BANGKOK, June 26 (Reuters): Thailand will sell 50 billion baht (US$1.57 billion) of government savings bonds next month to finance relief measures, the finance ministry has announced as the South-East Asia nation battles its biggest coronavirus outbreak so far.
The proceeds will be for spending measures, including a co-payment scheme and cash handouts for low-income people, Patricia Mongkhonvanit, head of the ministry’s public debt management office, told a briefing.
Last month, the cabinet approved an additional economic relief package worth 255 billion baht (US$8 billion) to help people affected by the latest outbreak.
The bonds, to be offered from July 5 to 23, are three-year issues with an annual average coupon of 1.8% and four-year issues with a 1.9% coupon on average, the ministry said.
The debt is part of a 1 trillion baht borrowing plan announced last year in response to the pandemic. – Reuters
