The cabinet backed a measure Tuesday that encourages wealthy elderly people to forgo their old-age allowance to help the under-privileged and receive medals of honour in return.
Kobsak Phutrakul, assistant to minister of Prime Minister’s Office, said the measure will take effect on Dec 1.
Well-off elderly people will be able to go to district offices where they applied for old-age allowances and state that they wish to forgo the handout and donate the money to a fund to help others. The money raised would go elderly people less fortunate, while in return the Finance Ministry hopes to award the donors medals, Mr Kobsak said.
Fiscal Policy Office director-general Suwit Rojanavanich thinks about 10% of 5 million senior citizens will donate their old-age allowance which would bring in an additional 4 billion baht for the needy.
The government also plans to redirect 2% of so-called sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco to increase the old-age living allowance, expected to come into effect next year.
