Parliament to consider increasing living allowance for underprivileged elderly
A proposal to increase the monthly living allowance for underprivileged elderly individuals to 3,000 baht (US$84.89) is set to be presented to Parliament, according to the House Committee on Social Welfare. The proposal comes as a response to a recent parliamentary study, which indicated that the present monthly allowances provided by the government’s state welfare scheme are inadequate given the current cost of living.
House committee chairman, Natthacha Boonchaiinsawat, confirmed the committee’s endorsement of the bill yesterday, adding that it will be forwarded to the House for further deliberation. The proposed increase, he noted, meets the poverty threshold outlined by the National Economic and Social Development Council.
Presently, the government awards a baseline monthly living allowance of 600 baht (US$17) to individuals aged between 60 and 69. This allowance increases to 700 baht for those aged 70 and over, and 800 baht for those aged 80 and beyond.
Each year, nearly 90 billion baht (US$2.54 billion) is allocated towards these allowances, benefiting around 11.8 million impoverished elderly citizens. However, in comparison, the annual pension budget for retired civil servants surpasses 300 billion baht, as per Wanvipa Maison, chair of the parliamentary panel studying the rate, reported Bangkok Post.
To bridge this disparity, the proposed bill suggests an immediate raise of the minimum monthly living allowance from 600 baht to 1,200 baht. This increase is anticipated to necessitate an additional 50 to 60 billion baht in funding.
Wanvipa Maison further indicated that subsequent raises would be implemented over time to achieve the targeted 3,000-baht-per-month allowance. She noted that the government currently has approximately 40 billion baht available in a central budget contingency fund and that additional funds could be sourced from ministerial-level contingency budgets.
In related news, Thailand shifted from universal welfare to a targeted elderly allowance scheme to manage costs. Critics voiced concerns about limited access, while authorities defended it as necessary for the ageing population.
