The Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin reported that the Cabinet’s meeting today (May 10, 2022) approved in principle the draft Social Security Act (No. ..) B.E. …. as proposed by the Ministry of Labour. Due to the current social security law, certain provisions are inappropriate and inconsistent with changing economic and social conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the livelihood of insured persons. Therefore, the Ministry of Labour proposed law to alleviate the suffering, allowing insured persons to have social security and benefits within a more developed social security system.
Mr. Suchart said that the essence of the Draft Social Security Act (No. ..) B.E. …. includes: 1) Expansion of protection for insured persons to support an aging society by extending the maximum age of insured persons under Section 33, allowing beneficiaries of the old-age pension to apply as an insured person. It also allows old-age pension beneficiaries to apply for an advance pension. 2) Amendment of the old-age benefits arising from the demands of the labour groups to alleviate the suffering of insured persons. It allows the insured person to choose to receive a pension or old-age pension (to choose). In an economic crisis, public disaster, or any other event that affects the insured person, they can use some of the old-age savings in advance first (refund), and the old-age savings can be used as collateral with financial institutions (loan). 3) Other benefit amendments such as leave of absence for maternity allowance from 90 days to 98 days, compensation for lack of income in the case of disability, from 50 percent to 70 percent, and child allowance, to receive protection for another six months from the last day of being an insured person. 4) Improve the conditions for becoming an insured person under Section 39 and determine that the insured person’s surcharge under section 39 must not exceed contributions to be paid. 5) Amendments to the provisions relating to the Commission, in terms of the acquisition of employer and insured person representatives and the determination of qualifications, prohibited characteristics, and tenure. Expanding the power of the Board of Directors to dispose of bad debts from accounts receivable, including the management of employees and employees; and 6) Amendment of criminal penalties for employers to be in line with the nature of the offenses for which employers are obliged to comply with the law.
“The legal improvements to the Social Security Act on this occasion will alleviate the suffering of insured persons to have social security and receive benefits under an increasingly developed social security system. It will be consistent with the current situation, reducing inequality in society and creating opportunities for access to government services and providing appropriate state welfare to support the elderly society,” concluded Mr. Suchart.
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Division of Public Relations
10 May 2022
