The government is being urged to recruit more shops to join the Khon La Khrueng Plus co-payment scheme, as spending on its first day was disappointing, according to the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).
However, the government has taken a different view, with spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat reporting robust economic activity on Wednesday, with total spending reaching 1.9 billion baht.
He said the highest spending total was recorded at the government-run Thong Fah (Blue Flag) shops at 709 million baht, followed closely by food and drinks shops at 697 million baht.
Thanavath Phonvichai, the UTCC president, offered a different set of figures. He said government data indicated eligible Thais spent an average of only 250 baht each, totalling 750 million baht from 3 million participants on the first day.
‘This means consumers are primarily purchasing essential items. The scheme is failing to encourage people to spend more than normal, which is what was expected to lift the economy,’ he said on Thursday.
It is not clear why there was such a large discrepancy between the government’s figures and those of the university.
Mr Thanavath attributed the disappointing figures to limited participation by shops, as roughly 600,000 are registered, representing only 20% of the total number of small and medium-sized enterprises that could participate.
He called on the government to encourage more businesses to join the scheme, saying that higher participation could enable this initiative to better support GDP growth, aiming for a 2% increase in economic expansion this year.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in his capacity as the interior minister, has directed local officials to work with Krungthai Bank in setting up mobile units to help vendors across the country register to expand shop participation.
Mr Anutin has also instructed community development offices to invite One Tambon One Product shops to join the scheme and organise weekly fairs, if possible, to increase sales channels, Mr Siripong said.