Thai-Chai-Thai Plus Spending Exceeds 161 Billion Baht, Supporting Grassroots Economy

The Thai government has announced that the cumulative spending under the 'Thai-Chai-Thai Plus' program, designed to support public purchasing power and the income of small businesses, has reached 161.555 billion baht as of 11:00 PM on September 18th. The program has seen participation from 26,040,623 individuals and has registered 1,192,528 businesses, demonstrating its role in bolstering the grassroots economy amidst pressures from rising energy prices and living costs. Of the total spending, the government contributed 92.9007 billion baht, while citizens contributed 68.6549 billion baht. Spending through regular stores amounted to 155.3358 billion baht, with an additional 6.2198 billion baht spent via food delivery services. The government emphasized that the initiative not only reduces the financial burden on citizens but also stimulates economic activity. The mechanism involves the government''s contribution supplementing citizens' purchasing power, which then translates into revenue for small businesses and service providers. This support is crucial as the global economy faces inflationary pressures and increased business costs due to high energy prices, while the Thai economy is partially sustained by domestic consumption and government stimulus measures. The government highlighted its focus on measures that directly benefit citizens and generate tangible economic activity. 'Thai-Chai-Thai Plus' simultaneously addresses the reduction of living costs for the public and the maintenance of income for entrepreneurs, with the spending reflecting a concrete circulation of purchasing power into the grassroots economy. Looking ahead, the Ministry of Finance is set to present the program's performance and related details to the cabinet for consideration on September 22nd. Any extension of the period, budget, eligibility, or conditions will be subject to the cabinet's resolution. The government will officially announce further details to the public promptly and advises citizens to rely on official channels, urging them to disregard any claims of approval for future phases before the cabinet's decision. The current phase of the program remains available until September 30th. The government covers 60% of the spending, capped at 200 baht per person per day and 1,000 baht per person per month. Unused portions of the monthly allowance cannot be carried over to the next month. Source: INN News