On September 3, 2024, the 34th Anniversary of the Social Security Office, the Labour Minister, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, presided over the opening ceremony and presented plaques of honour to those who have contributed to the Social Security Office and the Favorite Hospital Award. The Secretariat to the Labour Minister, Mr. Aree Krainara, the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Pairoj Chotikasathien, and the Ministry of Labour’s senior executives joined the occasion. The Social Security Office’s Secretary-General, Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, and executives of the Social Security Office, the Social Security Committee, the Compensation Fund Committee, various committees, executives of business establishments, hospitals, leaders of the Social Security Networks, honourable guests, the media, and Social Security Office officials welcomed them at the Social Security Office, Tiwanon Road, Talat Khwan Subdistrict, Mueang Nonthaburi District, Nonthaburi Province.
The Labour Minister, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, gave a press conference to the media. He said that, on the occasion of the Social Security Office’s 34th year of operation, he wanted to congratulate the Social Security Office for looking after and supporting employees and insured persons, adhering to the mission of creating security for a better quality of life. He has delivered a policy or direction for driving social security work in 2025 by amending the law to increase benefits for insured persons according to the draft Social Security Act (No. …) B.E. …, such as expanding the age base for insured persons under Section 33 to 65 years old. Insured persons under Section 33 or 39 who are entitled to receive old age pensions can apply to be insured under Section 39/1 to receive benefits in 3 cases: accident or illness, disability, and death. In addition, in the case that the insured person leaves their job, they will receive child support benefits for another six months. It also aims to increase the maternity leave benefit from the original rate of 50 percent of wages for 90 days to 98 days and increase the income replacement payment in the case of disability to 70 percent (originally 50 percent). In the case of unemployment, employees who are not over 60 years old are entitled to receive unemployment benefits until they are finished before receiving old-age benefits.
On this occasion, the Labour Minister spoke about the three request measures: Request to choose: Insured persons who are entitled to receive old age pensions can choose to receive them as a lump sum or a pension, according to the regulations. Request for a refund: In the event of a disaster that severely affects insured persons, they can request to receive some of their old age pensions before reaching the age of 55, according to the regulations. Request to borrow: Insured persons can use some of their old age pensions as collateral with financial institutions that have made an agreement with the Social Security Office, according to the regulations. In addition, the Social Security Office has developed new benefits for self-employed persons under Section 40, as follows:
1. In case of disability, the maximum is increased to 3,000 Baht, with lifetime coverage.
2. In the case of child welfare, the maximum is increased to 300 Baht per child, with a maximum of 2 children at a time, no older than 7 years of age.
3. In case of an accident or illness, it is compensation for lost income.
(1) In case of not receiving treatment at a hospital and there is no doctor’s opinion to take a day off for treatment (round trip), Option 1 and Option 2, the maximum increase is 200 Baht per time, 3 times per year.
(2) Insured persons in all three options can receive compensation for lost income in case the doctor’s opinion is to take a day off for treatment for one day or more.
Currently, the law is being drafted and will be submitted according to the next steps.
The SSO’s Secretary-General, Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, said that the Social Security Office has a mission to ensure the security of living and taking care of employees and insured persons. Up until today, it has been in operation for over 34 years. Currently, over 526,000 establishments are in the Social Security system, with 24.7 million employees and insured persons under its protection. In 2023, the Social Security Office has achieved the following key successes:
– In terms of participation from all sectors, there was an election of employer and insured representatives, which was the first time in history that employer and insured representatives were elected as committee members at the Social Security Committee on Sunday, December 24, 2023
– Creating awareness and listening to opinions on social security work. It organized an academic conference on “SSO Sustainable for All Because the Social Security Fund Belongs to All of Us”. The conclusion of the conference will be a guideline for managing social security work for the sustainability of the fund in the future to create awareness for stakeholders from all sectors.
– In terms of medical services, the Social Security Office has developed medical services by increasing the efficiency of access to medical treatment, reducing waiting times, and creating a better quality of life for insured persons, such as the SSO515 project and the proactive health screening project in workplaces.
– In terms of using technology and innovation in management and providing services via electronic systems, such as the “SSO plus” application, which allows insured persons to access comprehensive benefits information at all times.
– Expand coverage to self-employed persons in 5 regions, including the Social Security Family Project in workplaces, to create awareness and invite more informal workers to enter the social security system.
“As Secretary-General of the Social Security Office, I, along with the executives and staff, are committed to developing the work of the Social Security Office in all dimensions to achieve the vision of “an organization of trust in providing modern social security services,” to be accepted, trusted and relied on by all sectors. We commit to driving the development of the social security system to be a part of Thai society and creating a guarantee of stability in life for employees and insured persons who are part of the social security family in every stage of life,” concluded Mr. Boonsong.
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Information Center, Social Security Office, Ministry of Labour
