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 […]
March 10, 2026 – Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, revealed that the Cabinet has approved an extension of the deadline for renewing work permits for more than 370,000 migrant workers from Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam until March 31, 2026, from the previous deadline of February 24, 2026. This measure aims to prevent these workers from falling out of the system and becoming undocumented, as well as to avoid disruptions to businesses and the labour market, particularly to the country’s economic momentum. The Labour Minister further explained that the Cabinet resolution also extends the deadline for passport preparation or substitute travel documents, as well as for visa processing, from June 24, 2026, to July 31, 2026. As a result, the affected workers will be granted temporary relief once the relevant notifications from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour come into force. In the meantime, employers and businesses with workers of these three nationalities are advised to follow updates on the Ministry of Labour website at www.mol.go.th and the Department of Employment website at www.doe.go.th, or […]
Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, revealed that the kidney disease situation in Thailand in 2025 has become increasingly serious, with over 1.12 million people diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). There have been 800,000 new cases recorded. At present, approximately 17.6 per cent of the Thai population suffers from chronic kidney disease, most of whom are patients with diabetes and hypertension. For insured persons under the Social Security system, the Minister has issued a policy directing the Social Security Office to ensure that insured persons suffering from kidney disease receive treatment in accordance with international standards and that their treatment rights are no less than other healthcare entitlements. The benefits must also cover four main forms of kidney replacement therapy, namely: Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD), Haemodialysis (HD), kidney transplantation, and palliative care. The Labour Minister stated that kidney disease treatment benefits under Sections 33 and 39 cover insured persons, allowing them to access treatment at all stages free of charge. For haemodialysis treatment, benefits are provided at up to 1,500 Baht per session, not exceeding 4,500 Baht per week or […]
February 23, 2026 – Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, held a press conference announcing the Outstanding Working Women Awards on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2026. Joining the event were Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Ms. Bubpha Rueangsud, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Pichet Thongphan and Mr. Sibmuenchai Phothisin, Inspector-Generals of the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Krirkrai Nasamoyon, Legal Advisor, Mr. Seksit Sawanyathipat, Assistant Permanent Secretary of Labour, and executives of the Ministry of Labour. During the event, 33 Outstanding Working Women for 2026 were introduced as role models from various fields, including Suvara Tawichasri, Governor of the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (Outstanding Female State Enterprise Executive), Patimoh Sadiyamu, Governor of Pattani Province (Outstanding Female Government Executive), Maleewan Jameena, Outstanding Female Artist, Sompratana Nawong, owner of the “Ejan” page (Outstanding Female Media Professional), Nattakanya Saengpho, Outstanding Female Private Sector Executive, and Naree Samratnakul, Outstanding Female Private Sector Practitioner. The awards aim to honour their achievements and inspire women across the country. The Labour Minister stated that the Ministry of Labour places importance on creating “decent work […]
February 20, 2026, 10.00 hours – Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, chaired the Management of Foreign Workers Policy Committee Meeting 2/2026. Attending the meeting were Ms. Bubpha Rueangsud, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Somchai Maruksriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, executives of the Ministry of Labour, and representatives from relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Public Health, Internal Security Operations Command, National Security Council, and the Thai Chamber of Commerce. The meeting was held at the Thian Atchakul Meeting Room, on the 10th Floor of the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour Building. Following the meeting, Ms. Trinuch stated that the committee had approved the extension of the deadline for resolving issues related to work permit applications, in accordance with the Cabinet resolution of November 11, 2025, particularly regarding the submission of health insurance documents, medical examinations, and payment of the 900-Baht work permit fee. The original deadline of February 24, 2026, for workers of Lao, Myanmar, and Vietnamese nationalities has now been extended to March 31, 2026, to prevent these workers from […]
Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, disclosed that she has instructed the Social Security Office to accelerate the payment of unemployment compensation to insured persons, with all provincial offices mobilising staff and extending working hours from 06.00–20.30 to fast-track the consideration and approval of payment orders. According to operational figures from January 5, 2026, to February 12, 2026, the Social Security Office has paid unemployment benefits to 337,594 claimants, totaling over 940.17 million Baht transferred to insured persons’ bank accounts. In addition, the Social Security Office has been instructed to urgently resolve issues across all IT systems in order to facilitate services and alleviate hardship for insured persons as quickly as possible. Most recently, the Secretary-General of the Social Security Office reported that unemployment benefit disbursements can now be expedited for more than 35,000 claimants per day. “To safeguard their rights, insured persons may continue to register through the Department of Employment’s website (e-Service) as usual. They can also check the status of unemployment benefit approval via the Department of Employment’s unemployment registration system, the SSO Plus application, as well as through […]
January 27, 2026 – Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, assigned Mr. Santi Nantasuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, to preside over the opening ceremony of the “Thais Must Have Jobs @ Korat” event for 2026. Mr. Somchai Maruksriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, assigned Mr. Mongkol Songkhram, the Department of Employment’s Deputy Director-General, to deliver the event report. Mr. Banlang Witsiri, Deputy Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, delivered welcoming remarks. The event was honoured by executives of the Ministry of Labour, heads of provincial offices under the Ministry of Labour in Nakhon Ratchasima, the Director of Terminal 21 Korat Shopping Centre, executives of educational institutions, teachers, lecturers, and employers. The event was held at Terminal Hall, 4th Floor, Terminal 21 Korat Shopping Centre, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. Mr. Santi stated that the Ministry of Labour places great importance on promoting employment and continuously creating job opportunities. In fiscal year 2026, the Ministry of Labour has set five key policy areas to ensure Thai workers have jobs, income, and life security. These focus on driving employment policies alongside workforce […]
Following the implementation and advancement of policies to enhance benefits under Social Security Section 40, including amendments to the Royal Decree prescribing criteria and contribution rates, types of benefits, as well as criteria and conditions for entitlement to benefits for insured persons (No. 5) B.E. 2568 (2025), to align with present social conditions and the needs of self-employed workers amid changing circumstances since October 2025, Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, announced the successful outcome of these efforts. As a result, over 505,000 insured persons under Section 40 are now receiving immediate benefits. At present, Social Security under Section 40 for self-employed workers offers three main options: Option 1 (contribution of 70 Baht/month), covers for illness, disability, and death; Option 2 (contribution of 100 Baht/month), adds old-age benefits (lump-sum gratuity); Option 3 (contribution of 300 Baht/month), adds old-age benefits (pension) and child allowance. Ms. Trinuch stated that, in order to strengthen security and improve the quality of life of insured persons under Section 40 by enhancing benefits without increasing contributions, the Ministry of Labour, through the Social Security Office, has expanded benefits across several areas. These include income compensation for […]
At the Cabinet meeting on December 30, 2025, Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, revealed that the Cabinet approved the draft Ministerial Regulation of the Ministry of Labour on the criteria, procedures, and conditions for reducing Social Security Fund contributions for employers and insured persons in areas severely affected by disasters. The measure reduces Social Security Fund contribution rates for employers and insured persons for a period of 6 months, from December 2025 to May 2026, in 9 disaster-affected provinces in the southern region, namely: Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phatthalung, Yala, Songkhla, Satun, and Surat Thani. The details are as follows: Section 33 insured persons and employers will have a reduced monthly contribution rate from 5% to 3% of the insured person’s wages, while the government contribution remains unchanged at 2.75% of wages per month. Section 39 insured persons will have a reduced monthly contribution from 432 Baht (based on a wage base of 4,800 Baht) to 283 Baht. The Minister of Labour said that this measure, which reduces Social Security Fund contribution rates for 6 months, will help employers and insured persons in the nine disaster-affected provinces […]
December 22, 2025, 10.30 hours local time in the Republic of Korea – Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, together with Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Somchai Maruksriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, Mr. Samat Pattamasukon, Director-General of the Department of Skills Development, Mr. Sakdinart Sontisakyothin, Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Somchat Supharee, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Skills Development, Ms. Sirirat Srichat, Labour Attaché, and the delegation, held discussions with Mr. Yang Seungyong, executive of the Korea Automobile Repair & Inspection Federation, to promote employment opportunities for Thai workers in automobile repair workshops in the Republic of Korea and to strengthen relations between Thailand’s Ministry of Labour and Korean agencies involved in employing Thai workers. Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, said that this visit followed information that the Republic of Korea is facing labour shortages in automobile repair workshops, particularly in vehicle paint and auto body repair technicians, and that employers wish to hire Thai workers due to their capabilities and skills. This represents a valuable opportunity to open a new labour market sector for Thai workers in […]
November 25, 2025 – Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, released an overview of the flooding situation in the southern region based on reports from agencies under the Ministry of Labour. According to these reports, 12 provinces, 105 districts, 632 sub-districts, 4,523 villages, and 740,405 households have been affected, with 1,966,843 people suffering hardships. Flooding remains ongoing in 10 provinces: Surat Thani, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Phatthalung, Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. There have been 17 deaths, including one insured person under Section 40, 2 uninsured individuals, and the remaining cases are under verification. A total of 22,988 establishments and 309,368 employees have been affected, of which 10,797 establishments and 205,783 employees are covered by the Social Security system. Ms. Trinuch added that initial relief measures have already been deployed. She has ordered all agencies under the Ministry of Labour, referred to as the “Five Tigers of Labour”, to mobilise forces and assist the provinces, including evacuation efforts and transporting affected people to shelters. Additionally, the Ministry of Labour, through the Department of Skill Development, has instructed all Skill Development Institutes and Offices in affected provinces to set […]
November 20, 2025, 15.00 hours – Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, together with Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Somchai Maruksriwan, the Ministry of Labour’s Inspector-General and Acting Deputy-Director of the Department of Employment, Mr. Samat Pattamasukon, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour and Acting Director-General of the Department of Skills Development, and senior ministry executives, visited the headquarters of Minor International Public Company Limited, one of the leading restaurant and fast-food service operators in the Asia-Pacific region, and owner of several well-known hotel and food brands worldwide. Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, thanked the executives of Minor Group for their support for the “Have a Job, Have Income, Have Education” project over the past 10 years. The programme has enabled financially disadvantaged students to work while studying and receive scholarships, with 6,000 students having joined to date. In 2026, the target is to bring 800 students into the programme. She also expressed appreciation for Minor’s focus on people, adding, “Our role is to find jobs for people and find people for jobs. I personally came today because I want to hear directly from a […]
October 13, 2025, 08.00 hours — Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, joined members of the Cabinet in a wreath-laying ceremony to pay tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great (Rama IX) on the occasion of King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great Memorial Day, observed on October 13, 2025. The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, who led Cabinet members in laying wreaths before the royal statue of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great as an expression of deep gratitude and remembrance of His Majesty’s boundless benevolence. The event took place at the King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great Memorial Park, Phitsanulok Road, Dusit District, Bangkok.
October 6, 2025, at 10.00 hours – Ms. Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Labour, presided over a press conference announcing the launch of the “e-WorkPermit” system, part of the Outsourcing Service Project for producing work permits and providing application and employment notification services for foreign workers. Joining the event were Mr. Samat Pattamasukon, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Pichet Thongphan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, Lt. Cdr. Saroj Khomkhai, Director-General of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, Ms. Bunyawee Khaipan, Second Lieutenant Somsak Promdam, Mr. Sibmuenchai Phothisin, the Ministry of Labour’s Inspector-Generals, and other senior executives. The event took place at the press conference room, 5th floor, Ministry of Labour. Ms. Trinuch announced that the Ministry of Labour has developed the “e-WorkPermit” electronic work permit system to provide round-the-clock online service (24 hours a day). The system covers every step of the process, from submitting applications, checking status, and receiving approvals to obtaining the work permit, without the need for in-person contact with officials. This initiative aligns with the government’s digital transformation policy to elevate public service efficiency. The “e-WorkPermit” system is a key component of the Outsourcing […]
August 22, 2025, 09.00 hours – Mr. Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit, Minister of Labour, presided over a ceremony to deliver remarks of encouragement and support to the Thai youth delegation competing in the 14th ASEAN Skills Competition, prior to their departure on August 23, 2025, to the Philippines. Attending the event were Mr. Surasit Nitiwuttiworrak, Secretary to the Labour Minister, Ms. Bubpha Rueangsud, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Samat Pattamasukon, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Mr. Decha Pruksapatnarak, Director-General of the Department of Skill Development, along with senior executives from the Ministry of Labour. The event was held at the Chatumongkol Room, 6th Floor, Ministry of Labour Building. The ASEAN Skills Competition is an agreement among ASEAN Member States, whereby each country hosts the event in rotation every two years. The aim is to develop human resources and strengthen cooperation in vocational skills, ensuring competitiveness in the face of advancing technologies and alignment with international standards. The competition provides young people with the opportunity to advance as skilled professionals in the labour market, thereby enhancing the nation’s productivity and service capacity in the future. This year marks the 14th ASEAN Skills […]
September 23, 2025, at 06.30 hours – Mr. Samat Pattamasukon, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, presided over the homage-paying ceremony to the sacred symbols of the Ministry of Labour, including Phra Phuttha Sutthithammabophit, Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, the Chai Mongkhon Guardian Spirit Shrine, and the Brahma Deity Shrine. The ceremony was held on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the founding of the Ministry of Labour. Attending the ceremony were Mr. Santi Nantasuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour, Ms. Bunyawee Khaipan, the Ministry of Labour’s Chief Inspector-General, Ms. Kanchana Poolkaew, Second Lieutenant Somsak Promdam, Ms. Jirapa Boonrat, Mr. Sibmuenchai Phothisin, the Ministry of Labour’s Inspector-Generals, Mr. Krirkrai Nasamoyon, Legal Advisor, Mr. Nattawut Phatprayoon, Labour Academic Advisor, Mr. Sakdinart Sontisakyothin, Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, together with senior executives, civil servants, and officials of the Ministry of Labour. The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Labour premises. Following this, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour presided over the Buddhist chanting ceremony, offering breakfast to ten monks to make merit for former executives, civil servants, and officials of the […]
