Bangkok: The Ministry of Finance is pleased with the “Half-Half Plus” program stimulating the economy. The Ministry of Finance is pleased with the continued increase in the number of people using the “Half-Half Plus” scheme. Both merchants and the public are being instructed to refrain from misappropriating funds, and plans to announce more arrests today.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Winij Wisetsuvarnabhumi, Director-General of the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) and spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance, stated that after the government launched the “Half-Half Plus” scheme for purchasing goods, spending has reached approximately 1.9 billion baht. This has boosted domestic trading, as the government is paying half of the cost. For some purchases, people are even willing to spend the additional amount, injecting more money into the system than the government anticipated. The response has been very positive.

Mr. Winij recommends that people top up their G-Wallet balance in the Pao Tang app from their bank accounts first to support their daily spending. He advises using the Pao Tang app to scan with the merchant’s phone when making payments to ensure proper transaction recording. He urges patience and regular use of the system to become accustomed to the process.

Currently, 700,000 merchants have registered for the program, with half being food and beverage outlets and the rest as general merchandise stores. The ministry encourages more merchants to register to support public spending through “Half-Half Plus.” Merchants are urged to introduce buyers to the benefits of the program as economic conditions show signs of improvement.

Regarding fraudulent use of funds from the “Half-Half Plus” program, authorities have identified cases where money exchange services advertised on social media to attract customers to join in fraudulent activities. Police arrested three individuals yesterday for violating the Computer Crime Act, with more arrests expected to be announced. The government is reminded of its data system to track offending merchants and is urged to ensure the correct use of government subsidies for the benefit of the economy.