Successful collaboration between Thailand's Social Security Office (SSO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) has helped enhance the capacity of the SSO to deliver effective and sustainable social security services across the country.
An event held in Bangkok on 30 August 2024, showcased the achievements of the five-year Strengthening Social Security Office Capacities in Policy Design with a Focus on Research and Actuarial Services project, which has come to a close.
"Launched in July 2019, this pioneering initiative, fully funded by the SSO, has played a crucial role in supporting Thailand's efforts to achieve universal social security coverage of adequate benefits on a sustainable basis. The achievements of the past five years have demonstrated the power of collaboration and the importance of investing in social security," said Oktavianto Pasaribu, Deputy Director of the ILO's Country Office for Thailand.
The project represented a significant collaboration between the ILO and the Thai government, focusing on improving the SSO's research, actuarial, and policy-making capabilities. It has helped SSO better anticipate and respond to the social security needs of Thailand's workforce by bolstering its ability to conduct rigorous actuarial analysis and evidence-based policy making.
"By equipping the SSO with the necessary tools and knowledge, we have strengthened their ability to make evidence-based decisions that will benefit millions of Thai workers in the years to come," said Simon Brimblecombe, Chief Technical Adviser and Head of the Actuarial Services Unit at the ILO.
Significant milestones of the project included laying the groundwork for the establishment of a functioning Actuarial Bureau within the SSO that has helped strengthen the SSO's investment policies, resulting in stronger investment management and governance practices.
The project also conducted extensive research to identify challenges in extending social security coverage to key sectors, including transportation, construction, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on the food and beverage industry.
"The insights gained from this research provide a roadmap for expanding coverage to workers who are currently underserved," said Krittaphat Krutkul, Inspector of the SSO. "We look forward to implementing these recommendations to achieve concrete outcomes."
In addition to the ILO and SSO, the project has also involved and benefited from extensive collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders including government institutions , employers and workers' organizations as well as academic institutions.
