PUBLISHED: 18 Dec 2024 at 14:28
The Constitutional Court has dismissed a complaint lodged by a political activist concerning Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s cash handout initiative, highlighting that the complainant was not directly affected by the scheme.
The court rejected claims made by Sonthiya Sawasdee, who argued that the prime minister had failed to execute the 10,000-baht digital wallet initiative as promised by the Pheu Thai Party. Ms. Paetongtarn, who leads the party, was under scrutiny for this perceived discrepancy.
Sonthiya had also requested the court to suspend the prime minister if the case proceeded to trial. However, the court ruled that the complaint represented a challenge to the party’s policy rather than a direct injury to the complainant, thereby dismissing it.
Prior to this ruling, Sonthiya accused the Pheu Thai Party of misleading voters by pledging to distribute 10,000 baht in digital funds to all Thais aged 16 and above, with expectations that approximately 50 million citizens would benefit from the program. The plan required recipients to utilize the digital funds within their home districts.
In a shift from the original proposal, the government has commenced handing out 10,000 baht in cash to various vulnerable groups, including the needy and disabled, with plans to extend this financial support to elderly individuals as well.
