Baby boom or bust: Labour Ministry in child welfare cash boost

In a bid to boost birth rates and tackle looming labour shortages, the Labour Ministry is gearing up to increase the monthly child welfare support for social security subscribers in Thailand from January next year. Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has revealed plans to make family life a little more financially feasible for the nation.

Currently, if you’re covered under sections 33 and 39 of the Social Security Act, you pocket 800 baht per child each month, capped at three kids. But come January, that figure is set to rise to a cool 1,000 baht, with parents eligible for this benefit until their little ones hit six.

Phiphat’s got even grander visions, pushing for a generous 3,000 baht monthly payout for seven years to sweeten the deal for expanding families.

“Parents, especially in the city, often worry about the staggering costs of raising children. I’ve put forward a plan for a 3,000 baht monthly boost over seven years—far better than the current 1,000 baht for six years.”

Phiphat added he is keeping mum on the cap for the number of beneficiaries under this new scheme.

Of course, such a plan is no piggy bank operation, it demands a hefty chunk from the Social Security Fund. Yet, Phiphat is adamant that investing in the nation’s future workforce is worth every satang.

He also hinted at possibly tying benefits to where families raise their kids, noting bigger buck bang in the countryside where living costs dive. But this is still on the drawing board, awaiting the Social Security Office’s nod.

On another front, the Labour Ministry is rolling out flood relief measures for employers and insured workers caught in the floodwaters across 41 provinces. These include a drop in SSF contributions from 5% to a more wallet-friendly 3%.

In related news, Thailand has seen a significant boost in its economy, with over 55,000 workers sent abroad during the 2024 fiscal year, resulting in more than 270 billion baht added to their families’ incomes.

Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn visited 364 Thai workers on October 11, who were undergoing pre-departure training before heading to Taiwan, Israel, and Japan.

Among these workers, 321 are bound for Taiwan to take up positions in electronics and metal manufacturing, 39 will travel to Israel for construction roles such as carpenters and tilers, and four will move to Japan for caregiving jobs. These individuals will be sent through employment agencies.