Minister Chulapan began his first day at the Ministry of Labor by setting policy goals aimed at increasing KPIs through handling complaints. He acknowledged that many unresolved problems exist and requested time to address them. Meanwhile, the Section 39 insured persons’ network stormed the ministry to submit a letter demanding pension rights before scattering joss paper money.
At 09:00 on 7 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Chulapan Amornwiwat, Minister of Labor, arrived at the Ministry of Labor for his first day in office. To mark the occasion, he paid respects at five sacred sites associated with the ministry: Phra Buddha Sutthithammaphopit, Phra Buddha Chinnarat, the Shrine of Grandfather Chai Mongkol, the Shrine of Thao Mahaprom Thewarit, and the Shrine of Grandfather Suchinpromma. He then paid homage before portraits of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen. Ms. Buppha Ruangsut, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labor, along with senior executives, civil servants, and ministry staff warmly welcomed him at the Ministry.
Mr. Chulapan gave policy guidance to the ministry’s executives, stating that the ministry’s progress would benefit from applying his experience and knowledge to serve the public as expected. On his first day, he was welcomed by groups of insured persons, which led him to think the ministry receives many visitors and that there will likely be ongoing demonstrations in the future.
He added that as a former constituency MP and politician, he values the people's voice above all. His first policy directive is that no one comes to the Ministry of Labor unless they are in distress, as the ministry does not offer benefits to visitors. Therefore, everyone who comes here is facing urgent problems, and he urged all staff to prioritize the distress of every citizen who seeks help. He expressed a desire to see the ministry’s KPIs improve through swift complaint handling and response.
His second policy focus is that many pending issues remain at the ministry, which is known to many. He plans to spend time discussing and resolving these past problems to ensure smooth progress moving forward.
Meanwhile, in the ground floor hall of the Ministry of Labor building, a network of Section 39 insured persons (BoonArayapon), led by representatives of affected individuals, submitted a letter of demands to Minister Chulapan. They sought justice regarding the Social Security Office’s (SSO) unfair calculation of old-age pensions.
The insured representatives explained that this group consists of former salaried employees who contributed under Section 33 for over 15-20 years (with a maximum salary base of 15,000 baht). However, upon leaving their jobs and seeking to maintain rights by continuing under Section 39, the SSO used a salary base of only 4,800 baht to calculate the average of the last 60 months. This resulted in pension reductions to only 900-1,400 baht per month upon retirement, which is insufficient for living expenses and constitutes a reduction of insured persons’ rights. They presented four demands:
1. Immediate enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling: They requested the Minister of Labor to order the SSO to follow the Supreme Court judgment No. 3307/2567, which mandates using the Section 33 last 60 months’ salary base for pension calculations to ensure maximum fairness.
2. Public opposition to the CARE formula: The group opposed and refused to support the CARE formula that the SSO is promoting to solve the issue, stating it does not address the root problem.
3. Retroactive payment of the difference: They demanded a review and refund of the pension shortfall to all Section 39 insured persons who previously lost rights.
4. Establishment of a joint working committee: They requested formation of a committee to resolve the problem with participation from Section 39 network representatives.
Minister Chulapan accepted the letter of demands and said he would consider them carefully. He emphasized the need for discussions to achieve a balanced outcome.
After submitting the letter, the insured representatives performed a symbolic act by handing over an envelope labeled “Section 39 Pension Money” containing joss paper money to the ministry. They scattered the joss paper in front of the ministry’s sign to express their pain, illustrating that the pension amounts of only a few thousand baht are barely enough to survive and are worth no more than money given to the dead. They returned the money to the ministry to use in the afterlife, underscoring their slogan: “It’s our money, it’s our right, we come to reclaim, not to beg.”