Scammers out in force with phrase 4 launch of Khon la Khrueng

 | Thu 3 Feb 2022 16:27 ICT

Boonyarit Nipawanich, District Chief of Sansai today visited the Sansai Junction market with his entourage to check whether vendors are using and not abusing the ‘Khon La Khrueng’ 50-50 co-payment scheme.

The 50-50 co-payment scheme has come under increasing scrutiny as some vendors across Thailand have been accused of taking advantage of the scheme by increasing the prices of their products or reporting transactions when there were no real purchase.

The fourth phrase of the 50-50 programme was launched on the 1st February. The co-payment scheme sees the government subsidising 50% of food, drinks and general goods purchases, with the total subsidy limited to 150 baht per person per day. According to Pornchai Thiraveja, director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office, phase 3 of Khon La Khrueng generated spending of 87.1 billion baht within the first month of its application, this latest phase expected to be just as popular.

The Twitter platform has been sharing posts seen by thousands, by people offering to purchase goods and services by paying vendors 10% under the 150 baht daily limit for scanned goods.

With 150 baht per day limit, some vendors are simply scanning cheaper products to sell to scammers for 135 baht, both sides pocketing the difference.

The district chief visited the market and will visit many others in the area to inform vendors that if caught in this scheme, they could face up to three years in jail and/or a fine of no more than 60,000 baht.

Nothing out of the ordinary was discovered during this inspection and vendors told CityNews that sales have been rocketing and they hope that the government will continue to subsidise such transactions.

One vendor did tell CityNews that they just had a customer purchase goods for 100 baht but asked to have 300 baht scanned into their application, asking for 200 baht in cash in return but the vendor said that they refused.