kruangfaifar Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 (edited) In preparing for my impending redundancy I have been trying to find out what my options are for continuing to make Thailand SS payments on a voluntary basis after finishing work because the hospitals are pretty good and expat medical insurance is not cheap. I have found that clear information on this matter is not so easy to find. However I managed to find two very clear sources of info that I thought I would share so others wouldn't have to spend hours on Google. The first is the reply that I received from the Thailand Elite Organisation who advised as follows: |"If you had paid social security contribution for a period of not less than twelve months and wish to continually be insured person, you shall, within six months from the date of your termination, notify your statement to the Social Security Office under Section 39 Voluntary Scheme (Social Security Act B.E. 2533 (1990), Section 39)." The second is the English Pamphlet prepared by the SSO that I have attached below Hope this helps SSO leaflet.pdf Edited January 11, 2019 by kruangfaifar 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hereforgood Posted January 12, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted January 12, 2019 (edited) I went through this just a short time ago. I finished working cancelled my work permit went down to Social Security in Lam chabang to collect my Social Security payout that I have paid in as well as set up paying my contribution to continue my medical insurance. Getting them to approve my money to be sent to my bank account was no problem but they then told me I could not continue my medical without having a yellow book with my name in it. I had never heard of this before and was told by a friend this was not the case. He told me to go to the rayong Social Security office. I did and was in and out within 15 minutes having set up my voluntary deductions to continue my medical insurance at the government Hospital. I have since Been Told that in Lam chabang they are very uncooperative which I found to be very true. I wonder how many people give up not knowing that the information they're getting from them as false. In any event it was a matter of filling out three forms which were all in Thai I had a friend with me that filled them out. You submit them to staff and then the following 15th of the month they started to deduct the 432 Baht from my bank account. Edited January 12, 2019 by hereforgood 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SteveB2 Posted January 12, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted January 12, 2019 The Laem Chabang National Insurance 'NI' office is indeed very uncooperative when dealing with foreigners and their wives. I'd go as far as to say that the head honcho there is clearly prejudice against foreigners, is Zenophobic, and takes it upon himself to make all foreigners lives here as difficult as he possibly can. Now, one should understand that Chonburi has self governance status - meaning local government offices here can 'kind of' make up the law and/or make things more dificult for us foreigners however they please. However, their self governance decisions must still be in compliance with Thai law. Moreover, a local goverment office's interpretation or rules can be challenged by obtaining a decision at the organisations head office in Bangkok. An example of this is the insistance that all Chonburi Work permits need 4 Thai employees to support them, even for a foreigner married to a Thai. In Bangkok, a foreigner married to a Thai only needs 2 Thai employees. I know this to be so since just last week I moved my company administration office to Bangkoks and now only need 2 Thai employees to support my new Bangkok Work Permit and my wife can be one of them. Laem Chabank NI office wouldn't initially let me even employ my wife as one of the required Thai workers in the company. A few years ago, with the help of a Bangkok legal team I was able to successfully challenge the Laem Chabang NI office's decision of 'not allowing my Thai wife to work in my company' in the Chonburi labor courts and won. But Boy-oh-boy were they pissed about that. ???? During the next few weeks our company got so many visits from Immigration, The Tax office, Customs & Excise, National Insurance, plus their Bangkok brethren, that they must have had invitations to come on down and make our lives a fkin misery, posted up on internal notice boards in all the government offices from Bangkok to Rayong. I've now moved all our corporate company stuff out of Chonburi and up to Bangkok. I'm fed up of dealing with all this local self governance BS. This and other changes I've made during the last month will save me a cool THB100K/month on company expenses. So these local wannabe peaked hats can now (with the greatest respect) 'shove it' 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelovedone Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 On 1/12/2019 at 2:25 PM, hereforgood said: I went through this just a short time ago. I finished working cancelled my work permit went down to Social Security in Lam chabang to collect my Social Security payout that I have paid in as well as set up paying my contribution to continue my medical insurance. Getting them to approve my money to be sent to my bank account was no problem but they then told me I could not continue my medical without having a yellow book with my name in it. I had never heard of this before and was told by a friend this was not the case. He told me to go to the rayong Social Security office. I did and was in and out within 15 minutes having set up my voluntary deductions to continue my medical insurance at the government Hospital. I have since Been Told that in Lam chabang they are very uncooperative which I found to be very true. I wonder how many people give up not knowing that the information they're getting from them as false. In any event it was a matter of filling out three forms which were all in Thai I had a friend with me that filled them out. You submit them to staff and then the following 15th of the month they started to deduct the 432 Baht from my bank account. Good info...hereforgood......I am in exactly the same situation.....i am planning on going to the Rayong office (to do the voluntary payments registration) as it sounds much easier to deal with.....only concern I have is the fact that as I now reside in Pattaya they may not process my application there and refer me back to Lam Chabang office. Also note you say you were able to refund your previous payments and keep medical cover on a voluntary payments basis?.......I thought you had to cancel your fund membership to access the lump sum payments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereforgood Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Good info...hereforgood......I am in exactly the same situation.....i am planning on going to the Rayong office (to do the voluntary payments registration) as it sounds much easier to deal with.....only concern I have is the fact that as I now reside in Pattaya they may not process my application there and refer me back to Lam Chabang office. Also note you say you were able to refund your previous payments and keep medical cover on a voluntary payments basis?.......I thought you had to cancel your fund membership to access the lump sum payments I don't think you'll have any trouble in rayong I have friends that live here in Pattaya that I have recommended go to that office and they have not rejected them. As a matter of fact they've been far more helpful to them then the other office in Sriracha who insisted they couldn't get the benefits any longer because they were foreigners which was totally untrue.Yes in 1 QuikTrip you'll be able to apply for reimbursement of your Social Security that you paid into the system and from the same bank account which you want them to pay that money into you can have them take out your voluntary payments that will continue your medical. I think you will find this to be very fast and easy in rayong. Sent from my LG-H990 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelovedone Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 1 hour ago, hereforgood said: I don't think you'll have any trouble in rayong I have friends that live here in Pattaya that I have recommended go to that office and they have not rejected them. As a matter of fact they've been far more helpful to them then the other office in Sriracha who insisted they couldn't get the benefits any longer because they were foreigners which was totally untrue. Yes in 1 QuikTrip you'll be able to apply for reimbursement of your Social Security that you paid into the system and from the same bank account which you want them to pay that money into you can have them take out your voluntary payments that will continue your medical. I think you will find this to be very fast and easy in rayong. Sent from my LG-H990 using Tapatalk Awesome...thanks for the prompt reply and update.....Rayong it is...just a note that when I made the same inquiry at Silom office in BKK I got fed the same BS response that falang cannot have medical cover.I started to debate the point with the staff member but gave up in frustration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelovedone Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 1 hour ago, hereforgood said: I don't think you'll have any trouble in rayong I have friends that live here in Pattaya that I have recommended go to that office and they have not rejected them. As a matter of fact they've been far more helpful to them then the other office in Sriracha who insisted they couldn't get the benefits any longer because they were foreigners which was totally untrue. Yes in 1 QuikTrip you'll be able to apply for reimbursement of your Social Security that you paid into the system and from the same bank account which you want them to pay that money into you can have them take out your voluntary payments that will continue your medical. I think you will find this to be very fast and easy in rayong. Sent from my LG-H990 using Tapatalk Pick your brains further hereforgood....i am a newbie to Pattaya having relocated from BKK.....so I have to register with Social Security for a local hospital ..any recommendations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereforgood Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Pick your brains further hereforgood....i am a newbie to Pattaya having relocated from BKK.....so I have to register with Social Security for a local hospital ..any recommendations?Here it gets a little tricky we have Pattaya City Hospital which is a pretty new hospital but to be honest it's more like a clinic most procedures other than very common stuff cannot be done there they send you to another place. Banglamung Hospital can do things most things but it's the hospital that all the Thais go to and anyone that doesn't have any kind of insurance or money goes and the wait's are horrific. I registered with Queen Savang Vadhana this was chosen by our HR lady where I was working it's 20 km outside of Pattaya but it's excellent. I had my hips replaced here and they did an outstanding job very organized. Sent from my LG-H990 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelovedone Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 9 minutes ago, hereforgood said: Here it gets a little tricky we have Pattaya City Hospital which is a pretty new hospital but to be honest it's more like a clinic most procedures other than very common stuff cannot be done there they send you to another place. Banglamung Hospital can do things most things but it's the hospital that all the Thais go to and anyone that doesn't have any kind of insurance or money goes and the wait's are horrific. I registered with Queen Savang Vadhana this was chosen by our HR lady where I was working it's 20 km outside of Pattaya but it's excellent. I had my hips replaced here and they did an outstanding job very organized. Sent from my LG-H990 using Tapatalk Ok hereforgood, Awesome ...thanks so much for the advice.I will post the results of my sorte to Rayong office Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereforgood Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 You're welcome and good luckSent from my LG-H990 using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirtl Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 (edited) On 9/12/2019 at 10:45 PM, thelovedone said: Ok hereforgood, Awesome ...thanks so much for the advice.I will post the results of my sorte to Rayong office Is it possible for anyone to use the Rayong office, or do you have to live in that area? Does someone have a map? Am guessing it is the one that shows up n google maps just of Sukhumwit near Assumption college? Also how is the English level of the staff. Edited September 16, 2019 by mirtl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neeranam Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 (edited) On 1/12/2019 at 2:25 PM, hereforgood said: I went through this just a short time ago. I finished working cancelled my work permit went down to Social Security in Lam chabang to collect my Social Security payout that I have paid in as well as set up paying my contribution to continue my medical insurance. Getting them to approve my money to be sent to my bank account was no problem but they then told me I could not continue my medical without having a yellow book with my name in it. I had never heard of this before and was told by a friend this was not the case. He told me to go to the rayong Social Security office. I did and was in and out within 15 minutes having set up my voluntary deductions to continue my medical insurance at the government Hospital. I have since Been Told that in Lam chabang they are very uncooperative which I found to be very true. I wonder how many people give up not knowing that the information they're getting from them as false. In any event it was a matter of filling out three forms which were all in Thai I had a friend with me that filled them out. You submit them to staff and then the following 15th of the month they started to deduct the 432 Baht from my bank account. How many years had you paid into the system? If over 15 years, there is also an option to get monthly payments, in my case it will be about 3500. I haven't decided to take this or the 180k baht down payment. If you are under 15 years I don't know if you can continue with the full social security payments until you reach 15 years, but think you can. Edited September 16, 2019 by Neeranam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neeranam Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 How long does it take for the lump sum to be put into your bank account, if choosing that method? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereforgood Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 13 hours ago, mirtl said: Is it possible for anyone to use the Rayong office, or do you have to live in that area? Does someone have a map? Am guessing it is the one that shows up n google maps just of Sukhumwit near Assumption college? Also how is the English level of the staff. not sure if you have to live in the area or not. My local office is SriRatcha but as they said no can do i was directed to the Rayong office. Yes thats the one and the english was rough i took a Thai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereforgood Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 12 hours ago, Neeranam said: How long does it take for the lump sum to be put into your bank account, if choosing that method? I paid in about 15 years and the payout of the lump sum was in my account in days less than a week 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neeranam Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 I wonder if someone who has only worked say 1 year can continue with the social security payments, enabling them to keep the insurance and get the pension when they have reached 15 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 Get into the SS BEFORE 60 years old (cannot enter after 60 but can stay in after 60) and sign up as an individual after you stop working (must pay in for a year, it starts 90 days after you start employment so work for at least 15 months) and have the monthly payment (432 Baht) automatically withdrawn from your bank account. I check my bank account EVERY month to make sure it happens. Can't get a better health insurance premium than that. Contrary to popular belief, here are wellness checks included in the system such as preventative colonoscopies. I know and I also had a hernia operation done....no bill whatsoever if you choose to stay in a general ward. Private rooms aren't that expensive and usually 50% is paid by the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 On 9/17/2019 at 11:24 AM, Neeranam said: I wonder if someone who has only worked say 1 year can continue with the social security payments, enabling them to keep the insurance and get the pension when they have reached 15 years. I think you can only continue the health coverage but you must work more than 1 year. Your participation in SS doesn't start until after 90 days and you must pay in for at least 12 months.....That's about 15 months of employment minimum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neeranam Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 Does anyone know if the money(lump sum) can be taken out at any time, even if you are still working? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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