The Cabinet has extended the "Thai Chua Thai Plus" and State Welfare Card programs for an additional two months, covering October to November, to support the purchasing power of the public.
On 22 September 2026, Mr. Akniti Nititanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, stated that the new wave of the Middle East conflict has caused continuous oil price increases, pushing Thailand's inflation rate to 2.5%. The government thus urgently introduced relief measures by allocating about 44 billion baht remaining from the initial 200 billion baht loan framework. This includes increasing the State Welfare Card top-up from 300 baht to 700 baht, totaling 1,000 baht per person, and providing 1,000 baht per person to participants in the Thai Chua Thai Plus 60/40 program.
Mr. Akniti expects that this round of financial injection will boost GDP growth by approximately 0.1% (excluding contributions from the public), adding to the previous program’s impact of about 0.38 to 0.4%. He also noted that this crisis signals the urgent need for Thailand to transition to sustainable energy. Meanwhile, the 4 billion baht budget for the "Thai Tiew Thai Plus" program has been postponed for allocation in fiscal year 2027.
Mr. Laworn Sangsanit, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, confirmed that this financial injection involves no additional borrowing but is managed within the existing 400 billion baht loan framework. He highlighted the benefits of the co-payment system (Co-pay 60/40), which encourages public spending, creating a multiplier effect that efficiently spreads economic benefits to small businesses more effectively than direct cash handouts.
Mr. Winij Wisetsuwannaphum, Director of the Fiscal Policy Office and spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance, explained the revised screening criteria for the new welfare card round. Certain groups, such as students (overseen by the Equitable Education Fund), are excluded. However, some asset criteria have been relaxed for accuracy—for example, small stock or bond portfolios under 5,000 baht or inactive holdings, vehicles like motorcycles older than 15 years, and cars and agricultural vehicles older than 20 years are exempted from asset calculations.
The government will announce the eligibility review results by 30 September 2026. Those losing welfare card benefits will be immediately enrolled in the "Thai Chua Thai Plus" program. Existing beneficiaries with the "Pao Tang" app can accept terms and continue receiving benefits starting 1 October 2026. Additionally, the government has prepared loan measures to provide working capital liquidity to small retailers participating in the programs.