Instead of aiming to become a welfare state like Nordic countries, Thailand should focus on strengthening social welfare schemes, making them more inclusive and benefiting vulnerable groups, said Pichit Likitkijsomboon, a former economist at Thammasat University.
"The current welfare schemes are not adequate since the only thing that seems to be inclusive is health-related, so we need to focus on what we already have and make it more effective and transparently managed to fully benefit the people," he said.
In the seminar entitled "The constitution and social welfare state", held at Thammasat University, Mr Pichit said he thinks systems such as those in the United States and Japan are more feasible for Thailand.
"We need not try to imitate the Nordic countries whose systems might not be feasible for Thailand since the model is suitable for better-off ones. Instead we should aim for a moderate, reality-based system that will truly benefit our people," he said adding that unregistered workers, children and the elderly deserve welfare.
Thammasat University Professor Sustarum Thammaboosadee, on the other hand, believes a social welfare system in which the state "takes care" of its citizens regardless of their status is possible, adding that if an election takes place, the constitution needs to be amended with a social welfare agenda prioritised as one of its fundamental areas.
He said the prerequisites for a social welfare system are democracy and a consensus among the public.
"The question is not money but a consensus among people in society that we actually need a social welfare system," he said.
Former education minister and former justice minister Chaturon Chaisang said what type of social welfare system is suitable for Thailand still needs to be discussed.
"Currently we have many social welfare programmes, but we need more inclusivity. However, we need more economic growth too; I think the size of our economy is still an important factor otherwise we will not be able to take care of all the people in society," he said.
Mr Chaturon believes that to advance the matter to the forefront of policy-making, advocates needs to build up awareness to make society agree to the agenda.
However, he said to make proper social welfare materialise, civil society might need to change the structure of the political system.
All of the speakers at the seminar agreed that social welfare cannot flourish in the present political climate and that the current constitution poses a major limitation on implementing a viable scheme.