More than 39.2 million people have begun receiving 1,000 baht in government support today, June 1, as the Thais Help Thais Plus co-payment scheme officially launches, according to the Finance Ministry.
Permanent Secretary for Finance Lavaron Sangsnit said beneficiaries comprise 13.18 million state welfare cardholders and 26.04 million people registered under the 60/40 co-payment programme.
Funds are accessible daily from 6am to 11pm, and the programme runs until September 30. Unused funds cannot be carried over between months.
State welfare cardholders may spend the full 1,000-baht allowance on essential goods at designated shops without any co-payment scheme requirement. The funds cannot be withdrawn or exchanged for cash.
Participants in the 60/40 programme must contribute 40% of each purchase, with the government covering the remainder through the Pao Tang mobile application. The government contribution is capped at 200 baht per day per person, with a monthly ceiling of 1,000 baht.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Persvivatana said beneficiaries can access the funds through the Pao Tang app by selecting the “Thais Help Thais Plus” banner and verifying their allowance.
Transactions are completed by topping up a G-Wallet and scanning a QR code generated by participating shops via the Tung Ngern app, with the system automatically calculating the co-payment ratio.
Lalida said the government wants the scheme to be accessible and easy to use.
Fiscal Policy Office Director-General and Finance Ministry Spokesperson Vinit Visessuvanapoom said food and beverage purchases through approved delivery platforms will be available from June 15, extending the scheme’s reach.
As of May 31, 721,644 shops had registered for the programme, including 61,731 new participants, with a further 329,454 awaiting approval. Businesses that did not previously participate may register until July 31.
The scheme has drawn political scrutiny. Democratic Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the programme attracted 26 million participants, falling short of the government’s 30-million target, and raised concerns over its reliance on 170 billion baht in borrowed funds to finance a four-month stimulus measure.
Abhisit said the party would table the matter before the House of Representatives on Thursday, pushing for a special parliamentary committee to oversee the government’s use of borrowed funds. He also called for greater clarity on how future projects, including energy-related initiatives, would be financed.
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