Bangkok: 140,000 people missed out on welfare cards due to holding shareholdings; investigation underway to explain the reasons. The Department of Business Development confirms it will fully facilitate the process for the 1.4 million people who missed the eligibility criteria for the state welfare card because their names are listed as partners or directors. It emphasizes that data verification is free nationwide.According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, stated that following the Ministry of Finance's announcement of the results of the eligibility verification for the 2026 State Welfare Card registration project, it was found that 139,804 applicants were listed as partners, directors, or shareholders in partnerships and companies. These individuals did not meet the criteria and were disqualified from the State Welfare Card project. Therefore, he has instructed officials nationwide and provincial commerce offices to facilitate the p rocess for citizens to verify their information at the Department of Business Development (Ministry of Commerce), the Regional Business Development Offices 2 (Phaholyothin), 3 (Ratchadaphisek), 4 (Siphraya), and 5 (Bangna), and all provincial commerce offices nationwide. This is to ensure that the documents are available for appeals by July 31, 2026, especially for low-income individuals and those genuinely in need who deserve government welfare. He noted that citizens are gradually coming to verify their information and provide details to officials, but the exact number cannot yet be determined as it is only the second day. He affirmed that the Department is providing full support and assistance in providing information, listening to the reasons, and understanding the background of their names as company directors, partners, or shareholders. Is this separate from poverty? The department will compile all the information and send it to the Ministry of Finance for a further review of the list of eligible recipi ents.According to data from the Department of Business Development's business database (as of June 24, 2026), there were a total of 139,804 applicants nationwide who were partners, directors, or shareholders in partnerships and companies in the 2026 State Welfare Card program. This is broken down into 41,007 individuals listed as partners in partnerships and 98,797 individuals listed as directors and shareholders in limited companies.
