Thai Cabinet gives initial approval to wider social security coverage
Under the draft, housekeepers, gardeners and drivers employed by individuals, alongside street-stall, cultivation, forestry and livestock workers, would gain Section 33 cover.
- The Thai Cabinet has given initial approval to extend social security coverage under Section 33 to previously exempt groups of employees.
- The newly covered groups include agricultural and forestry workers, domestic staff such as housekeepers and drivers, and employees of street-stall businesses.
- This expansion will apply to both Thai and non-Thai employees, including migrant workers with valid permits, granting them benefits for illness, unemployment, and old age.
- The change is expected to add over one million insured persons to the social security system by 2030 and will take effect 180 days after its official publication.
Capt Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn, deputy government spokesperson, announced the outcome of the Cabinet meeting.
She said the Cabinet had approved in principle a Ministry of Labour proposal for a draft royal decree prescribing other undertakings or employees not subject to social security law.
The draft would extend social security coverage under Section 33 to groups of employees previously exempt from the system.
The draft would bring three groups of employees under Section 33:
Employees of businesses involved in cultivation, forestry and livestock farming.
- Employees of individual employers, such as housekeepers, gardeners and drivers.
- Employees of employers engaged in street-stall trading.
- Employees in these groups, who were previously exempt, would have the opportunity to join the social security system and receive the same benefits as other employees.
These cover illness, cancer, childbirth, disability, death, old age and unemployment.
The expansion would strengthen security for workers and their families during unexpected events, particularly when illness affects their work and income, as well as during unemployment and old age.
Patdarasm added that the entitlement would cover Thai employees and employees of other nationalities who hold valid identity documents and work permits.
It would also include migrant employees granted special permission to work in the Kingdom of Thailand.
Because social security law does not stipulate the nationality of employees required to register, these groups may register as insured persons under Section 33.
The Council of State extended the period before the decree would take effect from 60 days to 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette.
This would give employers, employees and the Social Security Office time to prepare both the contribution-remittance system and public information efforts to build broad understanding.
The expansion is expected to increase the number of insured persons steadily from 2026, with the total forecast to exceed 1,050,000 by 2030.
It would extend social protection to more workers previously outside the system and provide them with greater protection against major risks in life.
The proposed legal change would therefore do more than increase the number of insured persons.
It would extend “security” to workers who are part of Thai people’s daily lives, from housekeepers, gardeners and drivers to street-stall employees and employees of businesses involved in cultivation, forestry and livestock farming.
It would give them greater access to protection during illness, disability, unemployment and old age.
