Bangkok: Ekniti Nitithanprapas, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, has acknowledged calls to extend the Thai Help Thai Plus program and is considering the possibility of prolonging it, citing strong demands from the public. A decision on the program's extension is expected to be made within the next two weeks.
According to Thai News Agency, during market visits, Ekniti observed that numerous vendors requested the government to extend the Thai Help Thai Plus project for an additional one to two months. Ekniti expressed that there is still a sufficient budget available to contemplate such an extension. Presently, approximately 26 million people benefit from the program, while another 13 million receive aid through the state welfare card, totaling around 40 million beneficiaries experiencing reduced living costs.
The program sees participation from approximately 1.2 million shops nationwide. As of September 9, 2026, around 150 billion baht has been infused into the system, with about 16-17% concentrated in Bangkok and the remainder allocated across the country, primarily to small businesses and micro-enterprises.
Ekniti highlighted that the initiative has helped lower living costs amid the ongoing energy crisis, thereby enhancing purchasing power and boosting sales for merchants. He noted that the global energy crisis and rising oil prices are pivotal factors in deciding whether to extend the program. Continuous monitoring of the energy price situation will influence the decision to prolong the measures and possibly adjust the support structure. Clarity on the matter is anticipated within two to three weeks.
Furthermore, Ekniti addressed observations from the previous phase of the program, where approximately 20% of top-performing shops received substantial subsidies. He mentioned that further analysis is necessary, revealing that larger shops excelled due to their online sales capabilities and advanced sales techniques. The government aims to employ the AI "Whispering Bird" tool to assist smaller shops and micro-entrepreneurs in improving their business skills, particularly in sales data analysis and accessing funding.
Ekniti also responded to concerns from vendors about reduced consumer purchasing power if the program concludes. He referenced the "Half-Price Plus" project, noting that sales increased by 500-600% during its duration. Even after the project ended, shops that adopted online sales strategies managed to boost their revenue by approximately 200%.