Bangkok: Registration for the Thai Help Thai Plus program commenced with a flurry of activity, as nearly 22 million people registered within the first two hours. The initiative, which kicked off early in the morning, saw Krung Thai Bank significantly expanding its processing capacity to handle over 700,000 transactions per second, ensuring a smooth registration process.
According to Thai News Agency, the registration for the Thai Help Thai Plus project began at 6:00 AM, with a large number of people accessing the Paotang app simultaneously. This initial surge caused temporary freezes and lags, but users were generally able to register within seconds. If unsuccessful, users received a message indicating the transaction couldn't be completed, but retrying typically led to success. Within the first 15 minutes, over 3.5 million people registered for benefits. New registrants were instructed to wait three days for confirmation of their eligibility.
Krung Thai Bank's Facebook page reported that the overwhelming number of registrations for the Thai Chuay Thai Plus (60/40) project initially led to system slowdowns, with more than 300,000 transactions per second. However, system enhancements increased this capacity to over 700,000 transactions per second. By 8:00 AM, 22 million people had registered.
Individuals who had not yet registered visited Krung Thai Bank branches nationwide for identity verification. Branches, such as the one at the Ministry of Finance, experienced high foot traffic as people sought assistance with face scans and using the Paotang app. Vendors have expressed support for the continuation of such projects, citing previous schemes that boosted sales and encouraged quicker purchasing decisions.
Recently, Krungthai Bank released comparative data, noting that the current registration process was twice as fast as the previous one. Within 23 minutes, 10 million people had registered, a significant improvement from the last round's 5 million registrations in 30 minutes.
Across all regions, including the North at the Krung Thai Bank branch in Chiang Mai, particularly elderly residents sought assistance with the registration process. Bank staff provided guidance to those unfamiliar with smartphones and the registration app.
In the South, Hat Yai District residents began registering at 6:00 AM. While some succeeded on their first attempt, others took a few minutes. Those unable to register via the app were advised to contact the bank before 8:00 AM. The issues encountered were similar to previous rounds, involving changes in phone numbers or devices and app lockouts.
In Khon Kaen province, a bustling atmosphere was noted early in the morning as people queued at the Krung Thai Bank branch for identity verification and system issue resolution. Most faced problems related to phone number changes, which hindered OTP code reception. The bank facilitated the process with tents and waiting areas, predominantly accommodating elderly individuals.
The Thai Chuay Thai Plus (60/40) project involves a government-public co-payment scheme. Participants, after successful registration and identity verification, can begin spending from June 1st to September 30th, with a maximum monthly government subsidy of 1,000 baht per person. Citizens are required to top up 40% of the subsidy amount to fully utilize the benefits. Spending limits and conditions are clearly defined, ensuring participants can make the most of the program within specified daily and monthly caps. Unused subsidies reset monthly and cannot be carried over.