TDRI Warns Bangkok Elderly Care Funding Gaps and Social Security Fund Risks

Key summary

The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) highlighted that only 5,000 elderly residents in Bangkok access government care funding despite a budget of 10,442 baht per person annually supported by the Universal Health Coverage Scheme (UHC). TDRI researchers also warned that the Social Security Fund's pension reserves could run out between 2595 and 2601 without reforms. The institute proposed increasing contribution rates from 6% to 12%, shifting investment portfolios for higher returns, raising the retirement age from 55 to 60 years, and adopting a Notional Defined Contribution (NDC) system with an Automatic Balancing Mechanism (ABM).