Srettha admits he can’t please everyone with digital wallet scheme
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Thursday that his government is trying its best to implement the digital money handout policy but admitted he can’t please everyone with the scheme.
Srettha, who is currently in the US to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, was commenting on the criticisms that the digital wallet scheme would be different from what the Pheu Thai promised during the election campaign.
The digital wallet scheme was a flagship campaign theme, with Pheu Thai promising to hand out 10,000 baht to all Thais aged 16 and above regardless of their wealth.
However, after much criticism, the Pheu Thai-led coalition government agreed to narrow down the eligible recipients from 56 million to 50 million on condition that recipients’ monthly salaries did not exceed 70,000 or their savings in banks were no higher than 500,000 baht.
Srettha said if his government did not heed public opinions and went ahead with what had been promised during the election campaign, it would also be attacked.
“We’re trying to do our best. We have to improve and adapt the scheme in line with the proposals from all sectors,” Srettha said.
“But by trying to heed all the opinions, we know we can’t please everyone.”
Srettha has announced that the digital handout should begin in May but says he has to wait for the Council of State to study the plan before he can confirm whether or not the handout will begin as scheduled.
He said he didn’t want to pressure the Council of State, which is the government’s legal advisory body, to speed up its deliberations.
“Currently, the project’s schedule is still on track,” Srettha said, adding that the government had decided to pass a bill to borrow 500 billion baht to finance the scheme because it wanted it to be transparent and checkable by Parliament.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said his Bhumjaithai Party would support the bill as the digital wallet scheme has become a policy of the coalition government.
Anutin, the Bhumjaithai leader, said his party would only not support a bill if it were clear that it was unlawful or violated the constitution.
Also on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwan said he would have to consult his Palang Pracharath Party leader, Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, before commenting on the party’s formal stand on the 500 billion borrowing bill.
“I still don’t know. It’s up to the party leader,” Patcharawat replied when asked by a reporter to comment on the plan to enact the bill.
