Bangkok: Thailand's newly implemented State Welfare Card (for low-income earners) screening process is undergoing review following reports that roughly 50,000 non-formal education students face potential disqualification, drawing public attention to the program's eligibility criteria. The Ministry of Finance recently announced that out of 18.82 million applicants, only 9.51 million passed the initial screening for the 2026 welfare program.

According to Thai News Agency, over 9.31 million applicants were disqualified, prompting 2.76 million people to file appeals within just two days. Concerns have been raised regarding the impact of the screening criteria on vulnerable groups, particularly due to discrepancies in available government data.

Regarding the affected learners under the Department of Learning Encouragement (DOLE), approximately 50,000 individuals were flagged due to student status classifications in the screening system, which triggered an automatic disqualification under the criteria that exclude active students from individual eligibility. To regain their essential welfare benefits, a number of students have already begun submitting resignation letters.

The Ministry of Education is urgently coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to resolve the data issue and halt potential mass dropouts. Beyond the educational sector, vehicle ownership was reported as one of the primary reasons why many applicants failed the screening.

The system flagged individuals who sold vehicles years ago via "open transfers" (where buyers failed to register the name change) or those owning decade-old, broken-down vehicles. In one viral case, an 80-year-old trash collector in Hat Yai was denied aid because the system recorded her as a car owner, whereas she only operates a modified motorcycle with a sidecar to earn her living.

The Ministry of Finance has extended the appeal deadline to July 31, 2026, and is rushing to propose remedial measures to the Cabinet to assist over 6 million previous cardholders who unexpectedly failed the latest screening round.