Inflation support schemes extended

The government has pledged to extend the existing 10 measures devised to alleviate the hardship of low-income earners from a surge in oil prices for three months until September.

The measures were scheduled to expire at the end of this month.

Danucha Pichayanan, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), said the cabinet is scheduled to approve the extension of those 10 measures at its meeting on June 21.

The supporting budget is yet to be settled, but the government is likely to use the central budget in fiscal 2022, he said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called an urgent meeting yesterday with his economic team including Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow and Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith to discuss economic issues after the US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by 0.75 percentage…