Thailand's State Welfare Programme Sees Sharp Drop in Recipients After Stricter Eligibility Checks

Only 9.5 million of 18.8 million applicants qualified for the 2026 State Welfare Programme after the Finance Ministry tightened eligibility screening and expanded data verification. Fiscal Policy Office director-general Vinit Visessuvanapoom said the number of successful applicants fell from 13.2 million under the previous programme. Of the applicants, 5.76 million failed to meet the previous income criteria, while another 3.56 million were excluded under the revised rules. Mr Vinit said improved income verification was the main reason for the drop, as previous screenings relied largely on personal income tax filings. The Revenue Department now uses electronic withholding tax records to verify actual income, including for people who do not file tax returns. The revised criteria also exclude company directors, authorised directors, partnership founders, and holders of securities and debt instruments. Authorities have also linked screening with electronic land records and credit information from non-bank financial institutions. The ministry has shifted from household to individual income assessments while retaining the annual income ceiling at 100,000 baht per person, aiming to better identify those in need. Registration results will be announced from 6pm on Friday. First-time beneficiaries must complete identity verification, while eligible existing recipients can begin using benefits from Aug 1.