Social welfare benefits to increase
A wide variety of social welfare benefits will soon increase for beneficiaries after an ongoing legal amendment is approved, Social Security Office (SSO) secretary-general Surin Jirawisit said Tuesday.
The maximum treatment bills for work-related injuries suffered by employees will increase to Bt300,000 from current rate of Bt200,000. The initial medical cost from Bt35,000 to Bt40,000 and cost for funeral service from Bt19,000 to Bt30,000.
Families of employees killed in the line of duty or eligible recipients will get monthly compensatory pays currently lasting eight years extended to 12 years. Those suffering from permanent disabilities sustained during works will get life compensatory pays, from currently half of their salaries for 15 years.
Those suffering from injuries in line of duty will get compensatory pays the first day they stop working, from currently three day, at the rate of 70 per cent of their salaries instead of the current rate of 60 per cent.
The legal amendment of the Labour Ministry's regulations is being vetted by the Council of State and will be soon forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly for consideration and eventual approval, Surin said.
The Nation Feb. 27, 2007