Thailand's government subsidy scheme "Thai Helps Thai Plus 60/40"—covering 60% of spending up to 200 baht/person/day or 1,000 baht/month—has successfully lifted consumer confidence for a second consecutive month, raising the index to 51.8 in July. The University of Thai Chamber of Commerce credits the programme, plus easing geopolitical tensions and declining oil prices, for the improvement. Despite gains across sub-indices (employment outlook up to 49.8, future income to 60.5), all remain below the neutral level of 100, signalling cautious optimism. The chamber expects confidence to accelerate noticeably from September into Q4 as the government accelerates budget disbursements and infrastructure investment, coinciding with peak tourism season. GDP growth is forecast at 2.0–2.5% for 2026.