Fund offers discounts for poor.

(From The Nation (Thailand))

Byline: The Nation.

The nine million contributors to the Social Security Fund will be offered substantial savings on a range of products, including natural gas for their cars, from next month.

The Social Security Office (SSO) yesterday launched four projects to cut prices for consumer goods - such as electrical appliances, motorcycles and gas modification for cars - for employees registered with the scheme.

Labour Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said the project aimed to help struggling workers cope with the rising cost of living.

But academics attacked the scheme on the grounds that it would encourage …