Registration for 10,000-baht handout to start at the end of July
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat has confirmed that registration for Thai people eligible for the 10,000-baht handout under the digital wallet scheme would start next month.
Meanwhile, government spokesman Chai Wacharonke warned Thais not to click any SMS link that told them to register for the digital wallet scheme, saying no such link would be sent by the government. He urged people to beware of call-centre gangs.
As per the updated timeline for implementation of the digital wallet scheme revealed by Julapun:
- The government will announce dates for registering eligible recipients at the end of July.
- Registration runs through the month of August.
- Registration ends in September.
- Recipients can start buying goods and services from shops that have joined the scheme in the fourth quarter of the year.
The ministry has confirmed that a group of 15 million underprivileged people who have state welfare cards do not have to register for the scheme, as they will be required only to confirm their rights.
Underprivileged citizens who have a smartphone can use the Thang Rath (government way) app of the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry to claim their rights in advance.
The DES Ministry announced that other eligible recipients could also download the Thang Rath app, which is available both for Android and iOS smartphones and make an advance registration for the 10,000-baht handout.
To be eligible, citizens must be 16 years old by September 30. Their monthly income must be lower than 70,000 baht and they must have less than 500,000 baht in their bank accounts.
The 10,000 baht money must be spent in the district of the recipients’ household registration within six months.
The spending must be made via the Thang Rath app.
Meanwhile, Chai on Sunday warned people against clicking any link in SMS messages, intended to deceive them into checking their digital wallet rights.
Chai warned that if people clicked the link, the hackers would use a remote control app to lock their smartphone and steal all of their savings.
The spokesman said such deceiving SMS messages were rampant in northeastern provinces and the scammers even used a photo of Prime Minister Srettha Thaivisin to deceive the SMS recipients.
Chai said Srettha had learned of the deception and was concerned about protecting the people from the fraudsters.
He said the registration would start when government agencies concerned make a formal announcement later.
