The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance warns shops participating in the Half-Half Plus scheme not to raise prices, claiming to include VAT.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance is requesting cooperation from "Half-Half Plus" merchants not to increase product prices or claim VAT, stating that this is inappropriate as there are no additional costs and no data is submitted to the Revenue Department. Regarding the savings lottery, a conclusion will be reached within 2568, with the project launching in January 2569.

3 Nov 2568 Mr. Lawan Saengsanit, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Revealed that in the case of stores participating in the project “Half-Half Plus” Some people have taken the opportunity to raise product prices, both by adding prices when using the "Half-Half" scheme and by claiming that adding 7-10% VAT is inappropriate, as this is a government initiative that helps improve sales for stores without increasing costs.

"Regarding price-hiking or additional service charges, we request the cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce and local administrative organizations to conduct on-site inspections. If we detect any, we may issue a warning. If the public witnesses such actions, they are encouraged to report them immediately, as this constitutes a violation of our principles. This project does not utilize the tax system, and sales data is not directly transmitted to the Revenue Department. Initially, we would like to warn merchants not to raise prices."

Regarding the impact of the "Half-Half" measure, although the 44,000 billion baht inflow into the economic system may not be reflected in GDP figures, the significant impact is the liveliness and excitement among both buyers and sellers.

“Atmosphere isn't reflected in GDP, but it gives both buyers and sellers hope, revitalizing the economic climate.”

In addition to the "Half-Half Plus" scheme, other measures, such as adding 1,700 baht to the state welfare card, have been available since November 1, 2568, to help boost economic vitality.

Mr. Laworn further revealed that the "Lottery for Savings" measure is still being considered for the proportion of refunds in the event of non-winning tickets. The budget for refunds to the public comes from the Government Lottery's management costs, which are 17% of lottery sales.

"The rate of refunds to the public is under the authority of the Minister of Finance. We are currently finalizing the proportion of refunds to the public without requiring Cabinet approval. We confirm that refunding lottery management fees will not impact the Government Lottery Office's employees. We have already agreed with the State Enterprise Policy Committee (SEPC) on the performance calculations."

Those who do not win will be refunded immediately on a draw-by-draw basis. The savings lottery project is expected to conclude by 2568, with implementation expected to begin in January 2569.

Read all news related to the Half-Half Plus project here.