The boost is helping the vendors to start generating liveable incomes, while most of the money is being spent on household necessities.
The good news came to light while Ministry of Commerce Phuket Office Chief Premmanee Subchokchai and other officers together inspected the 30-odd small stalls set up in front of the main SuperCheap store in Rassada on Wednesday (Nov 11).
The officers were checking that the vendors were not charging overinflated prices, and that the prices displayed were actually being charged, especially prices charged through the mobile banking app that must be used in order for people to make purchases through the campaign.
Mr Premmanee and his team reported finding no evidence of any foul play. However, he still urged any persons who believe that they have been unfairly charged for any purchases to report the incident by calling the Ministry of Commerce Phuket Office or Department of Internal Trade hotline 1569.
Meanwhile, another nice surprise for the team was the positive feedback on the campaign from the vendors, who said small-price sales had boomed due to people using the campaign to gain a 50% discount on their purchases.
Tida Boonrat, Comptroller-General of the Phuket Provincial Office, told The Phuket News that about 1,000 vendors in Phuket registered for the campaign, which began late October.
“We have received good feedback about the project from the vendors, saying that their sales have improved because of the campaign. Some vendors have told us that their sales had risen 50% because of the campaign,” she said.
“This project has also provided a good boost in consumption spending in Phuket, which means it is helping people to cope with living expenses, helping small vendors, and altogether helping Phuket’s economy,” she added.
“By using the project to buy essential items, residents have money left over to spend on other things or simply save it for later,” Ms Tida said.
MARKET PLACE
Narongsak ‘Sprite’ Charuphan, 34, who operates his Kalui Shop grocery store near the Baan Don community market on the Don Jom Tao Rd in Cheng Talay, Thalang, told The Phuket News that the Let’s Go Halves campaign has spurred a phenomenal rise in sales.
“Before the project started, my income was only B2,000 per day. Then the project started and I joined this project. People are now coming to buy things through the app every day, and sales has now risen as high as B20,000 per day,” Mr Narongsak said.
The most popular goods were daily necessities, he added.
“The greatest demand is for items such as rice, sauce, cooking oil and eggs,” he said.
“The project has helped a lot. I would like this project to continue further, as it is helping people with the costs of living,” Mr Narongsak added.
SECOND CHANCE
Nationwide, about 10 million people registered to join the campaign after its launch on Oct 23.
However, while the chance to register has now closed after one more special day was allowed on Wednesday (Nov 11), Ms Tida said that people looking to take advantage of the campaign will have a second chance to register.
“There are some people who missed joining the first phase of this project. Please wait because right now the Finance Ministry is preparing to roll out the second phase of the co-payment scheme early next year following a positive response to the first phase of the scheme,” she said.
“The ministry is considering increasing the number of registrants for the second phase, but the final figure has yet to be finalised,” she added.
“The government will announce this later,” she said.
Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said that the second phase of the campaign is expected to be rolled out early next year.