Bangkok: Sia Champathong, a Member of Parliament from the People's Party, has called upon insured persons to register to vote for the upcoming Social Security Board elections. The election is aimed at selecting knowledgeable individuals to manage the fund sustainably, ensuring its long-term viability.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Champathong made this appeal at the Parliament building, emphasizing the need for participation from all insured persons within the social security system. This includes employees insured under Section 33, those insured under Section 39, independent workers under Section 40, as well as employers. The Social Security Office's Election Committee has scheduled the election for employer and employee representatives on Sunday, September 27, 2026. Eligibility to vote is restricted to insured persons who register in advance, with registration open from June 1 to July 15, 2026. Registration is available through the Social Security Office website, the SSO Plus application, and at all Social Security Offices across Bangkok, provinces, and branches, even on public holidays.
Since the opening of registration on June 1, 2026, a total of 563,704 individuals have registered to vote, with 560,817 from the insured workforce, representing less than 3% of over 24.5 million insured persons, and 2,887 from employers, representing less than 1% of over 500,000 employers. This low registration rate highlights a significant issue with the public awareness campaign conducted by the Ministry of Labour and the Social Security Office. Many insured persons and employers remain unaware of the Social Security Board elections and their significance, potentially disenfranchising eligible voters.
In response to this concern, there is an urgent call for Mr. Chulaphan Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, and the Social Security Office to enhance efforts in publicizing the registration process for voting rights, as the registration deadline is rapidly approaching. The aim is to ensure that insured persons take the necessary steps to register and participate in the election.
The call to action encourages insured persons to allocate a few minutes to register and exercise their voting rights through their preferred channel. By doing so, they can contribute to the election of competent individuals who will manage the Social Security Fund transparently and accountably, while involving stakeholders in key decision-making processes. This effort is crucial for the protection and sustainable management of the more than 2.9 trillion baht in the insured persons' fund.