Woman told to give back living stipend

Mistake found after e-system rolled out

A local administrative organisation in Buri Ram’s Chalerm Phrakiat district is insisting that an 89-year-old woman return all living allowances she had received over the past 10 years — totalling 84,000 baht, plus interest — after she was found to also be a recipient of her deceased son’s pension from the army.

Buan Losuwan and her daughter, Latdawan Losuwan, 66, of tambon Charoen Suk, recently grabbed headlines after they complained to the media about being ordered by the Comptroller General’s Department to return the money, with 7.5% interest.

Ms Buan said the order, which came in a letter sent by the department, surprised her as she didn’t know that she had no right to receive a monthly living allowance from the local administration as a recipient of her son’s pension.

She shot back at the department, asking why she managed to receive the allowances over the past decade if she really didn’t have the right to receive them.

Thasa Chinram, director of tambon Charoen Suk administrative organisation’s social welfare division, said pensioners aren’t qualified to receive living allowances from the local administration.

Ms Buan, along with her husband and daughter-in-law, has been receiving 5,000 baht each a month from her late son’s — Sergeant Major Chakkrawut Losuwan — pension, Ms Thasa said.

Two children of Sg Maj Chakkrawut also received funding for their education until they graduate with a bachelor’s degree, she said.

The payments began after Sgt Maj Chakkrawut was killed in an ordnance explosion in Nakhon Ratchasima on Oct 25, 2001.

However, according to the information provided by the 21st Military Circle in Nakhon Ratchasima, Ms Buan alone received 10,000 baht per month from the army, which was paid through the department.

The department and tambon administration only found out about Ms Buan’s circumstances after the introduction of the e-Social Welfare database last year, said Nilobol Waewwabsri, deputy director-general of the Comptroller General’s Department.

Ms Nilobol said the department is concerned about the impact of the slip-up on Ms Buan and her family, so it has asked the tambon administrative organisation to provide a clear explanation to her.

While the department said Ms Buan is allowed to pay back the money in instalments over five years, Ms Buan said she couldn’t think of how to find that much money, because the 5,000 baht pension she receives every month could barely cover her living costs.

Ms Buan said she has multiple health problems which require frequent hospital visits, before adding her daughter is just a rice farmer with three grandchildren in her care.

The 21st Military Circle and local agencies are discussing and seeking ways to help her, a source said.