Parliament, 'Chulaphan' teases 'Sirikanya' for wearing green, thinking she's cheering for BAAC, reiterates that by the end of this year, 10,000 baht will reach the hands of the people, following the legal framework, confirms that the government has no conflict regarding the preparation to open registration on August 1, confident that there's no corruption because it will directly pay 10,000 baht to 1 person, disqualifying those who have been sued for misuse of government projects in the past, refutes that giving it to people aged 16 and over is not for the sake of election, thinking of appropriateness as a mechanism to stimulate the economy, allowing circulation as a shortcut for the country to move forward. Mr. Chulaphan Amornvivat, Deputy Minister of Finance, explained to the House of Representatives meeting in considering the draft of the additional budget bill for fiscal year 2024, with a budget of 122 billion baht, starting with the green outfit that Ms. Sirikanya Tansakul, MP for the Move Forward Part y, wore today, saying, 'The green outfit looks like she's cheering for the BAAC.' Before stating the changes in various details of the 10,000 baht top-up project via digital wallet, that it was a proposal from relevant agencies after looking at the details and seeing that it can be managed, so it was submitted to the Policy Committee for consideration and approval. It is a change in the source of funds to be more appropriate, and there are several parts: 1. When a period of time has passed, the budget management and fiscal management can support it, so I have that opinion. And 2. The mechanism to use Section 28 according to the Government Fiscal Discipline Act can be done, there are no issues. But when looking at the details, I think there may be additional restrictions on the use if it is the BAAC or limiting the products because I know that farmers are in trouble because they are the group that needs the most money to invest, so I don't want any restrictions. As for concerns about changing the framework an d time frame, Mr. Chulaphan confirmed that the money will definitely reach the people by the end of this year, as has been confirmed for the past 4-5 months, and confirmed that the system is on time, the money is sufficient, and it will be delivered within the time frame for 50 million people, 500,000 million baht. Mr. Chulaphan also thanked the members who explained on behalf of the government, especially those who stated that it was risky but not wrong, and that all the figures cited were in accordance with the budget process. The process that led to the cabinet meeting was not just about 3-5 people, but went through the process of considering many government agencies and carefully considering the legal framework, so they came this way. He insisted that he followed the legal framework process and confirmed that he wanted to move forward with stimulating the economy, not a policy to help the people. 'If you are still arguing about the crisis or not, I have already shown the situation that the crisis situat ion is not at a good level. Since the day we became the government, many economic figures clearly show that many opposition parties say that it is good and growing, but we have had the lowest growth in the region for many years. Currently, it is the lowest in ASEAN, which is not a good situation. There is a need to stimulate the economy so that people can open their eyes and mouths. This mechanism is not a mechanism to help people or vulnerable groups, but to use people as a mechanism to stimulate the economy, which is to top up 10,000 baht via digital wallets, so that it reaches the hands of the people and the people use it. And we must assure people that when they receive the money, they will spend it to benefit their lives and start investing in making a living, starting a career to support themselves, which is a mechanism that has been set and has existing limitations. I confirm that no government policy in the past has had an economic multiplier as high as this policy due to the limitations placed on pro ducts that can and cannot be bought or the limitations of the area. All of these are mechanisms that create the most circulation in the economic system,' said Mr. Chulaphan. Mr. Chulaphan also said that there may be different perspectives and different understandings, but he believes that it will stimulate the economy so that people can open their eyes and mouths. The economy will eventually grow. We will be able to have a larger GDP, collect more taxes, and then come back to solve the people's problems. Mr. Chulaphan also explained the concern that the budget deficit was almost at the ceiling, but there was no risk regarding the budget mechanism. We have the Fiscal Discipline Act mechanism that can handle all types of situations. Otherwise, Thailand would not have survived until today. Having gone through many situations, if the government missed the target, the Fiscal Discipline Act mechanism was in place to support it, but it was incomplete. However, he admitted that there had never been a situation in T hailand where the budget was set and the collection was exactly as targeted. It is normal for it to be more or less than the target, and the government has a duty to manage it to be as close to the target as possible. Mr. Chulaphan also explained his concerns about the actual money that is not yet available, saying that any mechanism must be in accordance with regulations and laws, which is the origin of the proposal for an additional budget, which has no money to support it. This is only half true because it is currently in the committee considering the 2025 budget. If the House approves and announces it as a law in October, there will be a full amount of money to support the management. 'The conflict that you are concerned about in the case of the government providing information and giving a rather funny example that there will be registration on August 1st, I respectfully say that it is a small matter. The government has no conflicts in the past. We have discussed it all along and it is a mechanism that has been set up,' said Mr. Chulaphan. As for concerns about corruption by Jurin Laksanawisit, a Democrat Party-list MP, Mr. Chulaphan said that he had never heard of this issue because it was a direct payment to the people using their ID cards, with one recipient per 10,000 baht. Therefore, he did not see any channels for government corruption. He had looked into this issue in detail and was concerned about it, so he confirmed that there was none. The government had looked into it carefully. As for the mechanism of adding 10,000 baht to the wrong type, wrong purpose or doing something different from the specified mechanism, Mr. Chuphan stated that it must be admitted that projects in the past have happened, such as giving money without actually buying products and exchanging it for cash. But we can take legal action to sue for refund. In the case that anyone who has violated the government's restrictions on various projects has a lawsuit to demand the money back, those people will be disqualified from this project. I would like to confirm that we are fully preventing corruption. Mr. Chulaphan also mentioned the issue of doubts about the state not paying in cash or not using the old application, including setting the age of 16 years and over, and linking it to the next election that if thinking like that, it would be set at the age of 14 years because the term of this government is over, the election can be held immediately. But because it is a mechanism that thinks that these ages when receiving money have the potential to spend and spend it, it is a mechanism to rotate the economy for the budget that is given appropriately. Those who are too young may have limitations in spending a large amount of money. As for those who are not classified as cash, they may be stuck with old fake news. He confirmed that not everyone understands crypto. There will be no leakage. But what is being done is laying the foundation of the digital economy for the country and Thai people. And importantly, we want to create a centraliz ed state exchange system. A shortcut is an entrance to connect to various services that the government will provide to the people. The people will receive money directly in their wallets to spend, which will change the mechanism of Thailand in spending and exchanging money. As in the past, PromptPay was implemented. The potential has been developed continuously. And the mechanism that is being done will be one of the infrastructures that the people will continue to use. Mr. Chulaphan emphasized that this digital wallet project will be of great benefit to the people and will help the people. It is a shortcut to survival. The country will be able to move forward with this mechanism. The government has not made only one policy. The digital wallet project is one of our flagships, but there are also policies in other dimensions, such as the agricultural sector, in taking care of agricultural products, attracting foreign tourists, attracting investment, adjusting the economic structure, upskilling and reskilling t he labor force. Please look back at the government's work, which will show that what we have done has every dimension. And this is one of the mechanisms to stimulate the economy to grow and develop. And there is also the development and adjustment of the economic structure to support Thailand to be able to grow strongly in the long term. Source: Thai News Agency