4 September 2026
The Mekong Migration Network (MMN) welcomes the Thai Cabinet’s approval of the proposal to extend mandatory Social Security Fund (SSF) coverage to all workers, including migrants, employed in agriculture, domestic work and other informal sectors.[1] As a network of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) committed to protecting migrants’ rights, MMN has consistently called for the removal of statutory exclusions that deny informal-sector workers access to the SSF, including benefits in relation to illness, disability, unemployment, childbirth, death, and old‑age.[2] The proposed change has the potential to improve the lives of many migrant workers, particularly migrant women, who are over-represented in low-wage informal sector employment.
The 180‑day period between publication in the Royal Gazette and policy rollout provides a window of opportunity to engage migrants and employers to strengthen their understanding of the SSF and support wider enrolment. At present, just one in four eligible migrant workers are enrolled.[3] MMN’s research shows that even migrants who are enrolled have limited knowledge of the SSF and the benefits available.[4] They rarely receive official information and thus rely on CSOs, social media, and co-workers for details. Participants at MMN’s regular migrant consultations frequently remark that official information does not reach them due to language barriers. They also commonly report instances of employers deducting social security contributions from wages without completing enrolment or paying employer contributions.[5] Workers in informal sectors are by nature difficult to reach, making SSF enrolment especially challenging. Many agricultural workers live in remote rural areas, while the employers of domestic workers often do not consider themselves employers or recognise their homes as workplaces, further complicating outreach.
With limited exposure to social protection schemes in their home countries, many migrants lack awareness of the benefits of social security and may not fully trust the system. Present difficulties in accessing the SSF and unequal treatment reinforce these concerns. As one migrant worker noted: “We cannot easily check our rights or contribution records online like Thai workers can”. [6]
While expanding SSF eligibility to informal‑sector workers is a vital step toward closing a long‑standing protection gap, enabling measures are needed to make the system more accessible and inclusive. MMN will continue to engage with migrant workers to strengthen their understanding of the SSF, document the challenges they face, and provide opportunities for direct engagement with the social security office.
Recommendations
MMN calls on the Royal Thai Government to take the following steps to strengthen SSF accessibility and effectiveness:
- Strengthen the monitoring and enforcement of employer compliance in registering migrant workers and paying SSF employer contributions;
- Strengthen outreach, in order to facilitate first‑time SSF enrolment among informal-sector migrant workers and their employers, with a focus on providing clear guidance and hands‑on assistance;
- Make the process of enrolling and claiming social security benefits less complex and time-consuming;
- Provide more interpreters and staff with specific skills to assist migrant workers at social security offices;
- Ensure that the SSF’s online platforms are accessible to migrant workers; and
- Strengthen coordination with local CSOs in order to reach the large number of informal‑sector migrant workers living in border regions, major agricultural hubs, and urban centres such as Bangkok. Partnering with other outreach efforts, including public‑health activities, can help extend coverage and improve impact.
ABOUT THE MEKONG MIGRATION NETWORK
Founded in 2003, the Mekong Migration Network (MMN) is a sub-regional network of civil society organisations and research institutes working towards the protection and promotion of the rights of migrants and their families in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. MMN’s areas of joint action include collaborative research, advocacy, capacity building and networking. MMN members operate in both countries of origin and destination, have unique expertise in the field, and are in close contact with migrant workers at a grassroots level. For more information on MMN, please visit MMN’s webpage at: www.mekongmigration.org
For more information about the statement, please contact:
Ms. Reiko Harima, MMN Regional Coordinator (English and Japanese) at: reiko@mekongmigration.org
Mr. Artid Pabun, MMN Advocacy and Research Coordinator (Thai and English) at: artid@mekongmigration.org or on +66 (0)53283259
Mr. Brang Aung Ja, MMN Advocacy and Communication Officer (English and Burmese) at: brangaungja@mekongmigration.org or on +66 (0)53283259
[1] “Thai Cabinet Gives Initial Approval to Wider Social Security Coverage”, The Nation, 25 August 2026, accessible at https://www.nationthailand.com/news/policy/40070248.
[2] See MMN, “Navigating Social Security Systems: The Roles of Mekong Countries of Origin
in Supporting Migrant Workers in Thailand and Japan” May 2024, p, xiv, accessible at https://mekongmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Book_Navigating-Social-Security-Systems-1.pdf; and “MMN, “Migrants in Agriculture”, 2020, p. 71, accessible at https://mekongmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/book_Migrant-in-Agriculture-Eng-1.pdf.
[3] Cited in ILO, “Thai Employers are Piloting New Approaches to Expand Social Protection for Migrant Workers”, 18 September 2025, accessible at https://www.ilo.org/resource/news/thai-employers-are-piloting-new-approaches-expand-social-protection-migrant?utm_source=copilot.com.
[4] See MMN, “Navigating Social Security Systems”, at n 2 above, p. 24.
[5] See MMN, “MMN Migrant Consultation on Access to Social Security in Samut Sakhon”, 5 July 2026, accessible at https://mekongmigration.org/?p=24834.
[6] See MMN, “Workers Unite in Chiang Mai: Demand for Universal Social Security Takes Center Stage on Labour Day 2026”, accessible at https://mekongmigration.org/?p=24823.