The New Opportunity Party unveiled a policy for people with disabilities, promoting a 50:1 employment ratio, simplifying complicated procedures, and overhauling legislation. Anusri guarantees it is not an empty promise.
On 5 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Dr. Anusri Thapsuwan, a leader of the New Opportunity Party, took the stage. “A scan of political parties’ disability policies: promises or mere vote traps?” The event was organized by the National Council on Disability of Thailand at Thammasat University, Rangsit campus, where main policies were presented. The policy titled “Employing people with disabilities at a ratio of 50:1.” He noted that under the current system, such policies might be seen as empty promises, since even the existing 100:1 quota is not fully effective. He affirmed the New Opportunity Party’s approach is “a complete system overhaul.” It is not merely ordering the private sector to comply. The key approach begins with revising the Disability Protection and Quality of Life Promotion Act of 2007, which has been in effect for over 19 years, to align with today’s social context. This is alongside changing government agencies’ mindsets and revising criteria for using the Fund for the Promotion and Development of Quality of Life for Persons with Disabilities to be more accessible and better meet disabled people’s needs.
Dr. Anusri stated, “The first key,”},{ which the New Opportunity Party sees as the root problem, is access to disability identification cards. Currently, the process is complicated and requires disabled individuals to travel themselves. The party proposes that local agencies such as community health volunteers, the Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Persons with Disabilities (OWPCPD), and local administrative organizations actively search for, register, and bring disabled people into the rights system. Once registered, the next step is designing “feasible jobs” in both public and private sectors according to the type of disability, alongside developing skills and flexible education—online, onsite, non-formal education, and vocational tracks—to match individual potential with suitable work. The government will serve as a “Job Coach” for the private sector.
Dr. Anusri also mentioned other incentives such as tax reductions, budget support for workplace and equipment adjustments, setting disability employment as a scoring criterion in government contract bidding. Donations to the fund must be used to develop equipment, skills training, and career grants, allowing new equipment to be reimbursed when expired, not limited to a single time. For government agencies, employing people with disabilities will be a key performance indicator (KPI) for budget requests. Education budgets for the disabled will be integrated across relevant ministries to ensure systematic, group-specific care.
Dr. Anusri emphasized that the 50:1 target is not a policy to deceive the public but a detailed plan ready to be implemented within the first 100 days if the party joins parliament and government.
“Having a job is dignity, and self-reliance is honor—more than disability allowances.” He invited people with disabilities to exercise their voting rights on 8 Feb 2026 GMT+7 to shape their own life opportunities.