https://so19.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/SIAM_J <p>The Social Science Innovation and Applied Management (SIAM) is produced and hosted by Institute of Research and Development (IRD) on behalf of Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi to serve the interests of both Thai and international social scientists and researchers. The aim is to publish high quality research article in various areas of social sciences, such as social and development studies, humanities, education and economics. Contributions to the journal can be made as either a research article or a review article. The journal is published as a periodical, with four issues per year.</p> <p><strong>Journal Abbreviation:</strong> SOC. SCI. INNOV. APPL. MA.</p> <p><strong>ISSN (Online):</strong> 3057-1979</p> <p><strong>Language:</strong> English</p> <p><strong>Publication:</strong> 3 issues/year</p> <p><strong> </strong>1^st issue: January – April</p> <p><strong> </strong>2^nd issue: May – August</p> <p><strong> </strong>3^rd issue: September – December</p> <p><strong>Publication fee: </strong>Free of charge</p> Institute of Research and Development, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi en-US Social Science Innovation and Applied Management (SIAM) 3057-1979 https://so19.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/SIAM_J/article/view/3921 <p>This study investigates to what extent an increase in purchasing power affects low-income households’ food consumption behavior, using Thailand’s State Welfare Card program as a quasi-experimental setting. We apply a Regression Discontinuity (RD) design on the 2023 Thai Household Socio-Economic Survey to identify the impact of a regular increase in the ability to spend at the eligibility threshold. The findings demonstrate a strategic reallocation of food expenditures toward fresh and raw food categories. Beneficiaries prioritize at-home meal preparation by significantly expanding expenditures on raw ingredients, specifically meat and seafood, core carbohydrates, and fresh vegetables. In contrast, there is no significant increase in spending on prepared foods, dining out, or discretionary goods such as alcohol and sweets. These results offer critical implications for retail marketing strategies targeting low-to-middle-income segments and provide empirical feedback for policymakers regarding the food expenditure patterns of targeted social assistance. Although our empirical evidence is derived from a cash transfer setting, these behavioral insights may provide useful insights into broader contexts of purchasing power expansion such as standard salary increases or minimum wage adjustments.</p> Lalita Kosakarika Yupawan Vannavanit Copyright (c) 2026 Social Science Innovation and Applied Management (SIAM) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 2026-09-18 2026-09-18 10.60101/siam.2026.3921