by even a single baht!
Whether you are under Article 33 or Article 39."
Speaking directly to Boon Arayapon on camera, Senator Chinchothi acknowledged that while he supports the CARE concept in principle, he demands the SSO close the loopholes that would disadvantage Art.33 workers before the formula goes live.
Senator Chinchothi Saengsang, Chair of the Senate's SSO Sub-committee, gives a frank, unscripted interview to Boon Arayapon on what the new pension formula must and must not do.
📖 How Did We Get Here?
Thailand's Social Security Office (SSO) covers roughly 24 million insured workers. For decades, their retirement pensions have been calculated using a simple formula: take the average monthly salary for the final 60 months before retirement, multiply by the accrual rate. Workers who built their careers from modest beginnings to higher salaries benefited from this "final average" approach — their peak earnings set the baseline.
The proposed CARE formula (Career Average Revalued Earnings) changes that fundamentally. Instead of the final 60 months, every month worked counts — but wages from earlier in a career are "revalued" using a national wage index to adjust for inflation and wage growth. In theory, it rewards steady, long-term contributors. In practice, many Article 33 (employed) workers stand to receive less.
One side says: "This is genuine fairness — contribute more, get more. The system becomes sustainable."
The other warns: "A lifetime of work… and it's being taken away."
⚖️ The Two Formulas: Two Philosophies
| Aspect | Old Formula (FAE-60) | New Formula (CARE) |
|---|---|---|
| Calculation basis | Average of final 60 months' salary | Average of entire career, indexed to current values |
| Who benefits most | Workers with rising salaries (typical career progression) | Article 39 members; those with flat salary histories |
| Who may lose | — | Art.33 workers who started low and peaked late |
| In use since | ~30 years (1995–present) | Not yet in force (pending Cabinet, mid-2026 target) |
| Transition protection | — | 5-year compensation (2026–2030), declining annually |
🏛️ Pro-CARE: "Fairness and Sustainability"
The push for CARE comes from SSO leadership and the Labor Ministry:
- Kanjana Poolkaew — SSO Secretary-General
- Treenuuch Thienthong — Labor Minister
- SSO Board (approved in principle)
- SSO actuaries and researchers
- Fixes Art.39 unfairness directly
- Counts partial months more accurately
- 5-year compensation for those who lose
- Wage ceiling raised 15K→17,500 baht
⚔️ Anti-CARE: "Don't Sacrifice 12 Million for 1 Million"
Opposition is led by Article 33 insured workers and labour federations:
- Boon Arayapon — "Khor Kheun Mai Dai Khor Taan"
- Panus Thailuan — National Labour Council
- Sawit Kaewwan — CRTUC (สสรท.)
- Manas Koson, Chansin Sap-nonwai
- ~12M Art.33 workers hurt to help ~1M Art.39
- 5-year comp doesn't cover lifetime loss
- Public hearings didn't reflect real opinion
- Propose Best-60 / B60M instead
"Over 232 insured workers formally petitioned against CARE (ref: KK005/2568). The message was clear: push this through, and we will 'see you in administrative court.'"
— Boon Arayapon · Thai SSO Rights Advocate📊 Winners and Losers: Impact by Group
| Worker Group | Under FAE-60 | Under CARE | Net Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art.33, rising salary e.g., 8K→15K over 30 years |
High pension — final 60 months at peak salary | Lower — early low wages dragged into average | Loses ⚠️ |
| Art.33, flat salary constant 15K throughout |
Normal pension | Similar or slightly more | Neutral |
| Art.39 base 4,800 baht |
Low — 4,800 base dragged average down | Higher — revaluation boosts historical low wages | Gains ✅ |
| Already retired ~800,000 people |
Unchanged | No reduction; may get a boost | Protected ✅ |
| Retiring 2026–2030 transition window |
— | Compensation for year 1 only (2026) per current draft | Partial protection |
📅 Key Timeline
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CARE pension formula in Thailand?
What exactly did Senator Chinchothi say about CARE?
What compensation exists under the CARE draft regulation?
Critics led by Boon Arayapon demand a Grandfathering Clause, as used by Thailand's Government Pension Fund (กบข.) for civil servants — protecting rights already accrued before the new formula takes effect, rather than retroactively harming workers who planned their retirement under the old rules.
When will the CARE formula actually take effect?
How can workers legally oppose the CARE formula?
How can I calculate my pension under both formulas?
📚 Related Articles
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