Thailand will roll out its digital wallet handout scheme the first quarter of next year, delayed from February, a deputy finance minister said on Thursday.

The new government's signature economic programme, which has received criticism from many economists, aims to give 10,000 baht ($274.27) in handouts via digital wallets to more than 50 million people, to be spent in local communities. ($1 = 36.4600 baht) (Reporting by Orathai Siring, writing Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Martin Petty)