Ekniti visited Thonburi fresh market to pilot the first day of the "Thai Help Thai Plus" program, saying it is very easy to use and operates smoothly. Meanwhile, the opposition plans to establish a committee to audit budget usage and will propose a Cabinet review tomorrow to reconsider state welfare card entitlements.
1 June 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, along with Mr. Payong Srivanich, President of Krungthai Bank, visited Thonburi fresh market to check merchant readiness and public usage of the program. The "Thai Help Thai Plus" program which began allowing citizens and merchants to use their entitlements from 6:00 a.m. today. The atmosphere was lively, with many people asking for increased daily spending limits, believing 333 baht per day may be insufficient, and suggesting raising the monthly limit from 1,000 to 1,500 baht. Mr. Ekniti explained the program aims to help ease living costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East, which has driven up prices.
At the same time, Mr. Ekniti spoke with merchants and tried scanning a payment under the program, buying a coconut priced at 60 baht but paying 24 baht by scanning, adding that "It's very easy to use." He then recommended using the “Nok Kasib” application to analyze sales data, so merchants can identify peak and slow customer times, allowing them to schedule breaks. He also noted sales data can support loan applications with banks. The app provides daily sales summaries. Additionally, he visited shops selling rice, dried seafood, fresh vegetables, and fruit, noting customers have been using the service since early morning with the program’s launch.
Mr. Ekniti further stated, "Today, I surveyed the market on the first day of the Thai Help Thai Plus program. I’m glad to see people using it. I represent the Ministry of Finance, working with Krungthai Bank, which manages the system behind the scenes. I came to talk directly with merchants. The program truly helps reduce their living costs because for every purchase, the government covers 60% and the consumer pays 40%, lowering expenses. This is a response to the global crisis caused by war, which has raised prices."
The Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister said he asked merchants and residents about the system’s ease of use. They said it was very easy, and he tested it himself. Both buyers and sellers find it convenient. He recommended merchants use the AI-driven “Nok Kasib” app to analyze sales volume, best-selling products, average prices, and to generate daily sales reports. These reports can be used to apply for loans, especially from state banks, to help avoid informal lending. He encouraged merchants to analyze and understand their product costs. Currently, 26,005,000 people have registered, and the program helps reduce their living costs.
As for spending today, there are 1,050,000 participating merchants, mostly those previously in the 'Half-Half' program who confirmed their participation in Thai Help Thai Plus. Registration remains open, and merchants who haven’t joined are encouraged to apply before the deadline on 31 July.
Regarding the opposition’s plan to form a committee to audit budget use from the 400 billion baht emergency borrowing decree for energy crisis management and energy transition projects of 2026, Mr. Ekniti responded that there have been no issues. He emphasized transparency and welcomed audits. The Thai Help Thai Plus program and others use the “Pao Tang” and “Tung Ngern” apps to ensure 100% of funds reach citizens digitally. He added that a positive side effect is merchants adopting digital systems.
Regarding the 3 million unused entitlements and how those funds will be reallocated to other state programs, Mr. Ekniti said, "Remaining funds can be redirected to other programs that assist citizens and alleviate hardships. The government’s goal is to help people during this ongoing Middle East crisis, which may continue to raise prices. We want to address the public’s cost of living crisis. I’m glad to meet merchants who are benefiting and helping reduce living costs."
On how the program assists those without smartphones, Mr. Ekniti said, the Thai Help Thai Plus program has two parts: one for people without smartphones or with low income who use the state welfare card, currently numbering 13.2 million people. Likely, those without smartphones fall into this group. Tomorrow (2 June 2026), the Cabinet will meet to review eligibility verification, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior. Therefore, those without smartphones, presumed to be low-income, will be able to register within two months starting 1 July 2026 and gain access via the state welfare card. Details on any changes in conditions will be announced after tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting.
When asked further, if someone lacks a smartphone and does not qualify for the welfare card, Mr. Ekniti said they should contact the Ministry of Interior directly. He added that beneficiaries do not have to use their entitlements on the first day; they can use them anytime. There is no loss of rights, but the monthly limit is 1,000 baht, with a daily spending cap of 200 baht. Once the month ends, unused funds do not carry over. The program’s purpose is not economic stimulus but to reduce living costs amid the crisis.
Additionally, Mr. Ekniti concluded, "I thank the public for their interest in the Thai Help Thai Plus program. We believe the available entitlements are sufficient for everyone. This time, there’s no competition for benefits. We have coordinated with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance to ensure enough entitlements are prepared to help people. Those who join will find enough benefits, and leftover funds will be used for other assistance opportunities." He expressed satisfaction with over 1,000,000 merchants participating nationwide and encouraged more small vendors, especially market sellers who haven’t registered, to do so. They should contact Krungthai Bank. Citizens can register at the Ministry of Interior or district offices nationwide. Registration remains open until 31 July.
Meanwhile, Mr. Payong said, that spending on the first day of the Thai Help Thai Plus program from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. reached approximately 170 million baht, with nearly 900,000 users and 1.1 million transactions. More than 220,000 merchants participated, and the system is now capable of processing up to 300,000 transactions per second to accommodate the launch day. Typically, the highest usage occurs on Mondays and Tuesdays around 4:00 p.m.
