Stricter criteria for welfare

Registrants for the government's welfare scheme for poverty queue up at Government Savings Bank. A new requirement bars those with combined savings of 30,000 baht or more. APICHART JINAKUL

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The government has tightened the requirements for people applying for its subsidy and welfare scheme provided through the national e-payment system.

Potential recipients must have combined savings of less than 30,000 baht to apply at the next registration period.

The existing requirement of an annual income of less than 100,000 baht remains in place for the next round of registration, which runs from April 3 to May 15, said permanent secretary for finance Somchai Sujjapongse.

The Finance Ministry may also take registrant's assets into account, a criterion that has yet to be finalised as asset inspection is a difficult task, Mr Somchai said.

The registration for the scheme is available at three banks: Government Savings Bank (GSB), Krungthai Bank (KTB) and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC).

Income of less than 100,000 baht a year was the main requirement for those who signed up for the scheme last year. This was seen as a loophole exploited by some registrants with high-value assets, and students who had financial support from their parents, a Finance Ministry source said, as the welfare and subsidies are meant for those at the bottom of the income scale.

Applicants must be Thai nationals aged 18 or older.

The government late last year offered the one-off cash handouts to those who signed up for the scheme, under which those earning up to 30,000 baht a year were entitled to 3,000 baht per person, and those earning more than 30,000 but less than 100,000 baht a year were entitled to 1,500 baht.

Officials found that many of the 8.2 million registrants were not qualified, as they earned more than 100,000 baht.

The source said that those who registered for the scheme last year are also required to sign up in the coming registration to update their information.

The Finance Ministry will offer qualified people cards that can be used to take free rides on public buses and receive discounts for electricity and water bills.

The cards will contain holders' citizen ID card number, full name, income, occupation, how much they borrow from loan sharks and assistance they require from the government, the source said.