BANGKOK, 12 Mar 2014 — The Excise Department has said that those who have yet to receive rebates under the government’s first car buyer policy will have to wait a bit longer, as the political conflict has adversely affected the administration’s ability to make the payment.
According to Excise Department Director-General Somchai Poonsawat, political gatherings and seizures of various government agencies are the main reasons behind the delay, pointing out that his department’s computer system was badly damaged during the said incidents. He, however, reassured the public that everyone participating in the scheme would receive the funds eventually.
According to the Excise Department’s latest data, it has so far paid over 63 billion baht to nearly 886,000, out of 1.25 million, first-car buyers; with the payment of nearly 28 billion baht pending. However, up to 120,000 buyers are expected to withdraw from the program, lowering the amount the department needs in order to pay off first-car buyers to 25 billion baht.
