On August 7, 2021, the Ministry of Labour’s Spokesperson (on politics), Mrs. Theanrat Nawamawat, spoke about the news circulating on social media saying that self-employed persons who apply as Section 40 insured persons will not be able to use the gold card, state welfare card, the poor people’s card or state welfare. In this regard, the Ministry of Labour would like to clarify that due to the government’s remedial measures for those affected by the “lockdown” in the 29 dark red provinces, covering nine types of business, insured persons under Section 40 who will receive compensation for one month, must be insured under Section 40. The part of the news that says Section 40 insured persons cannot use benefits from the gold card, state welfare card, the poor people’s card, or state welfare is not true. Applying as a Section 40 insured person includes three options. Option 1 is to pay contributions of 70 Baht/month, to be protected in three cases, namely, in case of danger or illness, to receive compensation for lack of income, and compensation for disability or death. Option 2 is to pay contributions of 100 Baht/month, to be protected in four cases, namely, in case of danger or illness, to receive compensation for lack of income, compensation for disability or death, and old age. Option 3 is to pay contributions of 300 Baht/month and be protected in five cases, namely, in case of danger or illness, to receive compensation for lack of income, compensation for disability or death, old age, and child allowances. The said benefits are not related to benefits in conjunction with the gold card (NHSO) or the welfare benefits of various states that have been received as before. And at this time, the Social Security Office has also reduced contributions. Contributions by insured persons under Section 40 were reduced to 60 percent of the original contribution for six months, starting from August 1, 2021, to January 31, 2022. Therefore, option one, which was originally 70 Baht, is reduced to 42 Baht/month, option two, which was originally 100 Baht, is reduced to 60 Baht/month, and option three, which was originally 300 Baht, is reduced to 180 Baht/month.
Mrs. Theanrat confirmed that the application for Section 40 is not related to the right to medical treatment in conjunction with the gold (NHSO), including the welfare benefits of various states in any way, and the rights that were previously received remain the same. Insured persons will have the right to receive increased compensation for lack of income when sick or in the case of death from the Social Security Office. The benefits under Section 40 will depend on the option that the insured persons apply for. She said that the Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha is concerned about informal or self-employed workers who do not have social security. He instructed the Labour Minister, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, to accelerate the Social Security Office in facilitating self-employed workers to apply for Section 40 to enter the social security system to have long-term savings and access assistance and subsidies from various measures from the government in the future.
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Division of Public Relations
7 August 2021
