Bangkok: The Permanent Secretary of Labour chaired a meeting of the working group on social security structure reform, approving the approach for proceeding with research while emphasizing transparency and participation.

According to Thai News Agency, on Monday, March 30, 2026, Police Lieutenant Colonel Wannapong Kacharak, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, led the 4th/2026 meeting of the advisory group and working group studying the reform structure of the Social Security Office. The session saw participation from Ms. Kanjana Poolkaew, Secretary-General of the Social Security Office, representatives from relevant government agencies, and representatives from employers and insured persons. The objective was to study, analyze, and determine guidelines for reforming the Social Security Office's structure to improve efficiency and align with the current public administration context.

The meeting acknowledged the timeline for the hiring of consultants to conduct research on the structural reform of the Social Security Office. This would be in accordance with the Public Procurement and Supply Management Act B.E. 2560 (2017) and related regulations, along with guidelines for budget expenditure of the Social Security Office. Feedback was considered on the draft report of the working group, which includes structural data, a review of privatization approaches, models of social security agency management in other countries, and related draft laws and recommendations.

The report was unanimously approved in principle, with the Social Security Office tasked to proceed with the next steps. These include reporting to the Minister of Labour, submitting the report to the Social Security Board for budget allocation for the consultant hiring project, and sharing the information publicly via the Social Security Office's website to ensure transparency and public access to information.

This meeting marked the conclusion of the 60-day action plan timeframe, which spanned from February 6 to April 6, 2026. The subsequent phase involves hiring research consultants, requiring budget allocation from the Social Security Board, and strict adherence to legal procurement procedures. Employer and employee representatives will participate at every stage, enhancing transparency and good governance throughout the project.