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In recent years, Thailand’s economy has faced many challenges from the impact of COVID-19 and a slow recovery to household debt problems—which have kept people’s purchasing power from returning to normal. To boost the economy with visible results, the government introduced several stimulus measures. One of the most popular and widely discussed is the ‘Khon La Khrueng’ (Half-Half) scheme.
It was launched in 2020 under the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha with the goal of boosting domestic spending, easing people’s living costs, and improving cash flow for small retailers nationwide during the COVID-19 situation. Under the ‘Khon La Khrueng’ (Half-Half) scheme, the government covered up to 150 baht per day and a total of 3,000 baht per person for the entire program. The government paid half the price of goods. For example, if an item cost 200 baht, the state paid 100 baht and the buyer paid 100 baht. If the purchase exceeded 300 baht, the state still paid a maximum of 150 baht, and the buyer covered the rest. Participants had to shop at stores displaying the ‘Khon La Khrueng’ sign. The program’s benefits included increasing small retailers’ income, bringing independent shops into the tax system, and stimulating the economy. It was estimated to generate economic circulation up to 1.85 times, or about 55.5 billion baht.
The original phases of the Khon La Khrueng (Half-Half) scheme were considered successful in stimulating the economy. Over five phases, the program had a total budget of more than 230 billion baht, combining public spending and government contributions, which generated massive cash flow in the economy and supported small businesses—especially easily accessible local shops. In addition, surveys showed very high public satisfaction, as the policy was ‘tangible’ and effectively reduced daily living costs. However, this huge amount of money came from the national budget, which ultimately became public debt that must be managed in the long term. It was a success that also carried a high fiscal cost.
On September 8, 2025, Lavaron Sangsnit, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, said there is a chance the ‘Khon La Khrueng’ (Half-Half) scheme will return. The Bhumjaithai Party–led government wants to use this measure to quickly stimulate the economy. The Ministry of Finance said it is well-prepared, with a budget of 25 billion baht, and if that is not enough, additional funds can be drawn from the central budget. The program could start as early as October 2025.
Shops that previously joined and still have the ‘Pao Tang’ app can participate again without re-verifying their identity, but new shops may need to register. Details such as who will be eligible, how much credit they will receive, and what purchases will be allowed still depend on the government’s final decision.
Mr. Lavaron emphasized that people should not look only at how much this program might boost GDP, because it depends on how much money the government provides and how much daily spending is allowed. However, he confirmed that the Ministry of Finance is ready to proceed immediately once it receives the government’s signal.
Most recently, on September 9, 2025, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, as the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, proposed reviving the ‘Khon La Khrueng 2025’ program. He suggested adjusting the conditions in two ways:
Mr. Anutin stressed that the goal is to benefit the people, saying, ‘We’re not copying anyone. We continue good projects from previous governments, like the 30-baht healthcare scheme or Khon La Khrueng.’ The Ministry of Finance stated it is ready to implement the program immediately once the policy is clearly defined and confirmed to comply with the constitution, laws, budget rules, and financial discipline. If the government approves, they are confident the program can launch within four months.
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