The Ministry of Finance will open registration for "Thai Helps Thai Plus," combining the co-payment scheme and welfare card programs, on May 25th.
The Minister of Finance is preparing to open registration for "Thai Help Thai Plus," combining "Half-Price Plus" and the welfare card program, on May 25th. The program is expected to begin on June 1st, with the first phase providing 1,000 baht per month for two months.
7 May 2569 Dr. Ekniti Nitithanpraphat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Speaking after presiding over the opening ceremony of the 26th Bangkok Money Expo, he revealed that the Ministry of Finance is preparing to launch the "Thai Helps Thai Plus" project, which integrates the benefits of the "Half-Price Plus" project and the State Welfare Card into a single platform.
"The 'Half-Price Plus' project will now be renamed 'Thai Help Thai Plus,' which combines the 'Half-Price Plus' project with the State Welfare Card. Under the 'Thai Help Thai Plus' project, each citizen will receive only one entitlement."
Initially, the Thai Help Thai Plus project is expected to open registration on May 25, 2026, and spending will begin in June 2026, divided into two phases: 2 months + 2 months.
Eligible low-income individuals receiving the state welfare card will receive 1,000 baht per month for two months. This is an additional 700 baht per month, on top of the 300 baht they already receive. The funds can be spent in full without any government subsidy.
"Initially, for the first two months, the 13.2 million existing welfare card holders will receive the benefits first. After the registration and eligibility screening process opens, new welfare card holders will receive benefits in phase 2."
Those whose income exceeds the threshold for state welfare benefits are eligible for the "Half-Half Plus" project, where the government pays 60% and the public pays 40%.
On the merchant side, there are currently approximately 1.4-1.5 million shops in the system, including government-subsidized shops and those participating in the existing "Half-Price" scheme. The government will use AI to analyze data through applications linked to the "Money Bag" and "Wallet" systems. The AI will analyze revenue, sales, and sales behavior of small retailers to provide data for state-owned banks to assess loan approvals.
“This innovation will help small business owners who lack land or collateral access formal loans more easily at lower interest rates, eliminating the need to resort to informal lending. Furthermore, the AI can analyze which products sell well and compare raw material costs with market prices, allowing retailers to determine if they are overpaying.”
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