Buriram farmer’s name wrongly listed in social security system

A farmer from Buriram province discovered that his name appeared in Thailand’s social security system despite never having registered for it or working outside his family’s farm. This alarming revelation surfaced when he used the 30-baht health scheme.

Panuwat Hadprakorn, a 25 year old resident of Khok Yang subdistrict in the Prakhon Chai district, Buriram province, along with his family, reported the issue to Sirichai Charoensiri, an investigating officer at Prakhon Chai Police Station. Panuwat, who has been farming with his family since childhood, was puzzled to find his name listed as an insured person in the social security system.

“I’ve never worked outside the farm or even in Buriram City. I was shocked to learn my name is in the social security system. I’m concerned about potential future issues that might arise without my knowledge.”

Panuwat’s father, 49 year old Cheep Hadprakorn, recounted the incident that led to the discovery. Panuwat experienced stomach pain and went to Prakhon Chai Hospital last Thursday, September 5. When they presented his ID card to use the 30-baht healthcare service, the hospital staff informed them that Panuwat was already listed under social security insurance.

“We were stunned. My son has always worked on the farm with me and has never applied for any job or worked for any company. We now want to remove his name from the social security system to avoid future complications.”

The family fears that Panuwat might face issues if he becomes classified as a non-registered citizen. Cheep emphasised that they do not want any contributions from the social security fund, as they do not belong to his son. They aim to rectify the situation to prevent any negative repercussions.

Seeking answers

Following this, the family visited the Buriram Social Security Office, Nang Rong branch, seeking clarification on why Panuwat’s name appeared in the system. Nattakan Tinang, the acting head of the office, and Monnapa Kantho, a senior labour academic, conducted an initial investigation.

“Upon preliminary examination, we found that Panuwat’s name entered the social security system in 2019, with a resignation recorded on October 10, 2023, and a re-entry on November 1.

“We will thoroughly investigate the factory in Prakhon Chai district where the entry originated.”

The Social Security Office and legal officers plan to scrutinise the factory to determine the origins of the registration. While initial checks show no signs of identity fraud, a detailed investigation will follow, with results expected within one or two days, reported KhaoSod.