People gather outside Krungthai Bank's Bang Yai Market branch in Nonthaburi on Thursday to seek help in registering for the new round of state welfare cards.
The Finance Ministry is preparing a comprehensive overhaul of the government's welfare system, laying the groundwork to implement a negative income tax (NIT) system in Thailand.According to finance permanent secretary Lavaron Sangsnit, within two years or less the welfare system will be transformed into an NIT system.
Under this approach, individuals whose income falls below the threshold for paying income tax would receive various forms of government assistance.
Anyone wishing to receive welfare benefits would be required to file a tax return with the Revenue Department.
However, before the NIT can be implemented in Thailand, he said the government must successfully establish three components: a comprehensive data system, an eligibility screening system for welfare recipients, and the technological infrastructure capable of supporting the programme.
