By: Suntaree H. Saeng-ging, HomeNet Southeast Asia Executive Director
With support from CRA–Climate Resilience for All (CRA)/HERA, HomeNet Thailand and the Federation of Informal Workers are piloting an extreme heat insurance scheme for 1,000 informal economy workers, including home-based workers, domestic workers, market vendors, and motorcycle taxi drivers across 10 provinces.
The project provides trigger-based cash assistance. Insured workers contribute 100 baht and receive a 300-baht payout on days when extreme heat affects their ability to work, forcing them to stop working or reduce their working hours and resulting in lost income. The pilot runs for three months, from May to July 2026.
In the first month of implementation, four of the ten participating provinces experienced extreme heat conditions that triggered payouts. In these provinces, insured workers received assistance for more than five days, the maximum number of payout days permitted under the scheme.
Beyond providing immediate financial support, the pilot aims to develop an evidence-based model for advocacy and policy engagement. The goal is to influence the development of social security benefits that better address the impacts of climate change on informal workers.
