Chulaphan's first day at the Ministry of Labor involved delivering policy goals aimed at boosting KPIs through complaint handling. He acknowledged many unresolved problems and requested time to resolve them. Meanwhile, the M.39 network stormed in to submit a letter demanding pension rights before scattering funeral money.
At 09:00 on 7 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Chulaphan Amornwiwat, Minister of Labor, arrived at the ministry for his first day in office. He paid respects at five sacred sites within the ministry: Phra Buddha Sutthitham Bophit, Phra Buddha Chinnarat, the Shrine of Grandfather Chai Mongkol, the Shrine of Lord Brahma Thewarit, and the Shrine of Grandfather Suchin Brahma. He then paid homage to portraits of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen. Ms. Buppha Ruangsud, Deputy Permanent Secretary, along with senior executives, civil servants, and ministry staff, warmly welcomed him at the Ministry of Labor.
Mr. Chulaphan delivered policy guidance to ministry executives, stating that driving the Ministry of Labor forward would rely on his experience and knowledge to benefit the public as expected. On his first day, he was welcomed by insured groups, leading him to think that the ministry receives many visitors and that protests will likely continue.
Mr. Chulaphan added that he started as a constituency MP and politician, so public voices are paramount. His first policy 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 does so because of urgent issues, and he urged all staff to prioritize addressing their hardships. He wants to see the ministry’s KPI reflect quick and effective grievance handling.
His second policy is to address many existing unresolved issues within the Ministry of Labor, which are well known. He plans to spend time discussing and resolving old problems to ensure smooth progress moving forward.
Meanwhile, in the ground floor lobby of the Ministry of Labor building, the M.39 insured network (BoonArayapon), led by representatives of affected members, submitted a letter of demands to Mr. Chulaphan. They sought justice regarding the Social Security Office’s unfair calculation of old-age pensions.
A representative of the insured group explained that these members were former salaried employees who contributed under Section 33 for more than 15–20 years (with a maximum salary base of 15,000 baht). However, after leaving their jobs and opting to continue coverage under Section 39, the Social Security Office used a salary base of 4,800 baht to calculate the average of the last 60 months. As a result, upon retirement, these insured persons had their pensions reduced to only 900–1,400 baht per month, insufficient for current living costs and effectively diminishing their rights. They presented four demands:
1. Immediate enforcement of the Supreme Court precedent: They asked the Minister of Labor to order the Social Security Office to follow Supreme Court ruling No. 3307/2024, which directs using the last 60 months’ salary base under Section 33 for pension calculations to ensure maximum fairness.
2. Official opposition to the CARE formula: The group does not support and opposes the CARE formula solution promoted by the Social Security Office, as it does not address the root cause of the problem.
3. Back payment of differences: They requested a review and reimbursement of the pension shortfalls to all Section 39 insured who lost rights previously.
4. Establishment of a joint working committee: They asked for a committee to resolve the problem with representatives from the M.39 network included.
Mr. Chulaphan accepted the letter of demands and said he would consider them and bring them up for discussion to find a balanced solution.
After submitting the letter, the insured group symbolically handed over an envelope labeled “M.39 Pension Money” containing funeral money to the ministry and scattered the funeral money in front of the Ministry of Labor sign. This act reflected their pain that the pensions of a few thousand baht are nearly worthless for survival and comparable to money given to the deceased. They returned it to the ministry for use in the afterlife, reinforcing their campaign slogan: “This is our money, our right. We come to reclaim, not to beg.”