Govt to extend appeals deadline for people who fail screening for welfare cards

The Transport and Interior ministries have agreed to revamp regulations pertaining to the eligibility of poor people to receive state welfare under the state welfare card program, after many people who had applied for the cards have failed the screening process because they own vehicles.

A total of 18.2 million Thai citizens applied for the state welfare card, with which each would receive a monthly subsidy of 300 baht, but the government has capped the number of recipients at 10 million due to budgetary constraints.

Branches of the state-run Krung Thai Bank and the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives across the country were crowded today with applicants who showed up to file appeals after they failed the strict screening process.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat and Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee, together with the director general of the Provincial Administration Department Narucha Kosacivilize and senior officials from the Fiscal Policy Office, gave a press conference at Government House today to announce a revamp of state welfare card program as it pertains to the ownership of vehicles.

It was discovered that many state welfare card holders missed out on the scheme this year because they own a car, despite the vehicle being out of order or unusable.

One 85-year-old woman in Hat Yai failed to qualify because she owns two cars, according to the records. In reality, though, one is just a motorcycle sidecar and the other was stolen seven years ago.

Siripong said that the regulation pertaining to car ownership has now been amended to allow cars which are more than 20 years old or, in the case of a motorcycle, is more than 15 years old and the engine capacity of which does not exceed 300cc.

He also said that non-formal education students will not be excluded from eligibility.

Meanwhile, Deputy Interior Minister Polapee said that the ministry will propose that the Cabinet extends the period of appeals for reconsideration of the subsidy applications until September 20.

He said that applicants who have passed the screening process are also eligible to receive 315 baht in monthly electricity subsidy and the right to use tap water for free, subject to specified terms.

The Provincial Administration Department has introduced a ‘One Stop Service’ at all district offices, to facilitate the appeal process for applicants who have failed the screening process.

Meanwhile, People’s party deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakul has claimed that extending the appeal period will not solve the problem. She suggested that the government quickly updates its database and uses a “score cutting” method in the screening process.

Regarding the financial constraints, she said that the budget should be increased because there are more than 10 million poor people.