Government to further improve Thais’ quality of life

[Lite Beer]

Government to further improve Thais’ quality of life

BANGKOK, 11 October 2015 (NNT) - The government is determined to improve public welfare and the quality of life of the people of Thailand.

According to the Spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office, Maj. Gen. Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, as the government has a welfare and quality of life improvement policy, an adjustment of the social security law was commenced to allow all members of the Social Security Office a complete coverage by all benefits.

Maj. Gen. Sunsern said that the National Legislative Assembly has approved the amended law, which was published in the Royal Gazette on June 22 and will come into effect on October 20.

He added that more benefits have been added and made ready to cover all cases, from sickness to disabilities, death, unemployment, childbirth and child support.

The PM’s Office spokesman added that the amended law will be more effective in ensuring transparency and standards through a new committee comprising qualified and well-selected individuals.

More information on the social security welfares and benefits can be found on the SSO website, at http://www.sso.go.th or call the SSO hotline 1506.

-- NNT 2015-10-10

[Hawk]

Its incredibly difficult for ordinary Thais to get any of these welfare benefits, most people are simply refused.

[surangw]

the gov. announcement(s) usually mean the opposite of what they say

[TheCruncher]

I sthis what they understand with improving quality of life?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/862071-police-to-summon-24-celebrities-as-outcry-rages-over-beer-photos/

Police to summon 24 celebrities as outcry rages over beer photos

[NCC1701A]

"He added that more benefits have been added and made ready to cover all cases, from sickness to disabilities, death, unemployment, childbirth and child support."

I thought this is covered by the Farang Boyfriend Act passed back in 1987.

[oneday]

"...Government to further improve Thais’ quality of life..."

That would imply there has already been improvement. Please list those improvement for us. Please point to poor families and businesses around the country that have benefited from these supposed improvements.

[Fat Haggis]

One would say this was just another "populist policy" which the Junta don't do apparently.

[BoristheBlade]

Make the poor, poorer and the rich, richer....everything going to plan....roger and out!

[trainman34014]

I must nip round and tell the hundreds of poor people living in the Village's around me that even though many of them are living in 'houses' made of a few concrete blocks with corrugated iron roof's and scratch a living off the land that all is well and their 'quality of life' is going to be improved....because the Generals spokesman said so !

[fred Kubasa]

Gee ! More good things to come is wonderful news but unneeded as every

government poll/survey says the Thai people are overjoyed at their new

prosperity, the removal of all those unsightly/low cost/delicious vendors,

BEEFED UP Southland security,efficient/fast acting police ! What, pray tell could be better then all that ?

[jesimps]

You will let us improve your quality of life....or else!

[empireboy]

De ja vu! Same BS different day!

[Bluespunk]

"Government to further improve Thais quality of life"

Might want to improve it first before moving onto 'further'.

[docshock13]

"He added that more benefits have been added and made ready to cover all cases, from sickness to disabilities, death, unemployment, childbirth and child support."

I thought this is covered by the Farang Boyfriend Act passed back in 1987.

Perhaps it is supplemental to the FBA of 1987 which includes benefits for sick livestock and financial support to pay off gambling debts, buy back gold from the pawn shop, "lend" to inlaws, pay for the exorcism of spirits, receive healing and lottery numbers from clairvoyant monks and throw extravagant temple parties for entire villages in order to make merit.

I may have missed a few. But I am pretty sure the Act also contains a clause that states that "no farang shall permanently leave the Kingdom without first being divested of any and all assets or saleable material goods."

[Mudcrab]

At least they have stopped the murderous red shirts shooting and bombing people.....though the jury is still out on the Erawan incident.

[stoneyboy]

At least they have stopped the murderous red shirts shooting and bombing people.....though the jury is still out on the Erawan incident.

And as of yet they aren't gunning people down on the streets of the capital.

[waldroj]

This NNT article proclaims that the government is determined to improve public welfare and the quality of life of the people of Thailand.

While this should be seen as a positive achievement for this government, it needs to be put in some context before they can be applauded.

According to Schramm (2015, p7), past military-installed governments in Thailand have also tried to use social policy in an attempt to secure the obedience of the masses and to give themselves legitimacy. Schramm observes that (Baier 1988: 59), referred to this as a “patriarchal patrimonialism”, a term that pretty much sums up the current situation in Thailand.

Now, NNT also tell us that the amended law will be more effective in ensuring transparency and standards through a new committee comprising qualified and well-selected individuals.

This new committee, presumably will be paid high salaries, especially as they are “well-selected individuals”.

It should come as no surprise then, that Schramm goes on to say, with past military-installed governments, the bureaucratic elite developed a selfish interest in social security, because the set-up of a new welfare administration was a chance for senior officers to expand their field of competence and gain attractive positions.

So, it would appear that this initiative (by the junta) is nothing new, and that the real winners will bethe newly appointed committee members (NOT the people in greatest need, as this article would have you believe).

Incidentally, when I visited the SSO website on the link indicated in the NNT article, I found an English version, but many of the pages were years out of date, and there was no mention of the amendments to the social security law!

Similarly, I had no joy with the Royal Gazette web page, but that’s because of my failing, it is only published in the Thai language.

References

Bernd Schramm (Aug, 31, 2015) “Explaining Social Policy: The Development of Social Security in Thailand” [Online at http://www.researchgate.net/publication/239832328_Explaining_Social_Policy_The_Development_of_Social_Security_in_Thailand]

SSO website (English) http://www.sso.go.th/wpr/home_eng.jsp?lang=en

Royal Gazette (Thai) http://www.mratchakitcha.soc.go.th

[Seastallion]

Really, they could do it a whole lot more efficiently, even-handedly, and cheaply if they just completely eliminated corruption and totally re-vamped the education system.

With those two things properly addressed, the poor would be less poor, and there would be more money in the government coffers to tackle infrastructure.

[daiwill60]

oooh! does this mean that as quality of life improves further, there will be less need to send the young daughters to the likes of Phuket and pattaya and nana plaza etc to earn a living ? That will put a dent in tourist numbers if it happens.

[deckape]

We will improve your quality of life. No longer will you have to worry about which candidate to vote for.

[tominbkk]

Further improve?

[farangmick]

Really, they could do it a whole lot more efficiently, even-handedly, and cheaply if they just completely eliminated corruption and totally re-vamped the education system.

With those two things properly addressed, the poor would be less poor, and there would be more money in the government coffers to tackle infrastructure.

Yes, but there would be less cheap labour for the factories and farms owned by the people proposing these plans. Would love to see it happen, but it won't.

[wow64]

Further improve?

Not much room for it to improve any further.. Already one of the highest standards in the world.. Just look at all the high class farang flocking here.

Sent from my c64

[jerojero]

Overhaul the RTP and School system, then citizens will see life quality improve!

[Thian]

Improve the safety on the roads first please.

[h90]

"He added that more benefits have been added and made ready to cover all cases, from sickness to disabilities, death, unemployment, childbirth and child support."

It will decrease the quality of life for the tax payer.

[h90]

Overhaul the RTP and School system, then citizens will see life quality improve!

And the universities.....but it will need decades to see the effect, so not worth to do.

[waldroj]

Interesting report from Australia's ABC about poverty-stricken children on Phuket http://ab.co/1jpU2pY

[khunyod]

I really don't understand all these complaints leveled at a clear (though limited) increase of healthcare benefit for the SSO (non-government employee insurance). Providing the 400 THB/mo for children 0-5 (ends at 6th birthday) for a third child is a no-brainer.

After all, the only thing the children get is the main government social plan (aka 30 baht, aka gold card, aka multi-card). That's right, dependent children of employees are not covered under their parent's healthcare. They have to access a different (lower-benefit) plan, and the parents get a subsidy. Depending upon hospital/health provider choice, children are unable to use the same provider as their parents, without paying outside of their employer health plan.

Also, the idea that grandfathering in older disabled (or disabilities which occurred before 1995) is also a no-brainer, as excluding them is actually a form of age discrimination.

Finally, the 13,000 THB maximum is now eligible on a pregnancy basis. Another needed reform for Thailand's less-than-replacement-level birthrate.

These kinds of fairly low increases are the least a government can do which has universal healthcare enshrined in constitutions since the 1990s.

The idea that the wealthy and well-off of the country can't shoulder the burden for fellow citizens whose poverty-level wages keep their food, housing, and most manufacturing goods cheap, is a non-starter.