The Office of Fiscal Policy has proposed to the Finance Ministry an assistance package to help 3.5 million of pensioners who hold welfare cards which includes an increase of monthly allowance from 600 baht to 1,000 baht.
Vice Finance Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat said Monday that there are currently two rates of allowance for the pensioners or elderly people – 600 baht a month for people aged 60-69 and 1,000 baht per month for those who are over 69.
But under the proposed package, there will be one flat rate – 1,000 baht per month for all the elderly people who hold welfare cards.
Ms Narumon said the proposed package also includes 400 baht/month housing allowance for pensioners who don’t have their own home; 500-1,000 baht monthly travelling allowance for those who have to travel to receive medical treatment.
As for the travelling allowance, she explained that the fund allocated for free train and bus ride would have to be shifted to fund the travelling allowance for the pensioners who need medical treatment.
On top of that, the vice minister disclosed that the Fiscal Policy Office had proposed assistance for bed-ridden pensioners by setting aside a fund to hire care takers to look after this group of old people at a rate of between 300-330 baht a month.
She expected some measures of the package to be approved by the cabinet and to come into force starting next year.
