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Thailand Social Security for Expats


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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 by kruangfaifar
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  • 8 months later...
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 

 

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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

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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 

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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?

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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.

 

 

 

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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 

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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 by mirtl
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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 by Neeranam
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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

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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.

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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.

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