King Prajadhipok's Institute Poll Finds 31.7% Want Higher State Welfare Card Budget
KPI Poll reveals citizens' perspectives on state welfare cards, highlighting demands for increased financial aid and more accurate screening criteria.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- KPI Poll reveals public opinion on state welfare cards from a nationwide sample of 2,000 respondents
- 31.7% of citizens propose increasing financial allowances to match current living costs
- The vehicle ownership restriction of having no car or only one motorcycle under 300cc is viewed as the most problematic screening rule
- Over 53.1% disagree with the reduction in qualified recipients, showing regional divides
On July 31, 2026, the King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI Poll) released the results of a public survey entitled "Citizen Perspectives on State Welfare Cards and Future Directions." The survey was conducted between July 25 and 28, 2026, gathering data from 2,000 respondents aged 18 and older distributed across all regions nationwide to capture public feedback on state assistance measures.
Regarding the screening criteria causing the most concern, 24.4% of respondents pointed to the rule restricting car ownership and allowing only one motorcycle of up to 300cc as the biggest obstacle. This was followed by the annual income threshold of not exceeding 100,000 baht at 15.0%. Meanwhile, 14.6% believed the overall criteria were clear and appropriate, and 10.4% cited the financial institution borrowing limit of 100,000 baht, with other criteria receiving under 10% of responses. This reflects the view that owning certain assets does not always mean having sufficient income, as vehicles remain vital for work and travel where public transport is lacking.
On the issue of the decreasing number of qualified recipients, more than half or 53.1% disagreed with the screening outcomes because it causes individuals who previously received or deserved benefits to drop out of the system. Conversely, 40.6% agreed to ensure the budget targets those in genuine need, while 6.4% had no opinion. Regionally, Bangkok had the highest agreement at 72.3%, followed by the Southern region at 48.4% and the Eastern region at 42.3%. On the other hand, the Northeastern region showed the highest disagreement at 68.7%, followed by the Northern region at 52.0% and the Central region at 50.2%.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Public opinion surveys regarding welfare programs highlight the complex policy challenge of balancing fiscal sustainability with adequate support for vulnerable groups. The divergence in viewpoints across regions indicates that economic contexts and living expenses vary widely across areas, suggesting that authorities may need to integrate these insights into future policy design and communication to minimize disparities and misunderstandings.
Concerning the improvement of rights reviews, 27.7% of citizens requested clear explanations and data disclosures for those failing the screening, 25.1% wanted agencies to coordinate data updates internally rather than forcing citizens to visit multiple offices, and 19.4% requested staff assistance for vulnerable populations. Furthermore, regarding future policy directions, 31.7% demanded higher allowances, 29.1% wanted refined criteria and databases for better accuracy, and 15.3% suggested coupling policies with career promotion.
Source: Khaosod Politics
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