This study examines pre-retirement planning needs among informal-sector workers enrolled in Thailand’s Social Security Fund (SSF) under Section 40 in Songkhla Province. Using a modified priority needs index (PNI), the study assesses proportional gaps between current and desired retirement readiness across six subjective well-being (SWB) domains: (1) security and stability, (2) physical and mental health, (3) life satisfaction, (4) social connectedness, (5) meaning in life, and (6) positive and negative affect. Survey data from 500 participants aged 40–60 reveal that security and stability (PNI = 0.60) and physical and mental health (PNI = 0.44) represent the largest perceived readiness gaps, followed by life satisfaction (PNI = 0.31) and social connectedness (PNI = 0.21). Smaller gaps are observed for meaning in life (PNI = 0.15) and emotional affect (PNI = 0.12). Subgroup analyses indicate that perceived readiness varies systematically by income, education, and gender. Higher-income and better-educated respondents report greater planning engagement but also larger perceived gaps in certain dimensions, suggesting the influence of expectations and awareness on self-assessed readiness. Overall, the findings highlight the limitations of voluntary, contribution-based retirement schemes for informal workers, even among those who are formally insured. By applying a multidimensional well-being framework, this study contributes to international retirement policy discussions on expanding coverage and adequacy for nonstandard workers. The results support integrated interventions that combine financial literacy, flexible savings mechanisms, preventive health planning, and psychosocial support, with implications for both middle-income and high-income countries facing challenges in extending effective retirement protection to informal and nonstandard labor markets.
Lertpanyawiwat et al. (Wed,) studied this question.