Bangkok: Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, representing the Thai Sang Thai Party, has put forward a proposal emphasizing the separation of the Social Security system from labor oversight and political influence. This initiative, she argues, is crucial to eliminating corruption and improving the system's efficiency.
According to Thai News Agency, Khunying Sudarat, the prime ministerial candidate number 48 of the Thai Sang Thai Party, is advocating for a comprehensive reform of the social security system. Her focus is on mitigating the challenges faced by insured individuals, particularly highlighting the prolonged two-month outage of the dental care system which has compelled people to bear medical expenses themselves.
Khunying Sudarat pointed out the inadequacy of the current dental benefits, where individuals contributing over 800 baht monthly are entitled to only 900 baht per year for dental care. This amount, she noted, is insufficient for even basic services like cleanings or fillings, let alone more extensive treatments like root canals. The situation, she suggests, indicates a lack of transparency and inefficient management, raising concerns about whether the vast fund of over 2.8 trillion baht is being utilized effectively or compromised by corruption.
To address these issues, Khunying Sudarat proposed restructuring the Social Security Office into an independent entity, removing it from the Ministry of Labour's supervision and political interference. Her plan includes reducing government representation on the Social Security Board to just three members and empowering insured individuals and employers by allowing them to elect the majority of the board directly.
Khunying Sudarat emphasized the need for professionals to manage the fund according to international standards, boosting returns and reinvesting profits to enhance benefits. This includes aligning healthcare quality with other government welfare programs and increasing pension values to support a reasonable standard of living.
She reassured that this transformation would elevate the quality of life for the workforce, ensuring stability and equality. Drawing on her successful track record, Khunying Sudarat urged voters to trust and support Thai Sang Thai (Thai Building Thailand), number 48 on the ballot, to cleanse the system of corruption and restore justice for all social security beneficiaries.