Bangkok: The Prime Minister has initiated a comprehensive review of the welfare card program, slated for completion by early 2026. He stressed the necessity to discontinue the rice pledging and price guarantee schemes, citing their inconsistency with WTO regulations and highlighting the imminent debt ceiling under Section 28 of the Fiscal Discipline Act.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, announced that the Prime Minister directed the Cabinet to have the Ministry of Finance reassess the criteria and methodology for registering new welfare card holders. The current income threshold of 100,000 baht is deemed unjust, as some individuals with assets beyond this limit still qualify. This necessitates an adjustment in criteria, especially since no new registrations have occurred in the past three years.
The Prime Minister further mandated that the government must refrain from utilizing the central budget for rice pledging or price guarantees, as per Section 28 of the Fiscal Discipline Act. The debt ceiling is approaching the legal limit of 32%, making such fiscal strategies unfeasible. Additionally, these practices contravene WTO rules concerning governmental intervention in agricultural pricing and represent a redundant use of the central budget. Consequently, the administration is tasked with identifying alternative methods to support farmers. Moreover, the Ministry of Finance is set to present the "Half-Price Plus" project and the TISA long-term savings promotion program for Cabinet consideration in the upcoming week.