Social Security Board approves fairer pension calculation

Marasri Jairangsee, secretary-general of the Social Security Office, stated that the three-hour discussion included representatives from employers, employees and the government.

“Labour Ministry permanent secretary Boonsong Thapchaiyut, who chaired the Social Security Board, has approved the adjustment to the pension calculation for Section 33 and 39 insurers,” she said.

She explained that the adjustment has been under review since 2020. Along with a wage ceiling adjustment, the revised pension calculation is expected to result in higher retirement benefits starting January 1, 2026.

Social Security Board member Sustarum Thammaboosadee described the adjustment, which bases pension calculations on lifetime salary, as a positive step for insurers. He noted that it would also allow employers to provide better welfare benefits.

The proposal will now enter a 90-day public hearing period. A representative of employers expressed optimism that the changes would encourage more people to participate in the social security system and urged insurers to take part in the hearing to ensure the policy meets their needs.

The approval comes after a network group, “We Fair,” gathered at the Social Security Office headquarters in Nonthaburi province to submit five key proposals to the Social Security Board. These proposals include:

• Ensuring fair pension calculations that reflect the cost of living and increasing employer and government contributions.
• Expanding social security access to self-employed individuals, platform workers, and informal sector workers.
• Reforming the Social Security Office’s governance structure to ensure independence, transparency, and efficiency.
• Adjusting social security benefits—including maternity, child welfare, disability, unemployment, retirement, and death—to reflect economic and labor market changes.
• Enhancing healthcare benefits to align with National Health Security Office (NHSO) standards.

Nitirat Sapsomboon, founder of We Fair, emphasised that basic public health services should be unified under the NHSO system to promote social equality among workers.