Over 210,000 appeal welfare card eligibility after vehicle age rule change

More than 210,000 people have appealed for an eligibility review under the state welfare card programme following a revision to the vehicle ownership criteria, according to the government. The new criteria exclude motorcycles aged 15 years or older, and cars, trailers and agricultural vehicles aged 20 years or older from the asset assessment. The change better reflects the actual use of citizens' assets and makes the eligibility assessment fairer, government spokeswoman Ratchada Dhnadirek said. Vehicle ownership is one of the criteria used to screen and verify eligibility for the government's welfare card programme to determine whether registrants genuinely qualify for state assistance. So far, the appeals have covered approximately 370,000 vehicles nationwide. The provinces with the highest number of appeals were Nakhon Ratchasima, followed by Chiang Mai, Lampang, Phetchabun and Narathiwat. The main reasons for the appeals were that vehicles exceeded the specified age threshold, ownership had been transferred informally without updating registration records, or the vehicles were no longer roadworthy or in use. Ms Ratchada said those wishing to appeal can continue submitting their requests until Aug 31, with eligibility to be determined in accordance with the programme's criteria and conditions. Meanwhile, a survey released on Friday by the King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI) found that while a majority of the 2,000 respondents wanted the state welfare card programme to continue, 31.7% called for higher card limits to maximise the level of state assistance. According to KPI's survey, conducted between July 25 and 28, 29.1% of respondents called for more effective data screening, while 15.3% suggested that the welfare card programme should be accompanied by job training and other initiatives to help beneficiaries generate sustainable income. The survey also found that 24.4% of respondents regarded the previous vehicle ownership rule, which disqualified applicants who owned a car or a motorcycle with an engine capacity below 300cc, as the most problematic eligibility criterion. Another 15% said the annual income limit of 100,000 baht was the most problematic criterion. Some respondents said owning a vehicle does not necessarily indicate that a person has sufficient income, particularly when a vehicle is essential for work or for people living in areas where public transportation is unavailable.