Supachai revealed that part of the 400 billion baht emergency loan budget will be allocated to the Thai Help Plus program to stimulate product purchases. The program plans to distribute fuel coupons for mobile vendors worth up to 3,000 baht per month and distribute essential goods nationwide to reduce living costs.
At 08:50 on 12 May 2026 at the Government House, Supachai Suthumpun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, spoke about whether the 400 billion baht emergency loan budget would support the Thai Help project. She explained that the project has been ongoing, with initial funding approved by the Cabinet. The program has expanded to include SME and community products. The Ministry of Commerce is collaborating with the Ministry of Interior to set up sales points across districts, with support from Thailand Post for distribution. Online sales platforms are also used. She confirmed that part of the loan will be used for the Thai Help Plus project, which helps citizens buy consumer goods at affordable prices to ease living costs. The goal is to distribute goods nationwide through over 300 stores partnered with the Ministry of Commerce, including in various districts.
Additionally, the Department of Provincial Administration will distribute goods to hard-to-reach areas. The Ministry has registered tens of thousands of mobile vendors through this department. Support will be provided for distribution points and fuel cards based on vehicle type: pickup trucks receive fuel cards worth 3,000 baht per month; three-wheeled vehicles receive 1,500 baht; and sidecar motorcycles receive 1,000 baht monthly. She emphasized the commitment to ensuring consumer goods reach the public effectively.
Regarding rising prices of made-to-order food amid inflation, Supachai said the Ministry of Commerce will manage ingredient prices, aiming to control costs of basic raw materials already included in the Thai Help project such as rice, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and cooking oil. She requested cooperation from vendors to purchase directly from these sources, while acknowledging transportation and fuel costs must follow market mechanisms.
On medium- and long-term plans for product price management, Supachai noted that short-term measures include over 3,000 discounted items from participating stores. For the medium and long term, SME and community enterprise products will be integrated into the project. The Thai Help Plus program provides affordable consumer goods while boosting capacity and income for community products. Agricultural products from various regions will also be included at distribution points. The project will expand cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) to establish product standards moving forward.