BANGKOK, Thailand – The Ministry of Finance, through Deputy Minister Julapun Amornvivat, has confirmed the rollout of payments under the 1,000 Baht per Rai support program for rice farmers, with all transfers expected to be completed by September 4. The Cabinet approved the measure two weeks ago to assist farmers growing both off-season and main-season rice nationwide.
On September 1, the first batch of payments was successfully transferred to 769,461 off-season rice farmers, totaling 6.28 billion baht. The disbursement schedule continues this week: on September 2, over 286,000 farmers in the northern region will receive 2.46 billion baht; on September 3, 1.29 million farmers in the northeast are set to receive 10.59 billion baht; and on September 4, the remaining 137,000 farmers from other regions will receive 1.25 billion baht.
Altogether, about 2.49 million farmers will benefit from the program, with total disbursements reaching 20.58 billion baht. The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) is processing payments directly into recipients’ bank accounts to ensure accessibility, especially for those without access to digital platforms.
Julapun also noted that more than 20 billion baht remains in reserve for eligible farmers who were not included in the current round. These pending transfers await verification from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, which is responsible for confirming farmer registration records. Once verified, the data will be forwarded to BAAC for prompt payment.
Farmers who have not yet received funds are encouraged to contact their local district or agricultural office to confirm their registration. Julapun clarified that mobile applications are not being used for this round to avoid delays and ensure direct delivery of funds to those eligible. (NNT)
