Coronavirus: Thai workers struggle to get handouts, while gold shops see rush for cash

The government has announced a US$153 monthly cash handout for some workers, but issues with its database system has seen it disqualifying many applicants

Meanwhile, gold shops are running out of cash as people sell off their gold jewellery to raise money amid economic fears

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Commuters on a boat seen in face masks in Bangkok on April 15, 2020. Photo: Reuters

Published: 4:12pm, 16 Apr 2020Updated: 4:00am, 23 Apr 2020

The Charawi massage parlour in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok has been struggling since January, with its main clientele of Chinese tourists disappearing after Beijing banned outbound travel as coronavirus cases there grew.

Owner Pithak Yotha, whose shop had some 115 casual workers, opened a new grilled pork store in front of the massage business to supplement his income and generate work for some of his staff, but even that is not helping as people are not spending, he said.

So when the government announced it would give monthly cash handouts of 5,000 baht (US$153) to unemployed or contract workers for three months – a measure that is part of its 1.9 trillion baht stimulus package launched last week – Pithak hoped it would benefit his workers.

But as the staff tried to apply for the funds, about 100 of them were disqualified by the artificial intelligence system used to screen applicants.

“I think there is something wrong with the system,” Pithak said. “After the shop was closed, some staff have applied for a maid job or construction job, but there are no open positions now.”