The Social Security Office (SSO) will appeal a Supreme Administrative Court injunction that has temporarily suspended preparations for the Sept 27 Social Security Board election, Labour Minister Julapun Amornvivat said on Tuesday.
He said the appeal is part of the SSO's duty to ensure the election can proceed in accordance with the law.
Mr Julapun stressed that the election itself has not been postponed. The process was temporarily halted after the court issued the injunction in response to a complaint challenging the legality of the voter registration announcement.
Voter registration opened on June 1 and closed on July 15, while polling remains scheduled for Sept 27.
The minister said the SSO election committee met on Monday and agreed to suspend preparations pending the court's ruling while appealing the injunction. If the court lifts the injunction quickly, authorities will proceed according to the original election timetable, he said.
The Social Security Board oversees the Social Security Fund, valued at more than 2.8 trillion baht, which provides healthcare, income replacement and old-age pensions to more than 24 million insured people.
A total of 134 candidates are contesting the election, including 82 representatives of insured members and 52 employer representatives. More than 921,000 people registered to vote before registration closed. Asked whether the complaint was intended to derail the election, Mr Julapun said the petitioners were exercising their legal rights.
