Bangkok: The Thai People's Party has introduced a new policy aimed at expanding citizens' rights by offering accident protection through the use of a single national ID card, which will provide access to all hospitals. The party has emphasized that this initiative is a fundamental right for all Thai citizens and will not increase the national budget burden.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Ekkasit Kunanantakul, leader of the Puangchon Thai Party, highlighted the party's campaign focus ahead of the February 8, 2026 election. The policy aims to elevate accident protection to a fundamental right rather than a temporary welfare measure. It offers accident insurance coverage that can be accessed by all Thais using their national ID card at participating hospitals. This coverage is specifically for accidents and does not include illnesses.
The policy details that citizens are entitled to financial assistance for accident-related injuries, with coverage up to 10,000 baht per incident and a maximum of 10 incidents annually. This encompasses road accidents, work-related accidents, and unforeseen daily occurrences. Additionally, in the event of accidental death, the policy provides 100,000 baht in financial assistance to support families with essential expenses during the loss of primary income. The cost to the national budget is minimal, at approximately 200 baht per person per year, covering all 60 million Thai citizens.
A key component of the policy is reducing the burden on citizens during emergencies by utilizing a single national ID card system. This allows access to both public and private hospitals within the network without requiring upfront payments or additional paperwork. The approach shifts from citizens actively seeking their rights to rights being readily available to citizens.
Mr. Ekkasit also discussed the need for governmental oversight. The Thai People's Party suggests that the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security or the Ministry of Public Health should oversee the implementation. This would include setting national accident insurance standards, caring for vulnerable groups, connecting citizen data digitally, and ensuring effective benefit distribution.
Furthermore, the party advocates for the involvement of eligible insurance companies in the system, ensuring competition based on service quality under principles of transparency, integrity, and fairness. This would prevent monopolies and guarantee that citizens receive optimal benefits.
Mr. Ekkasit concluded by stating, 'Accidents never choose a time to happen and never consider the financial status of those involved. Therefore, the state must provide a systematic answer to the public. This policy aims to make basic accident protection rights a reality, so that Thai people can be confident that when unforeseen events occur, there will be a comprehensive and fair protection system in place. Therefore, protection from accidents is a matter of citizen dignity, and we will push this policy to become a reality for the safety of all Thai lives.'