The government spokesperson revealed an urgent follow-up on 830,000 people to confirm their identity for eligibility to receive the "State Welfare Card" benefits, and disclosed that another 5 million have yet to submit rights review applications, urging prompt action to preserve their rights.
9 Aug 2026 GMT+7 Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister, stated that the government's intention is to ensure that impoverished citizens fully access their rights. The State Welfare Card (commonly known as the "Poor People's Card") To achieve this, all relevant agencies have integrated their efforts to expedite and facilitate both identity confirmation (e-KYC) and rights review applications, including proactive field outreach to prevent eligible citizens from losing benefits due to lack of information or inconvenience.
As of 8 Aug 2026 GMT+7, data shows a continued increase in identity confirmations and appeals due to local agency efforts and accessible service channels. Currently, 3.1 million new beneficiaries have been registered, with 2.3 million (73%) having confirmed their identity, up from 2.2 million (68%) on 2 Aug. Those yet to confirm identity decreased to 830,000 (27%) from 980,000 (31%).
"The government invites new beneficiaries to promptly confirm their identity to begin using benefits from 1 Oct 2026 GMT+7. The Ministry of Finance allows identity confirmation until 12 Jan 2027 GMT+7," she said.
Provinces with the highest numbers of unconfirmed identities include Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ubon Ratchathani, Buriram, and Khon Kaen. The government has instructed local agencies to intensify publicity and facilitate access to ensure full rights coverage.
Regarding rights review applications, 4.2 million have submitted requests, up from 4.1 million on 2 Aug, while approximately 5 million have yet to apply. The government urges these individuals to act by 31 Aug 2026 GMT+7 to preserve their benefits.
Provinces with the highest proportions of rights review submissions are Lampang (60%), Narathiwat (59%), Pattani (58%), Yala (54%), and Phrae (53%), reflecting effective local outreach and facilitation enabling increased access to benefits.
Ms. Ratchada added that the government has prepared comprehensive service channels, including the 'Thang Rat' and 'Pao Tang' applications, the project website, five state banks, and One Stop Service (OSS) centers at all 878 district offices nationwide. Provincial governors, district chiefs, local administrative organizations, village heads, and community leaders have been tasked with assisting elderly, disabled, and vulnerable groups unable to use online services.
"As identity confirmations and rights review applications continue to rise, the government will closely monitor and fully facilitate the process until the deadline. We encourage those who have yet to act to promptly use their rights within the specified timeframe to avoid missing entitled welfare benefits," she concluded.