BANGKOK, Thailand — Approximately 2.76 million Thai citizens who were initially disqualified from the 2026 state welfare card scheme have formally appealed for a review of their eligibility, the Ministry of Finance has announced. The surge in appeals highlights the significant impact of the government’s revised and stricter screening criteria for the social safety net program.

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The appeals, submitted on July 17 and 18, represent roughly 30 percent of the applicants who failed the initial eligibility screening. The Finance Ministry has advised that an additional 6.55 million unsuccessful applicants still have until the July 31 deadline to submit their requests for review. Out of the 18.8 million individuals who applied for the 2026 program, only 9.5 million successfully qualified, marking a substantial decrease from the 13.2 million beneficiaries who received support under the previous iteration of the scheme.

According to ministry data, the most prevalent reason for disqualification was the ownership of a vehicle that exceeded the program’s strict eligibility thresholds, which affected approximately 1.45 million applicants. Another 668,000 individuals were rejected because their combined outstanding debts surpassed the 100,000-baht limit. Additional grounds for disqualification included applicants reporting an annual income or receiving financial transfers exceeding 100,000 baht, owning property beyond the permitted limits, holding bank deposits of more than 100,000 baht, or possessing active credit cards.

To contest these decisions, applicants who believe the automated screening results do not accurately reflect their current financial circumstances are encouraged to file an appeal through the program’s official website, the Paotang and Tang Rat mobile applications, or at participating state-owned bank branches. Authorities have also strongly advised citizens to ensure their personal and financial information is fully updated across all relevant government databases to prevent future discrepancies.

For those whose appeals are successfully processed and who complete the required electronic identity verification, welfare benefits are scheduled to commence in October. Meanwhile, existing welfare cardholders who have already confirmed their continued eligibility under the new criteria will be able to seamlessly continue utilizing their benefits starting August 1.

The Ministry of Finance has previously defended the overhaul of the registration process and screening criteria, emphasizing that the adjustments were necessary to ensure that finite state resources are directed exclusively toward the most vulnerable and economically disadvantaged citizens. The state welfare card program operates with an annual budget of approximately 45 billion baht, a figure the government aims to optimize through more precise targeting.

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As the appeal window remains open, government agencies are preparing for a high volume of applications in the coming weeks.

-Thailand News (TN)