Bangkok: Bangkok residents flocked to obtain copies of their vehicle registration documents in order to appeal or review their eligibility with banks.
According to Thai News Agency, Bangkok residents are complaining about the government's complicated welfare card project. They are asking why the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport didn't consult each other beforehand, causing hardship for residents who have to travel to cancel their vehicle registration benefits.
Many Bangkok residents congregated at the Department of Land Transport on Phahonyothin Road due to problems in verifying their eligibility for the government's welfare card, often referred to as the poor person's card. The eligibility system flagged several registrants as owning "more cars/motorcycles than allowed," compelling them to secure copies of their vehicle ownership records for appeals and reconsiderations with banks. Despite the helpful staff, citizens expressed dissatisfaction with the cumbersome process, questioning why the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport had not coordinated in advance. This oversight, they felt, led to unnecessary time and financial burdens on those already facing economic hardships.
Ms. Somporn Khueantae, a Bangkok resident and single mother responsible for two children and a bedridden elderly family member, shared her plight. She had previously been a recipient of a welfare card, but the current system incorrectly flagged her as owning multiple vehicles, despite only possessing one motorcycle. Consequently, she was forced to appeal this decision. She stressed the importance of the 300 baht monthly benefit for low-income individuals.