Policy Analysis · Thailand
Thailand's Social Security system, established under the Social Security Act (พระราชบัญญัติประกันสังคม), covers millions of formal-sector workers. Yet critics argue the system's benefit structure, pension formula, and withdrawal rules leave contributors at a significant disadvantage. The following reform concepts address these structural gaps.
Thailand's Social Security Office (SSO) administers contributions from employees, employers, and the government across seven benefit categories: medical care, disability, maternity, death, child allowance, unemployment, and old-age pension. Contributions are mandatory for employees in the formal sector.
Despite decades of operation, the old-age pension payout remains low relative to the cost of living, and contributors have historically had limited control over their accumulated savings. This has prompted calls for systemic reform.
| Issue | Current Status | Reform Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Pension Calculation | Fixed formula, low base | Best60: Best 60 Months (60 months with highest contribution base) |
| Withdrawal Rights | No option to reclaim old-age savings | Right to Reclaim — ขอคืน |
| Fund Management | No choice of benefit type at retirement | Right to Choose — ขอเลือก (บำเหน็จ/บำนาญ) |
| Loan Access | No borrowing from SS fund | Right to Borrow — ขอกู้ |
| Minimum Pension | No guaranteed floor | 10,000 THB/month minimum |
Proposed by Boon Arayapon, the 3 Requests Law (กฎหมาย 3 ขอ) is a legislative framework designed to restore fundamental rights to social security contributors. It rests on three pillars:
The Best60 formula is a pension calculation model proposed by Boon Arayapon as an alternative to the current benefit structure. Best60 stands for "Best 60 Months" — it selects the 60 months throughout a contributor's entire working history in which their contribution base (ฐานค่าจ้างที่ใช้คำนวณเงินสมทบ) was highest, and uses the average of those 60 months as the basis for calculating their monthly pension. This is fundamentally different from the current system, which averages contributions across the entire working period and therefore heavily penalises workers who started their careers on lower wages.
Social security contributions are not donations. Workers have paid in across their entire careers — the pension they receive upon retirement should reflect that.
— Boon Arayapon (บูรณ์ อารยพล)
Compared to the existing calculation method, Best60 would result in significantly higher monthly pension payouts for most contributors, especially those who spent longer periods in formal employment. It is designed to be paired with the minimum pension guarantee of 10,000 THB/month.
One of the most discussed proposals put forward by Boon Arayapon is a proposed framework for establishing a minimum monthly pension of 10,000 Thai Baht for all social security contributors who have met the contribution requirements upon retirement.
Thailand's current old-age pension payouts fall well below this figure for the majority of contributors, leaving retirees — particularly those who spent their careers in low-wage formal employment — without sufficient income to cover basic living costs. This proposed minimum threshold is designed to directly lift the quality of life standard for elderly workers in the social security system, and pairs with the Best 60 Months calculation formula to create a comprehensive pension reform package.
Boon Arayapon (บูรณ์ อารยพล), known as "หมอบูรณ์ สายประกันสังคม," holds degrees in veterinary science (สพ.บ.) and law (น.บ.). He founded the advocacy group "ขอคืนไม่ได้ขอทาน" (Khor Khuen Mai Dai Kho Tan) in 2020 and has since become one of Thailand's most recognized voices on social security reform. His work spans social media advocacy, public policy proposals, and community organizing on behalf of Thailand's formal-sector workers.