Deputy PM Ekniti Says Thai Help Thai Plus Program Won't Make Cabinet Meeting on May 5, Delayed to Next Week
Thailand's Thai Help Thai Plus cash assistance program, including the Half-Half Plus initiative, will be delayed beyond the May 5 Cabinet meeting while the government first addresses budget reallocation and a potential 400-500 billion baht
The Thai Help Thai Plus initiative, including the Half-Half Plus cash handout project and other vulnerable group assistance measures, will not be brought before the Cabinet on May 5. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanpraphat announced that an Economic Cabinet meeting must be held first to approve the 2025 budget reallocation bill and the borrowing decree. The Economic Cabinet meeting was originally scheduled for May 4 but falls on a public holiday, and the Prime Minister has yet to reschedule it.
Nitithanpraphat explained that the budget reallocation amount is still being confirmed and will be discussed with the Budget Bureau today to determine how much in delayed disbursements and uncontracted funds remain. If funding proves insufficient, the government will tap a borrowing decree with a framework of either 400 billion or 500 billion baht, still under consideration.
"In the May 5 Cabinet meeting, the Finance Ministry will propose approval of two items: the 2025 budget reallocation bill and the issuance of the borrowing decree," Nitithanpraphat said. "The Thai Help Thai Plus measures, including the Half-Half Plus program, will be presented for approval by the Economic Cabinet and the full Cabinet next week."
