The government will launch a new relief package worth 225 billion baht to help 51 million people affected by the latest outbreak of COVID-19.

As part of the new measures, which will go before Cabinet next week, the government will launch a “Ying Chai Ying Dai” (the more you spend, the more you get) scheme, to give away e-vouchers, from July to September, to encourage the purchase of food, household products and services through the government’s e-wallet system.

Additionally, the relief package consists of a 67-billion-baht extension of the “Rao Chana” scheme, a new 18.5-billion-baht phase of the “Section 33 Rao Rak Kan” scheme and other measures worth around 140 billion baht in total. The “Khon La Khrueng” co-pay scheme will also be continued, providing 3,000-baht subsidies for everyday expenses.

For employees of private companies, the self-employed and farmers, the government will offer loans of 10,000 baht each, with a monthly interest rate of 0.35% for up to three years. The loans, totalling 20 billion baht, will be issued through the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and the Government Savings Bank.

NNT- National News Bureau of Thailand

A spokesperson for the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs addressed the topic of vaccines for foreign residents residing in Thailand at today’s daily CCSA breifing.

This issue was the major talking point yesterday on social media among the expat community following a quote from a mid-level bureaucrat at the Ministry Of Public Health that was spun into clickbait by the Bangkok Post that left foreigners believing they would be last in line to be vaccinated.

Several key points were addressed including the lack of functionality on the official government app to register for the jab if you don’t have a Thai ID card.

Watch the full statement from Khun Phensom Lertsittichai below.

From September anyone in Thailand who wants to open a new cryptocurrency account must register in person, following an announcement from the Anti-Money Laundering Office.

Those wishing to set up a new crypto account will be required to submit key documents in person to register, as well as scan their Thai identification card in what is being referred to as a “dip-chip” machine.

The dip-chip machine system has successfully been used previously to register gold traders across Thailand.

Authorities expect the opening of crypto accounts to slow with the new rules as the opening of exchange accounts has traditionally been done online.

Some argue that having to physically register goes against the concept of crypto being a decentralized and digital system.