Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is set to inaugurate the second phase of the 10,000-baht cash handout initiative on Monday. This phase will target approximately three million individuals aged 60 and above, according to Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat. The program aims to provide financial relief to eligible senior citizens across the country.
Recipients who registered through the Tang Rath application will receive their funds via the PromptPay system, provided their accounts are linked to their national ID cards. “It is crucial for the 3 million recipients to ensure their PromptPay accounts are connected to their ID cards to access the 10,000 baht,” Mr. Julapun emphasized.
Eligibility criteria require recipients to have an annual income below 840,000 baht and total deposits across all bank accounts of less than 500,000 baht. Individuals already covered in the first phase of the program are not eligible for this round.
For those unable to link their accounts in time for this distribution, additional disbursements are scheduled for February 28, March 28, and April 28. However, the Comptroller General’s Department has stated that recipients must complete the account linkage at least three days before the scheduled transfer dates to receive the funds.
During the first phase, some 33,767 state welfare cardholders encountered issues such as unlinked IDs, temporarily suspended or closed accounts, and incorrect account details, leading to delays or missed payments. Mr. Julapun urged this round’s recipients to avoid repeating these errors.
The government has also addressed logistical challenges, including aiding individuals without smartphones in navigating the registration process. Feedback from beneficiaries will be collected during the launch, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will interact with recipients via video calls to celebrate the initiative and address concerns.
Preparations are already underway for the third phase of the scheme, set to roll out in March and April. This phase will extend support to individuals aged 16–59 through a newly developed digital wallet application, which will undergo testing next month. “The digital wallet system has progressed significantly and will be ready for trials in February and March,” Mr. Julapun confirmed.
The campaign’s launch event will feature Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra officially initiating the second phase and engaging directly with citizens to mark this milestone.
