Bangkok: The caretaker Social Security Board held its inaugural meeting, prioritizing welfare benefits for insured persons and addressing the urgent agenda item concerning "the election of a new board."
According to Thai News Agency, this 4th meeting of the Social Security Board in 2026 marked the first gathering of the caretaker board, chaired by Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kacharak, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour. The meeting concentrated on advancing urgent policies to enhance benefits for insured individuals. These policies included adjusting compensation through a commission-based system for Section 40 insured persons to promote community-level work, and considering measures for career development and liquidity loans.
Mr. Satharam Thammabussadee, a Social Security Board member representing insured persons, highlighted a decrease in complaints, emphasizing the crucial need for clarity on the timeline for electing the new Social Security Board. This clarity is essential for restoring confidence among the over 15 million insured persons. He submitted a letter to the board chairman, advocating for elections to be conducted by April, adhering to the appropriate timeframe following the previous board's term expiration. Mr. Satharam stressed the Progressive Social Security team's preference for using the same election regulations as in 2023 to prevent delays.
Furthermore, Mr. Satharam issued an ultimatum to the Social Security Office (SSO), urging the urgent disclosure of meeting reports and documents related to the "new draft election regulations." These documents have sparked concerns about reducing insured persons' power and granting the Social Security Election Commission (SEC) the authority to disqualify candidates, potentially infringing upon constitutional rights. He also addressed the investigation into the origins of these new draft regulations, indicating the Senate's involvement in requesting documents and data from public consultations to expose the drafting process's lack of transparency.
Mr. Satharam conveyed a strong message to the government, urging them to conduct the election with integrity and transparency. He reiterated his intent to run for election one last time, emphasizing that his demands aim to establish a sustainable standard for elections, benefiting workers nationwide. He expressed his willingness to collaborate openly with all teams to foster constructive policy competition.