Ready to tackle global expansion? You’ll need the right human resources to make it happen. Businesses looking to grow substantially and affordably often search for talent in Thailand. The country is full of highly competent, respectful professionals who welcome unconventional working opportunities. They excel in industries like agriculture, electronics, car manufacturing, and tourism, among others. 

The reasons for hiring Thai workers are likely no surprise. But you may be surprised to find out that the labor laws in Thailand are on the strict side, especially when it comes to worker benefit mandates. As an international business hiring Thai employees, it’s essential to know and comply with Thailand labor laws and strive to deliver add-on benefits that make workers feel appreciated. 

This guide will take you through mandatory and supplementary benefits in Thailand. We’ll also touch on the official labor laws in the country and tips to remember while planning out your Thai benefits package(s).

An Overview of Thailand Labor Laws

Thailand has enacted a comprehensive law called “The Labour Protection Act (LPA)” It addresses many aspects of the employer/employee relationship to ensure beneficial work arrangements and fairness to workers. 

The following resources may also be helpful to you:

When attempting to move or expand business into Thailand, remember that it’s vital to get a handle on official laws and resources. 

Mandatory Employee Benefits in Thailand

Thailand employee benefits run the gamut from social security funding to leave arrangements to workplace accident insurance and more. And international employers need to know all about them. Below, we’ll share the fundamentals of the mandatory employee benefits in Thailand. 

Social Security Fund (SF)

By law, employers have to sign their Thai employees up for social security through the Social Security Office (SSO). The following coverages are included under the social security umbrella: 

  • Sickness
  • Childbirth
  • Disability
  • Death
  • Child support
  • Old age
  • Unemployment

Once the employee is in the system, contributions will begin. The employee must contribute 5% of their earnings each month to the SSO (up to 750 baht per month). The employer contributes the same. 

Sick Leave Benefits

According to the Thailand Law Library, employees get up to 30 working days of sick leave during any given year. After three working days of sick leave, the employee should bring in a doctor’s note to explain the sickness and any further need for leave. The 30 days of sick leave are to be paid, but any leave over those 30 days is unpaid.

Maternity Leave

A female employee who’s expecting a baby is legally eligible for 98 days of maternity leave. As of the time of this writing, the employee will receive their full wage from the government for the first 45 days of leave. After those initial 45 days, the employer can pay the employee based on any prior agreements. But there’s no legal obligation in this case. 

Employers cannot fire an employee for being pregnant, nor can they require them to complete dangerous work or take on night shifts. 

Paternity Leave

Paternity leave is not required for private employees in Thailand. Only public employees are – they get 15 days of paid paternity leave whenever their partner is giving birth.

Annual Paid Leave (Vacation)

Mandated vacation leave in Thailand is limited – a minimum of 6 days, and only if the employee has worked for the company for at least one year. Though, if you’d like, you can allow employees to take extended leave the following year.

Employers should be clear and upfront about which days an employee can take off.  If you want, you can allow employees to roll over unused paid leave. Read more about annual paid leave in the LPA.  

Public Holidays

Section 56 of the LPA states that Thai employees should receive a day off with full pay for: 

  • Weekly holidays
  • Traditional holidays
  • Annual holidays

There are quite a few holidays observed in the country, and they include: 

*This is a moving holiday. 

  • New Year’s Day – January 1
  • Makha Bucha – Mid to late February or early March*
  • Wan Chakri Memorial Day – April 6
  • Songkran (Thai New Year) – April 13
  • Labor Day – May 1
  • Coronation Day – May 5
  • Visakha Bucha – May*
  • Mid-year Holiday – July 1
  • King Vajiralongkorn’s Birthday – July 28
  • Asalha Puja – July*
  • Mother’s Day – August 15
  • Ok Phansa – October*
  • Anniversary of the Death of King Chulalongkorn – October 23
  • Constitution Day – December 10
  • New Year’s Eve – December 31

Public holidays may change based on your employee’s residence. 

Workers’ Compensation Fund

In Thailand, employers must sign their employees up for workers’ compensation insurance through the Workers’ Compensation Fund. On average, you’ll need to contribute between 0.2% and 1% of the employee’s earnings every month. The funds will go towards any qualifying work-related sicknesses or injuries. Here are a few things that are typically covered through workers’ comp:  

  • Monetary payments to replace lost wages
  • Medical bills related to the work injury or sickness
  • Rehab fees to facilitate recovery
  • And more

Minimum Wage

The minimum wage in Thailand is not static and continues to evolve. As of 2026, daily minimum wages range from 337 to 400 baht, depending on the province and, in some cases, the industry. The move toward higher wage floors reflects the government’s broader objective of supporting household income, strengthening domestic demand, and sustaining economic growth.

For the purposes of hiring Thai talent, we recommend staying updated on local legal news. If you pay an employee less than the minimum wage, you could be in for some legal repercussions.

Work Hours and Overtime

The maximum work hour allotment in Thailand is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week (given a six-day workweek). Any time an employee works more than 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week, the employer should pay 1.5 times the worker’s regular wage. If you require an employee to work on a holiday, they should receive double their regular pay.

Sections 60-63 of the LPA go into more detail about overtime

Severance Pay

If an employee has 20 years of service or more, they get 400 days of severance pay. Those who have worked less than 20 years for their employer will receive less, naturally. View the below table for more information:

Length of EmploymentSeverance Pay
Over 120 days but less than a year30 days
At least 1 year but less than 3 years90 days
At least 3 years but less than 5 years180 days
At least 6 years but less than 10 years240 days
At least 10 years but less than 20 years300 days
20+ years400 days

There are times when severance pay won’t be due at all. For instance, if the employee purposely wronged the company, was negligent, didn’t follow the work rules, etc., they forfeit their severance. 

Supplementary Thailand Employee Benefits

Now that you have a solid idea of the mandatory benefits you must provide as an employer, it’s time to get into the supplementary benefits to consider:

  • Bereavement leave to allow employees the time and opportunity to grieve
  • The freedom to work from home one or more days per week
  • Employee of the Month rewards and recognition
  • More paid time off than is required by law
  • Bonuses tied to performance or tenure
  • Financial literacy classes at free or reduced prices
  • Stipend for home office equipment
  • Private life insurance policy
  • Private health insurance to get your employees quicker, more wide-ranging care

Depending on the job you’re hiring for, some of the above add-ons may make more sense than others. Be sure to research your talent pool and ideal hires to find out which benefits would be most beneficial to them. 

Pointers to Keep in Mind While Building Your Thai Employee Benefits Plan

To create an engaging, compliant Thailand employee benefits package, you need a plan. First, read Thailand’s labor laws and legal resources very closely with your company in mind. An international lawyer can help deconstruct laws to make them easier to understand. 

Then, compile all the mandatory and supplementary benefits you want to include in your benefit plan. Take care to verify whether your budget can support all of the costs involved. It can also be helpful to reach out to governmental organizations you’d be expected to interact with after hiring Thai employees.

Once your benefits package document is all done, distribute portions of it to prospective candidates to entice them to work for you. New hires could also use the benefit information throughout the onboarding process. 

If you want to take the bulk of the work off of your plate, look into either Employers of Record (EORs) or Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). With either of these organizations on your side, you can step back from the hiring process and turn your attention to other business functions. 

So, there you have it – everything you need to know about employee benefits in Thailand. We hope you found all the information you were looking for, and we wish you the best with your business expansion plans.