Social security gap to be reviewed 80 per cent of Thais lack social security; ILO recommends ways to extend protection

A new survey carried out by the ILO and the Thai government indicates that some 51 million Thais, or 80 per cent of the population, still lack social security coverage.

Press release | 03 December 2004

Although the Thai government has successfully extended social security in the last decade[1] some 51 million people, or 80 per cent of the population, still lack social security coverage, according to a new survey carried out by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Thai government.

The “Thailand Social Security Priority and Needs Survey” was conducted jointly by the ILO, the Social Security Office (SSO) of Ministry of Labour and the National Statistics Office (NSO) of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology. Key findings include:

  • Social security coverage is generally low, with the exception of health care benefits.
  • Coverage is particularly low among the young, the old and the poor.
  • Most workers without coverage are farmers, the self-employed and unpaid family workers.
  • A substantial number of private sector employees are still not covered.
  • “Health”, “Pensions”, and “Job Loss” are the areas where social protection is wanted most.
  • The need for the benefits of the SSO scheme are high but willingness and ability to contribute are low.
  • Subsidies are needed to extend social security coverage.
  • The majority of insured private employees would pay extra contributions to cover their dependants.

These findings, and the need to extend social security coverage, will be discussed at the “Inter-Governmental Seminar on the Social Security Coverage Extension to the Non-Covered Population” in Bangkok on 7 December. The meeting, which is being jointly organized by the ILO and the SSO, will review the findings of this survey and previous studies. Delegates will discuss social security, social assistance and other social protection policies, as they affect those people without coverage. The meeting will look at possible strategies for extending social security coverage, particularly to those in the informal economy, and will also decide on follow-up activities.

While more people have been brought into the social security safety net in the last 10 years, the ILO is recommending that the SSO coverage should be extended further to include dependants of current SSO members and non-covered private sector employees. A non-contributory scheme for pension benefits should also be established in order to provide one of the most needed protections to the majority of people.

About 50 government officials and representatives of international organizations will attend the seminar, at the Rama Gardens Hotel, Vibhavadi Road, Bangkok.

The government offices represented will include the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministries of Labour, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Finance, Information and Communication Technology, Interior, Public Health, Social Development and Human Security, Transport, National Statistics Office, National Health Security Office, National Economic and Social Development Board, Thailand Development Research Institute, and other academic institutions. In addition to the ILO, the international organizations will include the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank and the World Health Organization.

For more information please contact:
Mr Hiroshi Yamabana
Social Security Specialist, ILO
Tel: + 02 288 1735
Email


Mr Suguru Mizunoya
Associate Expert on Social Protection for the Informal Sector, ILO
Tel: + 02 288 1784
Email


Ms Krisdaporn Singhaseni
Information Officer, ILO
Tel: + 02 288 1664, 01 624 1399
Email

[1] Health care coverage is now 100 per cent, (through the National Health Insurance and Social Security Office schemes) and 20 per cent of the population has other types of social security protection.