BackThe Ombudsman acknowledged an appeal about Chonburi Provincial Social Development and Human Society Office’s delayed payment of funeral expenses for the elderly according to the traditional life style. The fact states that the number of passing elderlies – during the fiscal year 2020 – 2023 – higher than the budget allocated to the Department of Older Persons. In addition, the revised Notification of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security Re: The supporting fund for the elderly’s funeral expenses according to the traditional life style – that extends the period of funding request to within 6 months from the issued date of death certificate and increases the funeral expenses from 2,000 baht to 3,000 baht per person – also creates an accrued amount of 381,504,000 baht outstanding balance for 127,168 persons. In the fiscal year 2022, the budget is allocated only for 69,713 person or 209,139,000 baht. With insufficient budget, the complainant’s payment then had been delayed.
Department of Older Persons had issued a written notice to Bureau of the Budget notifying to apply for reserve money in the case of emergency or necessity within the central budget for the fiscal year 2022 budget allocation in order to pay the eligible persons as an allowance for the elderly funeral expenses according to the traditional life style. This had been still under a consideration of Bureau of the Budget. Chonburi Provincial Social Development and Human Society Office had constantly expressed the guideline in delivering the funeral expenses and published the pending list of payment through the office’s website and continually provided appropriate assistance. In order to immediately resolve this massive grievance, the Ombudsman had recommended the Prime Minister to command for speeder action of Bureau of the Budget regarding their consideration of allocating more budget to the Department of Older Persons during the fiscal year 2022 budget allocation. Therefore, the Secretariat of the Prime Minister had issued an urgent notification – Nor Ror 0403 (Kor Nor)/3447 dated 8 March 2022 – notifying that the Prime Minister had been informed by the Secretariate of the Prime Minister and commanded the Bureau of the Budget to report the consideration to the Ombudsman within 30 days and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Society to urgently proceeded for the Cabinet’s approval on reserve money in the case of emergency or necessity within the central budget according to the Prime Minister’s approval.
On 15 March 2022, the Cabinet approved the allocation of reserve money in the case of emergency or necessity within the central budget for the fiscal year 2022 budget allocation. The amount of 172,356,000 baht is allotted to pay 57,455 persons – as listed by the Ministry of Social development and Human Society – as an allowance for the elderly funeral expenses according to the traditional life style which were pending in the fiscal year 2021. Chonburi Provincial Social Development and Human Society Office had completely proceeded the payment for all complainants and other effected persons.
Source: The Office of the Ombudsman of Thailand
