Government Urges 11 Million to Register for Social Security Board Election

The government is inviting all employers and insured workers to register immediately to vote in the Social Security Board election on September 27 this year through three channels: the Social Security Office website, the SSO Plus application, or in-person registration at Social Security offices by July 15. Deputy Government Spokesperson Pattarasus Tongsluaykorn explained that elected representatives will directly participate in policy-making, establishing management foundations, and overseeing social security fund operations to ensure transparency and maximum effectiveness. The government aims for the election to be fair, transparent, and open, bringing in a new board to drive policies on healthcare, pensions, and sustainable fund management. The spokesperson noted that this election is expected to attract double the usual number of candidates, with an estimated 400-plus applicants from the insured workers' side and over 130 from the employers' side. All candidates must be active employers or insured workers who have consistently contributed for at least 36 months from July 2023 to June 2026, and the government has imposed strict qualifications barring individuals with conflicts of interest, government officials, and political party members from running. Among the 11 million eligible insured voters, only about 600,000 have registered so far, while only about 4,000 of the 400,000 eligible employers have registered.