Phumtham: Digital handout still a must

Caretaker deputy PM expects new-look government to start working in two weeks

The new-look coalition government will begin working to carry out its policies, including the digital money handout, within two weeks, according to Phumtham Wechayachai, the caretaker deputy prime minister.

He declined to say exactly when the revised cabinet line-up would be submitted for royal endorsement. He said he believed the nominations by all coalition parties had already been examined by the relevant organisations and forwarded to the Secretariat of the Cabinet and the Council of State, the government’s legal arm, for a final review.

Those two bodies would now decide when to move ahead with the process, Mr Phumtham said on Saturday.

He reiterated an earlier comment that all the procedures required before the government could take office should be completed within 15 days, with a three-day grace period before and after.

“What most people are looking forward to is the government starting to solve problems during this critical period while maintaining unity among coalition partners,” said Mr Phumtham, citing a recent opinion survey.

Some rumours have surfaced that the digital wallet scheme might eventually be excluded from the policy statement that the government will deliver in parliament, but Mr Phumtham insisted that the flagship economic stimulus policy of the Pheu Thai Party would continue.

The original policy called for 10,000 baht in digital money to be given to as many as 50 million eligible Thais over age 16. Many economists said the 500-billion-baht programme was too costly and would not deliver the economic lift envisioned by Pheu Thai.

In recent days, officials have indicated the programme could be revised. It now appears likely that money will be distributed first to about 15 million state welfare cardholders. When the new fiscal year begins on Oct 1, the government will decide whether and how to continue the handouts to another 35 million people.

On Friday, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the new cabinet lineup was almost ready to go and only required verification of nominated ministers’ qualifications. This important process should take about a week to finish, she said.

“Will the list be submitted for royal endorsement next week? Well, as soon as the parties verifying it say so and send it back to us, we will try our best to get that done as fast as possible,” she said.

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