BANGKOK (Reuters): Thailand will delay its direct cash handout scheme and use its remaining budget of 157 billion baht (US$4.75 billion) to invest in water management, transport, logistics and soft loans for small businesses instead, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said on Monday.
The announcement, after a meeting of the economic stimulus committee, comes after the state-planning agency slashed its full-year growth forecast to 1.3% to 2.3% from a previous 2.3% to 3.3% as US tariffs threaten the country's export engine.
