Bangkok: The government is expediting the review process for welfare eligibility concerning owners of older vehicles, with over 200,000 appeals already submitted.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, announced that the Cabinet has acknowledged revised criteria related to vehicle ownership under the 2026 State Welfare Registration Project. Consequently, the Department of Land Transport is aggregating data from 214 provincial transport offices and the Ministry of Interior's One Stop Service centers. This information will be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the reinstatement of benefits. Citizens are not required to file additional appeals or take further action.
The Prime Minister's Office spokesperson highlighted that this data integration across government agencies aims to ease the process for citizens, reduce travel requirements, and minimize redundant document submissions. The official count of individuals whose benefits have been reinstated will be disclosed once all data is collected and verified.
The Department of Land Transport has documented over 210,000 appeals, pertaining to approximately 370,000 vehicles, including about 310,000 motorcycles, 64,000 cars, and over 2,000 other vehicle types. Nakhon Ratchasima leads in the number of appeals, followed by Chiang Mai, Lampang, Phetchabun, and Narathiwat. Appeals often stem from vehicles exceeding the age limit, unregistered ownership transfers, and unusable vehicles.
Ms. Rachada explained that the revised criteria exclude motorcycles aged 15 years and older, and cars, trailers, and agricultural vehicles aged 20 years and older, from eligibility. This adjustment aims to more accurately reflect the real use of assets and ensure fairer eligibility consideration.
"The government has updated the eligibility criteria for the 2026 state welfare program to align better with citizens' realities, facilitating data sharing between agencies and reducing paperwork and appeals. Appeals can be submitted until August 31, 2026, with eligibility governed by the program's criteria and conditions," Rachada stated.