheme for low-income earners and let the public join as soon as possible before the policy puts a strain on the country's finances.
The veteran politician took to his Facebook page to criticise the financial aid package.
Under the scheme, low-income earners are given welfare cards to buy low-priced consumer products at Thong Fah Pracha Rat and other designated shops. The financial aid includes discounts for rides on public buses and trains and utility bills.
The government transfers 200-300 baht a month to each card; recipients earning under 30,000 baht a year will receive a monthly living allowance of 300 baht and those with earnings in the range of 30,000 baht to 100,000 baht per year will get 200 baht a month.
Mr Chaturon said irregularities were reported shortly after the launch of the scheme, indicating authorities concerned did not anticipate or make adequate preparations.
He was citing reports about some participating shops confiscating welfare cards from customers in exchange for products costing 200 baht or in exchange for cash.
According to Mr Chaturon, the welfare scheme is raising a number of questions including the required use of electronic data capture (EDC) machines, the device used to read the welfare cards.
It is reported that of 19,500 Thong Fah shops across the country, up to 14,000 are not equipped with the devices. He said the low-income earners in Bangkok also enjoy "greater" benefits than those in the provinces as they receive a subsidy for public buses and electric trains in addition to inter-provincial public buses and third-class trains.
Mr Chaturon said the welfare card is not the first scheme launched by the regime, noting cash was handed out to 8.3 million low-income earners in 2016 and about 19.2 billion baht was spent.
He said this kind of project is likely to cost more and asked how the government would raise funds to support it. "Will the government collect more taxes? It should make a plan to make sure low-income earners will not be spoiled by the subsidy programme," he said.
