Pornpoj Banthityanurak
advises local officials about rules governing the payment of government
pensions to the elderly, disabled and HIV-infected.
Warunya Thongrod
Local government officials learned about rules governing the payment of
government pensions to the elderly, disabled and HIV-infected at a
seminar organized by the Community Development Club.
At the April 26 seminar at the Adriatic Palace Hotel, lecturers from
Silpakorn University detailed the problems faced by pension officers
regarding the government pension program and said insufficient training
caused most problems, leaving officials to figure out rules themselves.
As a result, many qualified recipients never receive their government
stipends, leaving local governments vulnerable to lawsuits.
Pornpoj Banthityanurak, a Chonburi local administration official, said
many pension offices never receive training on the government pension
rules, leaving them understaffed and unprepared to handle questions from
the public.
In some cases, he said, local politicians claimed they were providing
the stipends as a way to gain favor with potential voters.
Qualified recipients also lost out on pensions
because they failed to register in time, or moved and never notified the
government of their new addresses.
The Thailand Community Development Club is hoping to alleviate many of
these problems by providing training on program rules. Future meetings
will be held with officials in Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai and Songkla.
