The People's Party has sent an open letter urging the Prime Minister to stop further burdening the poor with the state's welfare screening criteria, criticizing these as reflecting structural flaws in the government database system.
On 21 Jul 2026 GMT+7, the Thematic Committee on Social Welfare for People's Security of the People's Party (Social Welfare Committee) issued an open statement to the Prime Minister, calling to halt the heartless state welfare screening criteria that further harm the poor and presenting concrete proposals for urgent reforms.
They pointed out that recent cases have emerged where many citizens, including the elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals in Chai Nat province and other areas, were unjustly disqualified from the state welfare card. These people had to travel to the provincial transport office to obtain vehicle ownership certificates for their appeals, despite not owning vehicles or assets as alleged by the government.
These incidents highlight structural errors in the government's database and policy design that lack understanding of the real lives of citizens. This results in the state shifting burdens and causing repeated hardship for daily wage earners, the elderly, and disabled people who lack time, money, or health to repeatedly prove their eligibility. Policies formulated in air-conditioned meeting rooms are abandoning many citizens, causing them to fall through social safety nets. The rigid "have or have not" screening criteria lack precision and lead to unjust blanket disqualifications, such as vehicle age limits (> 20 years), motorcycle ownership (> 15 years or owning two motorcycles under installment), landholding over 10 rai (even if uncultivable), or database errors (like phantom students or shareholders with minimal stock value who do not actively trade). These are clear signs the criteria are designed to "exclude people" rather than genuinely assist targeted poor citizens.
The Thematic Committee on Social Welfare for People's Security of the People's Party therefore calls on the Prime Minister and government to “stop further burdening the poor with heartless state welfare screening criteria.” They have presented concrete proposals for the government to improve the following processes: 1. Immediate actions requested
1.1 Maintaining rights during the appeal process (Interim Rights)
- While the appeal is pending, the government must maintain welfare rights to avoid violating citizens' existing entitlements.
- In cases where errors arise from government database deficiencies or government action/inaction, the state must cover all related costs incurred by citizens during the appeal process, including travel, lost time, fees, and document preparation costs.
1.2 Establishing a One-Stop Service Center for appeals Along with producing an easy-to-understand “Appeal Guide for Citizens” distributed through local government channels and digital platforms to resolve confusion and prevent citizens from having to visit multiple agencies without clear procedures, which risks repeated losses of welfare rights and inefficiencies in the appeals process.
2. Urgent improvements requested
2.1 Change the screening criteria from a rigid “Yes/No” system to a “Flexible Scale” - Abolish immediate disqualification based solely on numeric thresholds (e.g., number or age of vehicles, land size). Instead, assess households’ actual living conditions using a flexible vulnerability scoring system adapted to local contexts and real living costs.
2.2 Shift the burden of proof to protect human dignity by requiring the state to prove wealth instead of forcing the poor to prove poverty. - Since the government has linked databases (such as between the Department of Land Transport, Department of Lands, and Revenue Department), if it intends to implement targeted policies, it must verify wealth using these sources rather than burdening citizens. Those found to exceed income or asset thresholds should be notified and given channels to explain through online systems, mail, or local service centers. Those passing the screening should receive welfare rights automatically without needing to apply.
The Thematic Committee on Social Welfare for People's Security of the People's Party emphasizes that governance that ignores the poor and abandons vulnerable populations destroys fellow citizens' lives. They call on the government to end policies that deepen poverty and urgently reform the Cabinet resolutions and screening criteria to be truly humane and fair.
