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🇹🇭 Thailand /Technology

Thailand to use welfare data for job creation and skills push

From Bangkok Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Thailand's government will use welfare card data to help over five million low-income individuals find jobs and improve skills.
  • The registration identified over five million recipients aged 20-60 among the program's nine million-plus participants.
  • The initiative aims to address poverty's root causes by increasing incomes and upgrading worker skills, despite recent criticism of the welfare card scheme's eligibility criteria.

The Thai government plans to leverage data from its recent state welfare card registration to assist more than five million working-age, low-income individuals in securing employment and enhancing their skills. This strategic move aims to tackle the fundamental causes of poverty by creating pathways to higher earnings.

This is an issue that must be addressed. We cannot allow people to continue earning less than 100,000 baht a year indefinitely. The government must use this data to create employment opportunities and upgrade workers' skills so they can earn higher incomes.

— Ekniti NitithanprapasExplaining the government's plan to use welfare data for job creation and skill enhancement.

Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas highlighted that the registration process revealed over five million recipients, out of the program's more than nine million participants, fall within the 20-60 age bracket. "This is an issue that must be addressed," he stated, emphasizing the need to prevent individuals from remaining in low-income brackets indefinitely. The government intends to utilize this data to foster job creation and skill development, enabling recipients to achieve greater financial stability.

Our priority is to make sure assistance reaches those who truly have nothing.

— Ekniti NitithanprapasReiterating the focus of the state welfare program.

These plans emerge amidst criticism surrounding the 2026 state welfare card registration, which saw over 9.3 million applicants fail to qualify, prompting a government review of the eligibility criteria. Mr. Ekniti assured that changes in beneficiary numbers would not pose budgetary issues, noting the program already receives over 70 billion baht annually. "Our priority is to make sure assistance reaches those who truly have nothing," he remarked, adding that unsuccessful applicants could still access other government support.

The problem lies in the data, which may not have been updated, particularly regarding applicants' assets.

— Ekniti NitithanprapasAddressing issues with the welfare card registration process.

He attributed many discrepancies to outdated government databases rather than flawed criteria. "The problem lies in the data, which may not have been updated, particularly regarding applicants' assets." However, the minister acknowledged that the new exercise exposed weaknesses in government databases and identified potential cases of fraud where individuals were deceived into transferring or registering assets. "If it can be proven that applicants were defrauded, the government will restore their welfare rights," Mr. Ekniti assured.

If it can be proven that applicants were defrauded, the government will restore their welfare rights.

— Ekniti NitithanprapasPromising to restore welfare rights for those proven to be victims of fraud.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Bangkok Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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