Mrs. Pimjai Leeissaranukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), commented on the government policy led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and the Ministry of Finance to review the criteria for State Welfare Card eligibility. She especially noted the inclusion of tax deduction data for parental support by children as part of the eligibility conditions, calling it an appropriate approach given the increasingly complex economic conditions and family structures in Thailand today.
"The FTI agrees with the government's principle that state welfare should reach citizens who are truly in need and require assistance. However, the eligibility criteria should reflect the actual circumstances of households, because a child claiming a tax deduction does not necessarily mean that every elderly person is adequately cared for. Therefore, a thorough and fair verification system is needed to ensure vulnerable groups are not excluded from the welfare system," Mrs. Pimjai said.
Mrs. Pimjai emphasized that updating the database of State Welfare Card recipients is crucial since public resources are limited. Assistance must be precise (Targeted Welfare) to distinguish those genuinely in need from those not in urgent situations, maximizing budget benefits and reducing fiscal burdens over the long term.
However, the FTI proposed that welfare system development should proceed alongside linking databases across agencies, such as income, occupation, expenses, dependency status, and actual household living conditions. This would allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of eligibility rather than relying on a single indicator.
Furthermore, the industrial sector believes that beyond measures to ease living costs, the government should focus on elevating citizens from "welfare recipients" to "stable income earners" through workforce skill development (Reskill and Upskill), creating new jobs, and connecting workers to production and service sectors that still demand labor.
"The country's long-term goal should not be just increasing the number of welfare recipients but increasing the number of people who can support themselves, have jobs, earn income, and enjoy better quality of life. The industrial sector is ready to support workforce skill development and create economic opportunities for the people," Mrs. Pimjai stated.
The FTI believes that if this criteria review is conducted based on accurate, transparent data and includes input from all sectors, it will help build a fair welfare system, reduce inequality, and optimize the efficiency of the country's budget expenditure.