Social Security Benefits For Farangs?

[thumbinthrough]

I have for the last six years been paying into the Social Security Scheme run by the SSO and have on several occasions had recourse to use the card at the hospital for which treatment was free and the card worked perfectly. My employer however, recently gave me a nice shiny leaflet in perfect English from the SSO outlining 'other' benefits available to, I assume farangs (well, it was written in English). These benefits included, unemployment benefit, child benefit, death benefit (can't see the benefit of being dead though) and old age benefit, which i guess equates to what i'd call a pension. Although the amounts were not too much to write home. What i want to know is, has anyone (a farang) actually tried to apply for these benefits? And if so what was the outcome. I can't quite get my head around a farang actually walking into the local SSO / unemployment office and registering for unemployment benefitor a pension. How would this sit with visa regulations?

Any takers please?

[Tywais]

Working at a university I have all of the above benefits but it was automatically applied for me by the university. Not really an immigration visa issue since they are different agencies. There is another topic regarding this posted a few weeks ago on the forum. The death benefit is for payment to your beneficiary (family member or other).

[citizen33]

Working at a university I have all of the above benefits but it was automatically applied for me by the university. Not really an immigration visa issue since they are different agencies. There is another topic regarding this posted a few weeks ago on the forum. The death benefit is for payment to your beneficiary (family member or other).

Here is a useful website.

http://www.sso.go.th/english/faq.php?menu_...;content_id=350

Incidentally, some universities have private health insurance schemes for staff on public service officer contracts, while longer-serving staff who are still on the older civil service contracts can enjoy the more generous benefits of the Civil Service Medical Benefits Scheme and pension scheme. As I understand it, individuals can also arrange to opt into the Social Security Scheme (i.e. the above link) if not covered by something else. Like the OP, I'd be interested to hear of the experiences of people who are actually in the SSS.

[camerata]

I can't quite get my head around a farang actually walking into the local SSO / unemployment office and registering for unemployment benefitor a pension. How would this sit with visa regulations?

I haven't tried it yet, but I think you'll be OK as long as you are on a legal visa other than tourist visa. You have to have paid into the scheme for 15 years before you can claim a pension, so that rules out most farang. What I've been told is that after retirement you can continue to pay into the scheme yourself and continue to be covered for medical benefits. That seems a lot better than having no cover and a lot cheaper than paying yourself.

[TerryLH]

Last January there was a change in the act. They basically kicked employees of private schools out of the system. Not just teachers, all employees. There have been lots of complaints about this, and there was supposed to be a decision this month whether to allow them back into the system, or not.

Since i regularly use the health benefit I went to SS and signed up to pay small monthly payments myself.

No reduction in benefits and only 432 baht per month.

I believe that you can get all of the money back that you've paid in (plus some of employers???) once you reach an appropriate age. If you do take the money back, you are no longer in the system and are no longer eligible for benefits. I think it explains it in the English language brochure that they have.

[Dakhar]

I have at times used the social ben. for meds, but not often. I usually go private. It just depends on the situation/ailement etc.

Most times, private is cheap enough to not scare me off. The irony is, I have found some of the doctors at Thamasat to very very good, and some of the doctors in private to be very very bad....

but as always I find the oposite to be true too in some cases. But I usually go private to avoid.... well lets just say avoid a lot of "things."