Labour rights groups have joined the national reform debate by suggesting an overhaul of the Social Security Office (SSO), which they see as a wealthy but inefficient body.
But instead of forwarding their call to the National Reform Council, the labour groups are asking the Labour Ministry to put their four-point demand into its social security bill, which is scheduled to be considered by the National Legislative Assembly.
"If the ministry does not add our requests to the bill within one month, we will ask workers nationwide to sign a petition to back our call," said National Congress of Thai Labour president Manas Kosol.
He said his group, along with 13 other labour advocacy allies, will not give up their efforts to have their demands heeded by authorities.
The demands are a set of proposals for the government to make the SSO an independent agency, guarantee its transparency, ensure social and medical welfare covers all workers, and allow for flexible management of the Social Security Fund to adapt to changing economic and social circumstances.
The office oversees 1.1 trillion baht in the Social Security Fund, which is among the most valuable funds in the country. But it cannot satisfy workers with the benefits they are supposed to get from it, said Wilaiwan sae Tia, vice-president of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee.
About 10 million workers contribute part of their salaries to the fund every month, but many have complained they cannot get prompt medical coverage because SSO officials only "grudgingly pay out from the fund", she said.
Worse, workers are not entitled to medical treatment rights until they have contributed to the fund for a certain period of time. Labour rights advocate Aruni Sito said she does not understand why SSO officials maintain this rule.
"Illness is a thing we cannot control," she said.
Ms Aruni is former chairwoman of the Thai Kriang Textile Co labour union. She was among labour rights activists who persuaded the Chatichai Choonhavan government to establish the SSO in 1990.
In its 24 years of existence, workers have not been allowed to participate in jointly managing the Social Security Fund, and the social security system is roundly criticised for not meeting the needs of workers, Ms Wilaiwan said.
Mr Manas said when the Labour Ministry drafted the social security bill, authorities did not consult with the workers' groups it was intended to benefit.
The bill is among 38 earmarked for "urgent consideration" by the National Legislative Assembly.
But labour groups are requesting the chairman of the lawmaking body delay deliberation on it until their four-point demands are included.
The demands are not only aimed at updating the SSO management, but also preventing manipulation of the vast amount of money in the fund. Ms Wilaiwan said the power in the SSO's hands is worrying.
Labour groups want better checks on the system, including the ability to elect SSO board members.
"We need people who can make the fund more efficient, transparent and accountable," she said.