Written terms
Issue a Thai-language labour contract that states wages, hours, and place of work. An English convenience copy is fine; the Thai text is what an inspector reads.
Countries/Thailand/Hiring guide
Southeast Asia · Hiring guide · 2026
Hiring in Thailand: labour law and payroll
This page is the labour-law and payroll stack for multinational employers hiring in Thailand. It is not a salary survey.
In-country employment is how you run this stack without a Thai company.
To hire without incorporating first, use in-country employment in Thailand.
Contracts
Contracts and probation
Probation
Probation is contractual, commonly 119 days so that statutory severance on a 120-day qualifying period does not yet apply. Ending employment after 120 days without a valid ground is how severance claims start.
Work rules
Employers with 10 or more employees must file work rules with the labour office. A plant ramp hits that threshold quickly.
Hours
Working time and overtime
Ordinary hours
Generally 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week under the Labour Protection Act. Some hazardous work has a shorter day.
Overtime
Overtime requires employee consent in ordinary cases and is paid at statutory multiples (typically 1.5× on ordinary overtime, higher on holidays). Daily and weekly overtime hours are capped.
Leave
After one year, at least six working days of annual leave. Statutory public holidays are additional. Sick leave has its own paid-day cap.
Wage floor
Minimum wage, 2026
There is no national monthly minimum wage. The Wage Committee sets a daily rate by province. Bangkok and listed EEC / tourist provinces are at the top of the 2026 grid.
| Rule | Figure |
|---|---|
| Bangkok, Phuket, Chonburi, Rayong, Chachoengsao, Koh Samui | THB 400 / day |
| Lowest provincial tier (including Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala) | THB 337 / day |
| Social security | 5% + 5%, ceiling THB 17,500 (max THB 875 each) from 1 January 2026 |
| 13th month | Not statutory |
Rates come from Wage Committee Announcement No. 14 of 17 June 2025, in force from 1 July 2025 and current through 2026. Convert a daily rate to a monthly budget using actual working days; there is no statutory monthly minimum to prosecute against.
Exit
Terminating and offboarding
Notice
Statutory notice is generally one pay period, given before or at the start of that period, unless the contract sets more. Payment in lieu is allowed.
Severance
Statutory severance scales with uninterrupted service — from 30 days' wages at 120 days' service up to 400 days' wages at 20 years. Unfair-dismissal exposure sits on top if the ground is weak.
Work-permit cancellation
Cancel the work permit and visa when a foreign employee leaves. Leaving them in place after the job has ended is an immigration problem.
Questions
FAQ
- What is the Thailand minimum wage in 2026?
- A daily provincial rate from THB 337 to THB 400. Bangkok and listed industrial / tourist provinces are THB 400 a day. There is no national monthly floor.
- How much is social security?
- 5% from the employer and 5% from the employee, on wages up to THB 17,500 a month from 1 January 2026 — a maximum of THB 875 each.
- How does severance work?
- It is statutory and tenure-based under the Labour Protection Act. Long-serving employees can be entitled to 400 days' wages. Budget it before you hire, not when you exit.
- Is a 13th month required?
- No. A bonus is contractual, or can become an entitlement through consistent practice. Write the rule.
Other markets
Other hiring guide pages
Reviewed 11 September 2026
This is a hiring briefing for multinational employers, not legal advice. Statutory rates move by city, province, and sector. Confirm the place of work before you issue an offer.
Sources
- Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541
- Wage Committee Announcement No. 14 (2025) — provincial daily minimum wages
- Social Security Act — contribution ceiling from 1 January 2026
Hire in Thailand
Tell us the city, the role, and whether this is a local contract or a search.