Thai cabinet approves 4.36 bln USD cash stimulus for vulnerable groups

BANGKOK, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) — Thailand’s cabinet approved a stimulus program worth 145.5 billion baht (around 4.36 billion U.S. dollars) on Tuesday, aiming to support vulnerable groups and boost consumption in the southeast Asian country’s economy.
About 14.55 million Thais, including low-income earners and people with disabilities, will receive a direct cash handout of 10,000 baht (around 300 dollars) each into their bank accounts starting next week, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira told a press conference.
Pichai said this first phase of the stimulus plan is expected to increase the kingdom’s economic growth by 0.35 percentage points. ■