Thailand plans to give $275 cash handouts to 50 million low-income citizens

• Thailand has a simple plan to boost its pandemic-hit economy.
• It will give $275 to about 50 million people, more than two-thirds of the population.
• The prime minister said the program would cost $13.7 billion and stimulate a struggling economy.

Thailand is the latest country to experiment with a cash handout program, hoping it will help its economy recover from a pandemic-induced slump.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said the program — called "Digital Wallet" — will offer payments of 10,000 baht, or about $275, to anyone making less than 840,000 baht, or $23,000, a year.