The Social Security Office clarifies the criteria for changing hospitals online, emphasizing that submissions must be made before 4:30 PM to maintain continuous treatment rights.
On 13 March 2026, Ms. Kanchana Phoolkaew, Secretary-General of the Social Security Office, explained the online hospital change procedure after reports that some insured persons did not receive benefits as per their selected period. She pointed out that the key issue is submitting requests after the daily "cut-off time" at 4:30 PM, when data is sent to the central database (SSO Core) for duplication checks and benefit confirmation. Submissions after this time will be processed in the next cycle.
Ms. Kanchana Phoolkaew stated that if an insured person submits a request between the 1st and 15th of the month and completes it before 4:30 PM on the 15th, the new hospital benefits will begin on the 16th of that month. If the request is submitted after the deadline, the benefit start date will be deferred to the 1st of the following month. For requests made between the 16th and the last working day of the month, if submitted before 4:30 PM on the last working day, benefits will start on the 1st of the next month.
However, if a submission is made after 4:30 PM on the last working day of the month or during system downtime on holidays, the benefit start date will be postponed to the 16th of the following month.
For insured persons under Sections 33 and 39, hospital changes can be made once annually during the period from 16 December to 31 March. Additionally, if there is a change of residence or workplace, hospital changes can be requested throughout the year. The Social Security Office facilitates self-service submissions through the following channels:
1. Submission via the website www.sso.go.th
2. Submission through the SSO Plus Application
3. Submission via the Line Official account: @ssothai
4. Government applications
5. Submission at all Social Security Office branches nationwide, including Bangkok, provincial, and local offices.
The Social Security Office urges insured persons to plan their submissions carefully and check the timing to ensure uninterrupted medical benefits and avoid issues when seeking treatment. For further inquiries, contact the Social Security hotline at 1506, available 24 hours.
