Buri Ram’s Digital Wallet Revolution: Julapun Amornvivat Leads 10,000 Baht Youth Handout Initiative

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In the picturesque province of Buri Ram, a typical scene unfolded as residents formed orderly queues outside the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, eagerly awaiting their turn at the ATMs. The excitement was palpable in the midst of September 2024, as citizens looked forward to withdrawing funds from the government’s much-discussed cash handout program. The air buzzed with conversations, life stories, and the occasional optimistic laughter, almost giving the impression of a community fair had it not been for the flicker of ATM screens.

Fast forward to April 2025, and the stage is set for the third phase of the government’s ambitious financial support scheme, a 10,000-baht handout set to be a headline topic in next week’s cabinet meeting. Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat was in high spirits when he addressed the press on Tuesday. “We’re sticking to the original timeline,” he announced with a cool assurance. “Everything is prepared, and we’re full speed ahead.”

This handout scheme, conceived in the cradle of economic challenges, is now targeting the nation’s youth, a demographic as spirited as it is hopeful. Specifically, 2.7 million young hearts aged 16 to 20 are in for a monetary windfall, each poised to receive 10,000 baht through the magic of digital wallets. A splendid idea, indeed, for the digitally savvy young generation in a country fast embracing technological modernity.

The earlier phases of this large-scale program seemed like a warm-up act, where the main beneficiaries included welfare cardholders, individuals with disabilities, and senior citizens who had gracefully crossed the 60-year threshold. They’ve been receiving their financial sustenance via PromptPay, a system as prompt as its name implies.

Yet, beneath the surface of this benevolent initiative, a riptide of scrutiny flows. Skeptical economist circles have wagged fingers, arguing that the initial phases did little to boost consumption, falling short of the expected economic revival. As if by script, a coalition of political critics recently lodged a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission. They suspect some monetary sorcery involving the diversion of a hefty 35 billion baht from the thumping 2025 fiscal budget.

The whispered allegations purport that money, originally intended to tackle the nation’s debt harbingers, is now flowing upstream to finance the handouts—an action some say might be at odds with fiscal protocols. In a display of practiced diplomacy, Mr. Julapun maintained his cool, reiterating that every financial string pulled was strictly within legal bounds. “Indeed, debt repayment and line items for interest are distinct entities, untouched by the reallocation,” he clarified, perhaps hoping to douse the fanning flames of controversy.

He affirmed, “Being a member of the 2025 budget oversight committee, I can vouch for the legality and ethical precision with which the budget was approved.”

Meanwhile, the economic winds seem to be blowing with less intensity than predicted. The World Bank recently downsized the country’s GDP growth forecast, trimming it to a modest 1.6% from the erstwhile optimistic 2.6%. These revisions, as Mr. Julapun explained, are a resultant cocktail of global trade tremors and the ripple effect of US trade and tariff legislations.

“We’re not through the storm yet,” he mused philosophically, eyes on the horizon of worldwide negotiations. “Projections are still, dare I say, a work in progress pending the results of discussions with Uncle Sam and other trade allies.”

The Deputy Finance Minister promised vigilant observation and adjustment, hinting at refreshed economic outlooks from the Fiscal Policy Office in the near calendar. “It’s the macroeconomics dance — global trade shifts cast shadows long and wide, crossing borders and oceans,” he concluded, painting a vivid picture of the delicate economic ballet upon which the nation’s future sways.