Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Thursday that the government is getting enough funds for the cash handout compensation program to last as expected for three months.
Rolling back from his statement when he claimed the government only had funds for a month's assistance, PM Prayut said temporary, contracting, and self-employed workers affected by the coronavirus outbreak would receive cash of 5,000 baht for three months.
"We're going to give out 5,000 baht for three months, for sure," Prayut said. "Please rest assured and I am sorry for my remarks yesterday that could have created confusion and uncertainty," the Prime Minister said, "I ensure that the government is dedicated to providing for the people for the next three months. We are debating means of allocating funds to other groups.
His apology came after PM Prayut himself said that the government will pay only one month of the promised cash because the parliament still has to approve the 1 trillion baht loan bill needed to finance the following months.
His remarks met with a furious backlash – and even suicide threats from some of the poor – that led Naruemon Pinyosinwat, the government's spokesperson, to tell the media a few hours later that the Prime Minister was only intending to demonstrate the process of securing the fund.
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