is a WP required to start paying into the SS system?

[onlycw]

Was told to "wait 2 months" before being allowed to contribute 750 B a month, which needs to be matched by the school.

 

TBH, there has been a lot of disappointment over the years:

 

• a technical college never bothered, saving the 750 B alltogether.
• in Isaan, the Finance Dept. habitually collected the contributions in cash. (When I tried to benefit, the local hospital never got a single Baht)

 

Q: is there really a legal hurdle preventing an otherwise willing school to start insuring foreigners with annual contracts? Just wondering!

[SlyAnimal]

I recently asked my wife to look into this for me on Thai forums etc (My school tried to tell me that they couldn't do social security for foreigners, which I knew was BS, so wanted something concrete in Thai to tell/show them).

What she found, was that foreigners need to have a Thai work permit in order to apply for a social security number.  So I'm waiting on my work permit as well before I can start my social security payments.

I don't think that anything else can be substituted for the work permit (i.e. id card or yellow book etc), but am not sure.  Likewise, I'm not sure if your work permit is just required to initially setup social security, or if it's needed before the school can make payments into your social security (i.e. If you have an existing social security number from another school).

After it's initially setup (i.e. if you have it from another school), I believe that I've previously read on Thaivisa that you can make manual contributions yourself, for if you are itching to start putting money into it.

[jenny2017]

Was told to "wait 2 months" before being allowed to contribute 750 B a month, which needs to be matched by the school.

 

TBH, there has been a lot of disappointment over the years:

 

• a technical college never bothered, saving the 750 B alltogether.
• in Isaan, the Finance Dept. habitually collected the contributions in cash. (When I tried to benefit, the local hospital never got a single Baht)

 

Q: is there really a legal hurdle preventing an otherwise willing school to start insuring foreigners with annual contracts? Just wondering!

 

 

I don't know if teachers at a technical college are eligible for the Thai SS. You usually start paying in at the beginning, but you'll receive your card after around three months.

 

   I've noticed schools who kept the money for themselves and started the payments three months late, everything is possible. The best way to be sure is to go to the office and have a chat with them.

 

If you've paid in before, you can continue privately which is only 438 baht per month. You've got six months after your last employment to do so.

 

  What do you mean by the local hospital never got a single baht? They () the SS) pay the bills twice, or thrice a year, as far as I was told by a nurse. 

  

[cmsally]

I seem to remember you need to be in the system paying through your work place for 13 months before you can make your own contributions. Not totally sure of this but do seem to remember someone getting caught out on this because they only worked 12 months - 1yr contract.

[jenny2017]

9 minutes ago, cmsally said:

I seem to remember you need to be in the system paying through your work place for 13 months before you can make your own contributions. Not totally sure of this but do seem to remember someone getting caught out on this because they only worked 12 months - 1yr contract.

It's 12 months. From the Thai SS Act, Section 39-

 

   

Section 39.¹⁴ Any person who is an insured person under section 33, has paid contribution for a period of not less than twelve months and, subsequently ceases to be insured person in pursuance of section 38(2), if such person wishes to continually be insured person, he or she shall, within six months from the date of his or her termination to be insured person, notify his or her statement to the Office according to the regulations prescribed by the Secretary – General.

 

The amount of money using as basis for calculating contribution which the insured person under paragraph one has to pay to the Fund under section 46 paragraph two, shall be in accordance with the rate prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations and with due consideration of suitability of economic situation.

 

I' currently paying 438 baht only. 

 

Please see more here: http://thailawforum.com/database1/social-security-act-4.html

[arithai12]

Two different issues in the OP post.

 

1-pension scheme: afaik, you need to be a permanent employee (though not necessarily have a permanent contract). Even then, it doesn't start until after 1-2 years. Anyway, why bother... unless you intend to live all your life in Thailand and retire here, and still it won't be enough to live on.

 

2-mentions "tried to benefit... hospital". Medical insurance should be in your contract, and provided typically at local government hospitals in case of accidents - but not in case of illness such as flu. At least this was my experience while I was still working.

It is not a substitute for a good personal medical insurance, imho.

[Preacher]

You have to register within 60 days after start working, or the employer pays a fine. I believe that for short time work (less than 2 months) you do not register.

 

You do not become eligible for reimbursement from the health insurance part till after 6 month, while you cannot continue voluntary payments if you lose your job within 1 year.

[Marvo]

Slightly off topic as the OP is talking about teachers....

But am I right in thinking that a director of a company who is on director's remuneration, still paying income tax, is not allowed to contribute to and receive social security?

[scorecard]

What about a scenario where a professor (lives permenantly in Thailand with PR status) has a work permit

but the uni involved doesn't want to get involved with SS matters.

 

Can that professor join the SS fund independently (perhaps after 12 / 13 months of holding the WP supported by the uni?) and directly pay the 750Baht monthly contribution to the SS fund?

 

A further point, when the WP is no longer renewed can that member just continue independant monthly payments forever to retain SS membership and therefore retain the Thai 30Baht medical/ hospital benefits? 

 

Are there age limits associated with any of the above?

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

[Preacher]

One can not pay SS without the employer. SS payment comes from 3 parties: government, employee and employer. 

Payment into the SS-fund is mandatory and the employer can be fined for not registering. (And will be liable for damages incurred due to not being insured. In other words the employer will have to pay any medical costs that the employee would be eligible for under the SS-fund. (And probably see his employment being terminated).

 

If  SS is paid in for more than 1 year one can continue the SS-voluntarily after losing employment. 

 

 

[Jimbo53]

All SS payments are refundable on application at the local Revenue office,on termination of contract/s,even spanning years(I claimed after 10 years),just take your passport and employment details,they have you on their system,and will be able to check that all your employers have paid your contributions to them.

The refund will be paid direct into your bank account within one week.

[My Thai Life]

@ Marvo: Yes that's my understanding, the rationale being, as far as I understand it, that Directors are required to have personal insurance as a pre-requisite for company startup.

 

@ Scorecard: SS is mandatory for workers 15-60 years of age; over 60 it may be based on mutual agreement rather than the provisions of Labour Law. Private schools (and presumably private unis too) are specifically excluded from the provisions of Labour Law.

[digbeth]

The Social Security is no longer giving out cards, when new employee starts they just have a print out of their numbers and which hospitals they have benefits at now so keep that in mind

 

There is article 40 to self insure for those who are self employed like market vendors and motorcycle taxis, I don't think that applies for foreigner

[Big Guns]

Unfortunately under the private school act schools can opt not to be part of the social security system if they provide private medical insurance. If this is the case you can't join the social security scheme. I've had this experience for the last 11 years at international schools. It's a loophole that the government should close as they are missing out on a lot of additional funding.

[davidst01]

On 7/27/2018 at 2:17 PM, Jimbo53 said:

All SS payments are refundable on application at the local Revenue office,on termination of contract/s,even spanning years(I claimed after 10 years),just take your passport and employment details,they have you on their system,and will be able to check that all your employers have paid your contributions to them.

The refund will be paid direct into your bank account within one week.

if i do this does it terminate my SS health ins scheem 400 baht a month?

[Jimbo53]

9 hours ago, davidst01 said:

if i do this does it terminate my SS health ins scheem 400 baht a month?

Not sure about that,I was retiring,so I just claimed it back before returning to the UK.

[Jimbo53]

9 hours ago, davidst01 said:

if i do this does it terminate my SS health ins scheem 400 baht a month?

I don't know..I was leaving Thailand,so I just applied for the refund.