Context: A New Minister's First Day
7 April 2026 (B.E. 2569) marked the first official working day of Mr. Julaphan Amornwiwat as Thailand's new Minister of Labour. He arrived at the ministry to receive policy briefings and meet senior officials.
But it was not a quiet day. The Section 39 Insured Workers Network (BoonArayapon), led by Dr. Boon Arayapon (DVM, LLB), had gathered at the ministry gates with 149 names of affected workers — and a petition letter formally demanding justice.
Multiple major Thai media outlets reported that Minister Julaphan personally received the letter and listened to the network's grievances — as cameras from national broadcasters recorded the moment.
The Headline Act: Scattering Hell Money
What turned this into a nationally-covered story was the network's symbolic act: scattering joss paper money ("แบงก์กงเต็ก" — ceremonial paper currency burned at funerals) across the ministry plaza.
The message was stark and intentional. Workers who contributed to Thailand's Social Security Office (SSO) under Section 33 for 15–20 years — at a wage base of up to 15,000 THB/month — now receive retirement pensions of only 900–1,400 THB per month after transitioning to Section 39. The network declared this amount "no better than ghost money" and symbolically returned it to the ministry.
Channel 7HD's evening news programme broadcast the moment at 16:20, headlining it as "Ghost money sent back to social security" — framing it as a pointed greeting to the newly-minted minister.
Timeline: 7 April 2026
Dr. Boon leads members wearing white shirts marked with "Ruling 3307" — lining up in formation before the ministry entrance, watched by media cameras.
Representatives hand an envelope addressed "To: Minister of Labour" from the "Section 39 Network, Boon Arayapon" — directly to Minister Julaphan. Signs reading "คืนบำนาญ คืนประกันสังคม" (Return our pension, return our social security rights) are held aloft.
Ceremonial joss paper is scattered across the plaza in a planned symbolic act. The message: a pension of 900–1,400 THB/month is indistinguishable from funeral money — so the network returns it.
The network publicly announces a 30-day deadline for the Ministry of Labour to respond with a concrete plan: a joint working committee and a clear path to rectifying the unjust pension calculations.
Channel 7HD airs the story as "Ghost money sent back to social security" — the hell money moment reaches millions of viewers nationwide.
4 Formal Demands to the Labour Minister
Direct the SSO to adopt the Supreme Court precedent as the binding standard for all pension payments — and cease promoting the CARE formula as a solution.
Order the SSO to recalculate and reimburse the pension differential owed to every worker whose pension was wrongly reduced under the old method.
Establish policy for the SSO to restore rights across the board, without requiring each elderly worker to file a separate lawsuit at their own expense.
Establish a dedicated committee within the Ministry of Labour, with formal seats for BoonArayapon network representatives, ensuring transparent and accountable reform.
The Legal Foundation: Supreme Court Ruling 3307/2567
This is not simply a protest — it is grounded in a binding legal precedent. Supreme Court Ruling 3307/2567 (Thai B.E. calendar) established:
Key holding of Ruling 3307/2567:
For workers who previously contributed under Section 33 (wage base up to 15,000 THB/month) and then voluntarily continued under Section 39 (deemed wage: 4,800 THB/month), the SSO cannot use the Section 39 deemed wage to reduce the 60-month average used to calculate the retirement pension.
The court ruled that the intent of continuing contributions is to add rights — not reduce them. In the case cited, the plaintiff's pension increased from approximately 1,000 THB to 3,636.05 THB/month.
Why the Network Opposes the CARE Formula
The Social Security Office has been advancing the CARE formula (Career Average Revalued Earnings) as a modernization of the pension calculation method. The BoonArayapon network has a clear position:
The CARE formula does not fix the root problem. It averages wages across an entire working life, adjusted for current value — but it still allows the low Section 39 deemed wage of 4,800 THB to drag down the calculation. The network insists on the standard established by the Supreme Court: use only the Section 33 60-month average, unaffected by Section 39 contributions.
Media Coverage
Evening news at 16:20 — headline: "Ghost money sent back to social security." Featured the hell money scattering as a pointed welcome to the new minister.
Read Channel 7HD →"Julaphan enters Labour Ministry on Day 1, delivers policy, met by Section 39 network demanding pension rights."
Thai Rath →On-the-ground interview with network representatives on the CARE formula opposition and protest signs — amplifying the policy dimension nationally.
Thai PBS →The complete 4-demand petition letter, signed by 3 network representatives, with Supreme Court ruling 3307/2567 attached.
Read the full letter →Join the Fight for Pension Justice
If you or someone you know received an unfair Section 39 pension — register for the group administrative lawsuit. Free of charge.