Thailand is a stable Southeast Asian democracy with an economy that has nearly tripled in size in the past 20 years. Its GDP of $546.22 billion places Thailand as the 29th-largest economy in the world, while its GDP per capita is only 95th worldwide due to its large population. Of its 70.329 million inhabitants, more than 40 million make up its labor force. While agriculture is a major sector in Thailand, only about 30% of workers are employed in this sector. Around 22% of workers are engaged in industry, while roughly 48% work in services like tourism, trade, transportation, and financial services. Wages in Thailand are relatively low, making Thai workers very affordable and attractive for many international employers. 

When employers look for workers, however, they can struggle to find people with the skills and aptitudes that they require. Workers may claim they have skills that they don’t, or may simply not match well with the systems and culture of their employing organizations. Employees also face challenges because they have to try to choose the right jobs and the best employers to work for without having any experience with them beforehand.

Probation periods can be helpful in allowing both sides to re-evaluate their employment choices. In this guide, we’ll explain what probation periods in Thailand are, how they’re regulated, and how they can benefit both employees and their employers.

Definition of Probation Period in Thailand

A probation period in Thailand is known as a raya wayla tot long ngan, or a work trial period. During this time, employers and employees try out new employment arrangements to see if they’ll work out long-term. There are also some relaxed legal protections during this initial period of work that are designed to help employers and employees extract themselves from bad employment choices more easily.

For employers in Thailand, probation periods are generally used to assess whether or not new workers possess the skills and experience they claimed to have in their applications and interviews. They’re observed and assessed on the job to find out whether or not they can perform their roles effectively. Employers also look at how well they’re able to work with their colleagues and supervisors, and to fit in with the overall company culture. Many employers focus their attention on new employees during these initial periods to help them build their skills and quickly become fully productive members of their teams.

Employees also use their probation periods for assessment. They experience the working conditions and benefits of their jobs and evaluate whether or not these match what was promised to them by their employers. They also judge how successful they expect to be in their roles and whether or not they’ll enjoy them. Finally, they get to interact with the coworkers and figure out if they’ll be able to collaborate with them effectively.

Probation starts on a new employee’s first day of work and runs to its pre-agreed end unless it is interrupted by a termination. Either party can choose to end their employment agreement during or by the end of the probation period. If neither does, the probation period is considered to be successful, and the employee’s contract will continue.

Lengths of Probationary Periods in Thailand

Probation periods aren’t specifically mandated by Thai law. This means that employers are not required to use them, and also that they don’t have set duration limits, as is often the case in other countries.

A typical probation period in Thailand lasts three months. However, they can last longer at the discretion of the employer. Most employers set probation periods shorter than 120 days so they don’t have to provide severance pay if they terminate new employees. 

Legal Considerations of Probation Periods in Thailand

While probation periods aren’t explicitly defined by Thai law, they are typically interpreted by employers as being periods under the 120-day severance pay cut-off found in the Labor Protection Act 1998. Other important considerations found in this and other legislation include the following:

Pay and Working Conditions

In Thailand, the minimum wage is set by province and reflects the most recent adjustments implemented on 1 January 2025, which remain in effect through 2026. Daily minimum wages range from THB 337 per day (approximately USD 10) in lower-cost southern border provinces such as Yala, to THB 400 per day (approximately USD 12) in higher-cost areas including Bangkok. Thailand also sets wage rates by skill standards, with skilled workers guaranteed wages between 485 THB and 800 THB per day (between 15 and 25 USD). According to the Labor Protection Act, probationary employees are protected by the minimum wage and wage rates by skill standards just like full employees.

Employees in Thailand work 48 hours a week and typically cannot work more than eight regular hours a day. Overtime cannot normally be obligatory and requires prior written consent from employees. Workers cannot perform more than 36 hours of overtime work per week. When they do work extra hours, employees must be paid at least 150% of their normal wages. Employees on probation have the same limits to their regular and overtime hours as full employees, and must also receive equal overtime premiums.

Termination and Notice

Workers in Thailand generally have to provide one pay period’s notice to their employers when they wish to resign from their jobs. The same is true of employers who wish to dismiss workers. Most Thai employees work on a monthly pay period, though some are paid on the 15th and 30th of every month. Thus, notice periods are generally between 15 days and one month long. Whether or not an employee is on probation has no influence on the length of notice that either party needs to provide to the other. 

The main difference between probation and full employment in Thailand is severance pay. Employees who have not worked at least 120 days consecutively for their employers are not entitled to severance pay when they are terminated, even without justification. This is the main reason why employers keep their probation periods to 119 days or less, so they can dismiss new workers without having to justify their dismissals or pay them severance pay. After 120 days, however, the employer must pay one month’s wages if they dismiss an employee for reasons other than gross misconduct.

Vacation / Holidays

Thailand celebrates at least 13 holidays per year, and more holidays can be announced by the federal government at any time. These are paid days off work for all employees, including new workers on probation. If an employee is required to work on a public holiday that falls on a working day, they must be paid 200% of their normal wages. If the holiday falls on a rest day, they must be paid 300% of their normal wages to work that day.

Thai workers are entitled to just six days of annual leave by law, though many employers offer longer leave allowances. Workers only become entitled to this leave after working continuously for one year for their employers, which means that, in effect, probationary employees are usually not able to take annual leave. 

Benefits of Probation Periods in Thailand

While not required or strictly mandated by Thai law, probation periods are the norm in Thailand. They’re used at the discretion of employers because of the benefits they can provide, including:

  • For Employees

The chance to try out new jobs to see if they’re enjoyable and can be performed successfully with the skills they possess.

The opportunity to assess new working conditions and benefits to see if they’re in line with what the employer promised.

The ability to evaluate working relationships with supervisors and coworkers.

  • For Employers

The chance to see how well new employees can interact and work productively with their teams.

The chance to assess a worker’s skills and aptitudes on the job.

The opportunity to decide if employees will fit in with the company’s culture.

The ability to terminate new employees without having to provide justifications or severance pay.

Conclusion

In Thailand, probation periods aren’t strictly legislated, but they are still used by employers across all industries. They give employees the chance to try out their new jobs, and let employers evaluate whether or not their new employees will work out long-term. Probation periods help both sides save time and avoid being locked into employment arrangements that they won’t like or expect to succeed.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, probation periods aren’t legally defined in Thailand and are therefore not mandatory for employees. Employers often use them anyway to outline initial periods within which new employees are assessed and their employment isn’t secure.

Because Thai law doesn’t define these periods, employers can choose any duration they like. However, they are only able to dismiss new workers without justification or severance pay if they have worked for fewer than 120 days, so most employers limit probation to 119 days or less.

No. Workers who have worked at least 120 consecutive days cannot be dismissed without reason by their employers unless they are paid severance.