RATCHABURI, 9 December 2014 – Elderly members of the public continued to register for one of the five available social security schemes being provided by the government on Monday, the last day for the registration.
At the social security office in Ranong, scores of senior citizens showed up to apply for insurance in accord with Article 40 of the social security bill. Monday was the last day that persons aged above 60 years may apply to become insured under the five schemes provided. However, those aged more than 65 were allowed to apply to just one of the schemes – the subsidized savings scheme, under which the person deposits 100 baht per month in savings and the government provides the other 100 baht. Personnel at the office said most elderly visitors wanted to save up money for needy times, but many were not fully informed about their entitlements.
In Ratchaburi, a torrent of the elderly flooded the compound of the social security office in the province, forcing office staff to ask persons aged below 60 to come back at a later date so that the elderly citizens might apply in time on the final day. A large number of senior citizens opted to visit the service counters at the Damrong Tham center at Ratchaburi City Hall instead of the social security office; some had even arrived at the center long before the counters opened.
