Bangkok: Political observer Thepthai Senpong has voiced his support for stricter screening of state welfare card eligibility, proposing that verification should involve on-site checks conducted by three ministries rather than relying solely on documents. According to Thai News Agency, Thepthai shared his views on his Facebook page, "Thepthai - Political Talk," expressing agreement with the criteria set for the welfare card but criticizing the current verification method.
Thepthai referenced an interview with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, who explained the ongoing registration process for the state welfare card. The effort aims to update data that have not been revised in 4-5 years, successfully identifying over 2.3 million previously overlooked individuals in need. These people had been excluded due to inadequate screening measures.
Thepthai expressed support for the Ministry of Finance's initiative to redefine criteria for the welfare program, emphasizing the importance of establishing a clear standard to prevent fraudulent claims. He highlighted the necessity of identifying truly impoverished individuals to receive government assistance, criticizing the reliance on official documents that fail to reflect actual living conditions.
He proposed a collaborative approach involving the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to verify living conditions directly. This would relieve impoverished individuals from the burden of proving their eligibility, a task made difficult by travel and access limitations.
Thepthai also endorsed the idea of a one-stop service center to streamline eligibility verification for welfare card holders. He emphasized the importance of public awareness about maintaining updated information to prevent disqualification, such as avoiding property registration under another's name.
In conclusion, Thepthai views the Ministry of Finance's efforts to enforce rigorous criteria and screening as a positive step towards accurately identifying and assisting Thailand's impoverished citizens. He advocates for measures that would enable these individuals to improve their economic circumstances instead of relying indefinitely on the welfare card.