Bangkok Post
Welfare card rules rejigged
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The Finance Ministry has revised the eligibility criteria for the state welfare card scheme, allowing owners of older vehicles to retain their benefits while extending the deadline for unsuccessful applicants to appeal until Sept 20.
Key facts
- The Finance Ministry has revised the eligibility criteria for the state welfare card scheme, allowing owners of older vehicles to retain their benefits while extending the deadline for unsuccessful applicants to appeal until Sept 20.
- Authorities have already received 3.4 million appeals, about 40% of which concern vehicle ownership.
- Ministry spokesman Vinit Visessuvanapoom announced the changes on Thursday after a meeting of the Pracharath Welfare Committee for the Grassroots Economy and Society, chaired by Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas.
- DLT director-general Sorapong Paitoonphong said about 12% of vehicle sales involved open transfers without formal changes to ownership records.
- The exemption, however, does not apply to those who purchased used vehicles from 2018 onwards, the year the welfare card programme was first introduced, as they are regarded as newly registered vehicle owners
- Since the scheme began in 2018, around 2.5 million welfare card holders have registered vehicles, both new and used.
Summary
Ministry spokesman Vinit Visessuvanapoom announced the changes on Thursday after a meeting of the Pracharath Welfare Committee for the Grassroots Economy and Society, chaired by Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas.
Mr Vinit said owners of cars more than 20 years old and motorcycles aged at least 15 years would remain eligible for the state welfare card.