Following media reports on a case involving an insured person who received an old-age pension of only 1,320 Baht per month, despite having contributed to the Social Security Fund for more than 181 months, the individual filed lawsuits through the Labour Court Region 1, the Specialised Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, with proceedings spanning over five years. Under the previous legal framework, the pension calculation could be based on a salary base of 4,800 Baht, reflecting the insured person’s entry into the system in 2013. As a result, the pension was calculated based on only 60 months of contributions at that salary base, which the claimant considered unfair, prompting the legal action reported in the media.
Most recently, Ms. Kanchana Poolkaew, Secretary-General of the Social Security Office, revealed that, following the Supreme Court’s ruling, the SSO has approved payment to Ms. Nattha Attawech, the plaintiff, amounting to 304,707.56 Baht, paid in December 2024. Thereafter, a monthly pension of 3,651.18 Baht has been paid continuously.
The SSO’s Secretary-General stated that this case serves as an important lesson for the SSO, particularly regarding officials’ unclear and inaccurate communication, which led to misunderstandings among insured persons. She has instructed all SSO offices nationwide to exercise greater caution to prevent similar cases in the future.
Meanwhile, Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, stated that this incident is a costly lesson that has affected the confidence of more than 24.5 million insured persons, reinforcing the urgent need for a comprehensive 360-degree reform of the Social Security Office, as the existing legal framework no longer reflects current social realities.
“As Minister of Labour, one of my key initiatives has been to establish a Social Security reform committee to modernise and enhance operational flexibility, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of Labour. I have been informed that three meetings have already been held and that progress is being made. This is a promising sign that a new era for the Social Security Office can be achieved,” Ms. Trinuch said. She further emphasised that the new pension calculation criteria (CARE formula) must be expedited, with clear policy direction given to the SSO to assess the impact and prepare for transitioning from the existing calculation method, which has been in use since 1999 (27 years). However, she stressed that any reform must also include careful analysis of long-term impacts on the Social Security Fund, ensuring that it remains financially sustainable and capable of providing genuine long-term security for insured persons.
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Division of Public Relations
