Payroll and Benefits Guide Thailand
Last updated: Jun 10, 2025
Contribution
| Employer Payroll Contributions | |
|
3.00%
|
Pension, applied on income between 1650-17,500 THB monthly |
|
1.50%
|
Health Insurance, applied on income between 1650-17,500 THB monthly
* Expatriate workers will require private health cover
|
|
0.50%
|
Unemployment, applied on income between 1650-17,500 THB monthly
|
|
0.20%-1.00%
|
Work Injury, applied on income up to 20,000 THB monthly
|
| 5.20% – 6.00% |
Total Employment Cost
|
| Employee Payroll Contributions | |
|
3.00%
|
Pension, applied on income between 1650-17,500 THB monthly |
|
1.50%
|
Health Insurance, applied on income between 1650-17,500 THB monthly
|
|
0.50%
|
Unemployment, applied on income between 1650-17,500 THB monthly |
| 5.00% |
Total Employee Cost
|
| Employee Income Tax | |
|
0.00%
|
0 to 150,000 THB
|
|
5.00%
|
150,001 to 300,000 THB
|
|
10.00%
|
300,001 to 500,000 THB |
| 15.00% | 500,001 – 750,000 THB |
|
20.00%
|
750,001 – 1,000,000 THB
|
|
25.00%
|
1,000,001 – 2,000,000 THB |
|
30.00%
|
2,000,001 – 4,000,000 THB
|
|
35.00%
|
4,000,000 THB and above
|
Note: An increase in the maximum salary ceiling for calculating social security contributions, effective January 1, 2026. The salary ceiling will increase from the previous maximum of 15,000 baht.
Please refer to the table below for the increase in the SS salary ceiling from 2026.
The maximum SS salary ceiling SS Contribution 5% (Max)
From 1 Jan.2026 – 31 Dec.2028 : 17,500 THB 875 THB
From 1 Jan.2029 – 31 Dec.2031 : 20,000 THB 1,000 THB
From 1 Jan.2032 : 23,000 THB 1,150 THB
Employer taxes
Employee taxes
Minimum Wage
General
The national minimum daily wage in Thailand varies by region within Thailand, ranging from 337 THB per day to 400 THB per day. Here are the rates across the major provinces:
-
THB 400 per day in Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Phuket, Rayong and Koh Samui District in Surat Thani.
-
THB 380 per day in Muang District in Chiang Mai and Hat Yai District in Songkhla.
-
THB 372 per day in Bangkok and surrounding provinces including Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon.
-
THB 337 per day in southern provinces including Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.
Please refer to this document for more information.
MINIMUM WAGE (PER MONTH)
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
The payroll cycle in Thailand is generally monthly and is usually paid on the last working day as agreed within the employment contract.
13th Salary
There is no statutory requirement for a 13th-month salary payment in Thailand.
Working Hours
General
By law in Thailand, the maximum number of working hours is 8 hours per day, 48 hours per week.
On working days, an employer shall arrange a rest period during work for its employees of not less than one hour per day after the employee has been working for no more than five consecutive hours.
Overtime
| Aspect | Regulation Details | Notes |
| Maximum Ordinary Hours | 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. | For work deemed hazardous or dangerous, the limit is 7 hours per day or 42 hours per week. |
| Overtime Consent | An employer cannot require an employee to work overtime without their prior consent on each occasion, except in cases of emergency or work that must be done continuously. | |
| Maximum Overtime Cap | Overtime hours, including work on holidays, must not exceed 36 hours per week. | This is the maximum total overtime hours an employee can legally work. |
| Rest Period | An employee who works overtime for at least two hours after normal working hours must be given a rest period of not less than 20 minutes before starting overtime (excluding continuous or emergency work). | |
| Exemptions | Employees in senior managerial, executive, or supervisory positions may be exempt from the requirement to be paid overtime and holiday overtime pay. |
Mandatory Overtime Pay Rates (Tiered System)
Overtime compensation is mandatory and is calculated as a minimum premium based on the employee’s hourly wage rate for a normal working day.
| Day/Condition | Overtime Premium Rate (Multiplier) | Total Pay Rate | Compensation Type |
| Standard Overtime (Working Days) | 1.5 times the hourly wage. | 150% | Overtime Pay (Paid as a supplement to the normal wage) |
| Holiday Work (During Normal Hours) | 1 time the hourly wage. | 200% | Holiday Pay (Paid in addition to the employee’s standard holiday pay, if applicable) |
| Holiday Overtime (Beyond Normal Hours on a Holiday) | 3 times the hourly wage. | 300% | Holiday Overtime Pay (The highest mandated rate) |
Note on Holiday Pay vs. Holiday Overtime Pay:
-
Holiday Pay (200%): Paid for hours worked during the normal 8-hour shift on a Rest Day or Public Holiday. This compensation is $1 \times$ normal wage + $1 \times$ wage for working = $2 \times$ wage.
-
Holiday Overtime Pay (300%): Paid for hours worked in excess of the normal 8-hour shift on a Rest Day or Public Holiday. This compensation is $1 \times$ normal wage + $2 \times$ wage for overtime = $3 \times$ wage.
Compensation Method
-
Monetary Pay: The payment of overtime, holiday pay, and holiday overtime pay is mandatory and must be paid in money. The Labour Protection Act prohibits converting these premiums into other assets, benefits, or time off in lieu (TOIL).
-
Payment Schedule: Overtime pay, holiday pay, and holiday overtime pay must be paid to the employee not less than once a month.
Leave
Annual Leave (vacation)
Paid leave in Thailand is set in the employment contract as at least 6 days of paid annual leave per year after completing one full year of employment. For employees who have not completed one year of service, the employer may provide a yearly leave on a pro-rata basis.
PTO carryover
In Thailand, statutory annual leave can be carried over by agreement if it isn’t taken in the year it’s earned.
Note:
- For EOS, In practice, many employers in Thailand voluntarily allow employees to carry forward unused annual leave for one to two years under internal policy; however, this is a matter of company discretion rather than a statutory requirement.
- For Go Global, PTO carryover is allowed
Public Holidays
Public holidays falling on weekends are moved to another day in lieu.
| Date | Day | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Standard holiday |
| 2 January 2026 | Friday | Special Public Holiday/New Year Holiday | |
| 3 March 2026 | Tuesday | Makha Bucha Day (Buddhist Holy Day) | Standard holiday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Chakri Memorial Day (King Rama I Memorial) | Standard holiday |
| 13 April 2026 | Monday | Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) | Standard holiday |
| 14 April 2026 | Tuesday | Songkran Festival Holiday | Standard holiday |
| 15 April 2026 | Wednesday | Songkran Festival Holiday | Standard holiday |
| 1 May 2026 | Friday | National Labour Day (Except for government offices) | Standard holiday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Coronation Day (Anniversary of the Coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn) | Standard holiday |
| 11 May 2026 | Monday | Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day (Date TBC, generally applies to government/banks) | |
| 1 June 2026 | Monday | Substitution Holiday for Visakha Bucha Day | Standard holiday |
| 3 June 2026 | Wednesday | H.M. Queen Suthida’s Birthday | Standard holiday |
| 28 July 2026 | Tuesday | H.M. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s Birthday | Standard holiday |
| 29 July 2026 | Wednesday | Asarnha Bucha Day (Buddhist Holy Day) | Standard holiday |
| 12 August 2026 | Wednesday | H.M. Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother’s Birthday / Mother’s Day | Standard holiday |
| 13 October 2026 | Tuesday | H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great Memorial Day | Standard holiday |
| 23 October 2026 | Friday | Chulalongkorn Day (King Rama V Memorial Day) | Standard holiday |
| 7 December 2026 | Monday | Substitution Holiday for King Bhumibol’s Birthday | Standard holiday |
| 10 December 2026 | Thursday | Constitution Day | Standard holiday |
| 31 December 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Eve | Standard holiday |
*Chinese New Year, Christmas Day, and the end of Ramadan are observed in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, and Satun provinces only.
*Labour Day is observed by all sectors except the government sector.
*Royal Ploughing Ceremony and Khao Phansa Day are observed by the government sector only.
Sick Days
All employees are entitled to unlimited sick leave, but the number of days paid sick leave shall not exceed 30 days per year covered by the employer. The employer may require an employee to produce a certificate from a qualified medical professional for a sick leave of 2 days or more.
Maternity Leave
Employees are entitled to 98 days of maternity leave, paid by Social Security at 100% of the regular salary rate for the first 45 days, followed by 50% of the regular salary rate for the remaining days.
Paternity Leave
An employee’s entitlement to paternity leave is dependent on the sector in which they work. The private sector has no statutory paternity leave, however, employees in the public sector are entitled to 15 days of paternity leave.
Parental Leave
There is no statutory parental leave in Thailand.
Other Leave
Military Leave – Male employees are entitled to leave for military service, during which the employer must continue to give basic pay at a rate equal to normal working days during the leave but not exceed 60 days per year.
Personal Business Leave – Employees are entitled leave of 3 working days per year to attend to personal matters.
Training Leave – Employees are entitled to take leave for training or skill development where it relates to acquiring skills to improve labour and job effectiveness or testing of educational level as required by the government.
PAID MATERNITY LEAVE (DAYS)
Termination
Termination Process
Employment can be terminated in Thailand where their is ‘just cause’, which includes reasons of criminal offence, employee caused willful damage, negligence causing serious damage to employer/put others at risk, employee violated work rules, regulations or orders even with written warning from employer, employee was absent for 3 consecutive days without notice or any justifiable reason or the employee is sentenced to imprisonment.
For termination without ‘just cause’, there is a high likelihood of the terminated worker filing a claim of unfair dismissal with the labour court and the Thai law tends to be more favorable to the worker’s claim.
Once employment has been terminated, the employer must notify the Social Security Office. When the termination concerns a foreign worker, the employer must notify the Immigration Bureau and The Department of Employment of the Ministry of Labour.
Termination payments, including current month salary, unused annual leave and severance pay must be paid to the employee within three days of the date of termination.
| Salary payment interval / date | Final payment on termination | Bank account/payment-method requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Wages must be paid at least once a month for monthly-paid employees; for work paid on other periodic bases, the payment period must be defined. | Upon termination of employment, the employer must pay all earned wages, overtime, holiday pay and any statutory severance (if applicable) on the day of termination or as soon as practicable after. | Wages must be paid in Thai currency (THB) and in money. Payment at the workplace is the default location; payment by other means (e.g., elsewhere or by other method) is permitted only if the employee consents. |
Notice Period
Notice periods in Thailand must be given in advance and in writing. The notice must be given on or before the date wages are due in order to take effect the following wages due date. The length of notice is generally for a period of 30 days, although employers can specify longer notice periods within the employment contract. Payment in lieu of notice is also possible
Severance Pay
In Thailand, severance pay is mandatory if applicable and determined by the employee’s length of service. Severance is mandated by law for employment on 120 days onwards. Employees working for fewer than 120 days for the same employer are not eligible to receive any severance payment.
- Employees with less than 120 days of service are not entitled to severance pay.
- Employees with more than 120 days of service but fewer than one year are entitled to 30 days of severance pay.
- Employees with service of one year but fewer than three years are entitled to 90 days of severance pay.
- Employees with three years but fewer than six years are entitled to 180 days of severance pay.
- Employees with six years but fewer than ten years are entitled to 240 days of severance pay.
- Employees with service of 10 years but fewer than 20 years are entitled to 300 days of severance pay.
- Employees with 20 years or more are entitled to 400 days of severance pay.
Severance does not need to be paid when a worker is terminated for cause.
Probation Period
There is no mandatory requirement to include a probation period, however it is common to include a period of up to 119 days.
Immigration
For short-term work activities conducted for up to 15 days, the appropriate work authorization is the Urgent Work Permit (UWP). The UWP may be extended for another 15 days if the urgent work is not completed during the initial 15-day period. Except for visa-exempt nationals, foreign nationals seeking a UWP must obtain a Non-Immigrant B visa before entry.
For work activities that exceed 30 days, a work permit is required. The work permit can be granted for one to four years, depending on the company’s status in Thailand. All foreign nationals intending to obtain a work permit, including visa-exempt nationals who must obtain a Non-Immigrant B visa before entry.
VAT
General
The standard rate of VAT in Thailand is 7% until 30 September 2025.
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Payroll and Benefits Guide
in Thailand
What’s covered in this guide:
- Employer/employee contributions
- Minimum wage
- Working hours
- Visa requirements
And more...
Public Holidays Calendar
| Date | Day | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Standard holiday |
| 2 January 2026 | Friday | Special Public Holiday/New Year Holiday | |
| 3 March 2026 | Tuesday | Makha Bucha Day (Buddhist Holy Day) | Standard holiday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Chakri Memorial Day (King Rama I Memorial) | Standard holiday |
| 13 April 2026 | Monday | Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) | Standard holiday |
| 14 April 2026 | Tuesday | Songkran Festival Holiday | Standard holiday |
| 15 April 2026 | Wednesday | Songkran Festival Holiday | Standard holiday |
| 1 May 2026 | Friday | National Labour Day (Except for government offices) | Standard holiday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Coronation Day (Anniversary of the Coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn) | Standard holiday |
| 11 May 2026 | Monday | Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day (Date TBC, generally applies to government/banks) | |
| 1 June 2026 | Monday | Substitution Holiday for Visakha Bucha Day | Standard holiday |
| 3 June 2026 | Wednesday | H.M. Queen Suthida’s Birthday | Standard holiday |
| 28 July 2026 | Tuesday | H.M. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s Birthday | Standard holiday |
| 29 July 2026 | Wednesday | Asarnha Bucha Day (Buddhist Holy Day) | Standard holiday |
| 12 August 2026 | Wednesday | H.M. Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother’s Birthday / Mother’s Day | Standard holiday |
| 13 October 2026 | Tuesday | H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great Memorial Day | Standard holiday |
| 23 October 2026 | Friday | Chulalongkorn Day (King Rama V Memorial Day) | Standard holiday |
| 7 December 2026 | Monday | Substitution Holiday for King Bhumibol’s Birthday | Standard holiday |
| 10 December 2026 | Thursday | Constitution Day | Standard holiday |
| 31 December 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Eve | Standard holiday |
Is a notice period required or can an employee receive payment instead?
Hi Anum, a 1-month notice or a payment in lieu of notice is required.
13th salary questions in Thailand. Is there company in Thailand to pay 13th salary? If I was hired in Thailand, could I request 13th salary?
Hi Ronald, an employer in Thailand is not required to provide a 13th salary.
Thank you for your reply. If employer agreed to pay after negotiation with employee, is it common in Thai or not violate the labor law?
what is the fringe benefit percentage in Thailand ?
Please define what is meant by ‘fringe benefit percentage’ – are you referring to how much of a specific benefit to give? Or are you asking how much tax must be paid?