Thai government welfare measures good for parents during "back to school" period

BANGKOK, May 7 (TNA) - The Kasikorn Research Center (KResearch) says that the Thai government's welfare measures for low income earners should help ease parents' expenses on their children during the "back to school" period this month. According to a KResearch public report on its recent survey, over 54.2 per cent of parents were worried over their liquidity status during this month's back to school period, but viewing that the Thai government's welfare measures, under its Pracharat Program, should help relieve their expenses on their children for the purchase of students' uniforms and sports equipment. The recent survey of the leading Thai private think tank also found that the respondents viewed it is a "must" for the spending on their children's education. The recent survey of the Bangkok-based KResearch showed as well that spending by parents in Bangkok and peripheral provinces for their children's education during this month's back to school period should total about 28.22 billion baht, a 2.6 per cent increase from last year, due to the rising number of students entering the national educational system and private tuition costs for individual students, apart from the required enrollment fees at schools. The Thai government has increased its welfare cash reward for low income parents who hold the Pracharat card 500 baht/child but the measure is limited to three children/family. Besides, parents who hold the Pracharat card can have their bills on the purchase of their children's uniforms and sports equipment during May 1-June 30 deducted from their personal income tax payments for 2019, but such the bills are limited to 15,000 baht/family. (TNA)