Thailand HR Legal Updates 2026: What Should HR Do First?

The updates at a glance

Use the filters to see only what touches your work. Each update opens into an action plan.

• In forceChanged before 2026, still to implement

  Maternity leave of 120 days, and two new kinds of leave

  Status

  In force since 7 Dec 2025

  Who is affected

  Every private employer under the Labour Protection Act, and female employees of any nationality: daily, monthly, fixed-term or on probation.

  In practice

  A leave or payroll system still set to 98 days’ maternity leave with 45 days paid gives employees less than the law requires.

  What HR should do

  Update leave types, pay rules and the employee handbook to the new law.

  See the action plan: Maternity leave of 120 days, and two new kinds of leave

  1. 1Legal change
  2. 2Business impact
  3. 3HR action
  4. 4Completion evidence

  What changed?

  Item	Before	Now
  Maternity leave	Up to 98 days	Up to 120 days, including antenatal visits and holidays in the period
  Days the employer pays during maternity leave	Up to 45	Up to 60
  Further leave to care for a child who is ill, has an abnormality or a disability	None	Up to 15 days at 50% pay, with a medical certificate
  Leave to support a spouse giving birth	None	Up to 15 days at full pay, within 90 days of the birth

  Does it apply to us?

  • Spouse leave: a legally registered spouse of any gender, whether or not they work for the same employer (Ministry of Labour explanation).
  • Maternity leave does not cover a miscarriage (Ministry of Labour explanation).
  • An employee still on maternity leave under the old law on 7 Dec 2025 gains the new entitlement; one whose leave ended before that date does not.
  • Better existing benefits continue. Reducing them needs the employee’s consent.
  • Insured employees can still claim the Social Security maternity allowance of 50% of wages.
  • Section 4/1, on service contractors, applies to state agencies, not private employers.

  What should HR update?

  • Legal requirementPay up to 60 days of maternity leave.
  • Legal requirementPay 50% for child-care leave days and full pay for up to 15 days of spouse leave.
  • Legal requirementRaise maternity leave to 120 days and add the two new leave types.
  • Good practiceSet the supporting documents: the child’s medical certificate, marriage registration, and the birth date for the 90-day window.
  • Good practiceRevise the handbook or work rules that state leave, with Legal checking the wording.
  • Good practiceConfigure the leave types in the HRIS effective 7 Dec 2025 and check leave that spans that date.
  • Good practiceTell managers and employees in writing, dated.

  Who should own it?

  Suggested operational ownership, not a statutory appointment

  • HR Operations: policy and communication
  • Payroll: pay rules
  • HRIS administrator: leave types
  • Legal: work-rule wording

  When?

  Effective date

  In force since 7 Dec 2025

  Suggested internal date (not a legal deadline)

  If not done, in the next payroll cycle, and review leave taken since 7 Dec 2025

  What proves completion?

  • Approved, dated handbook or work-rule version
  • Payroll test: 60 paid maternity days, 50% child-care leave, spouse leave
  • HRIS leave-type configuration export or screenshot
  • Dated notice to employees

  Sources [1][2][3] · Checked 6 Nov 2026

• In forceChanged before 2026, still to implement

  Employment-conditions form: employers file it themselves each January

  Status

  In force since 7 Dec 2025

  Who is affected

  Employers with 10 or more employees in total.

  In practice

  The law no longer has the labour inspector send the form first; the employer files it within January.

  What HR should do

  Put the January 2027 filing in the compliance calendar and check the filing method the Director-General has set.

  See the action plan: Employment-conditions form: employers file it themselves each January

  1. 1Legal change
  2. 2Business impact
  3. 3HR action
  4. 4Completion evidence

  What changed?

  Item	Before	Now
  Annual filing	File within January; the inspector sends the form in December	File within January, by the method the Director-General of Labour Protection and Welfare sets

  Does it apply to us?

  • Employers with 10 or more employees in total.
  • If the conditions filed change, notify in writing within the following month (s. 115/1 para 2, unchanged).

  What should HR update?

  • Legal requirementFile the employment and working conditions form within January each year.
  • Legal requirementNotify changes in writing within the month after they happen.
  • Good practiceHave headcount, working hours and benefits data ready by the end of December.

  Who should own it?

  Suggested operational ownership, not a statutory appointment

  • HR Operations or the compliance owner

  When?

  Statutory deadline

  Within January each year; next: January 2027

  Effective date

  Amended section in force 7 Dec 2025

  Suggested internal date (not a legal deadline)

  Data ready by mid-December 2026

  What proves completion?

  • Filing receipt or acknowledgement
  • Copy of the form filed

  Sources [1][2][3] · Checked 6 Nov 2026

• UpcomingPublished in 2026, effective later

  Employee Welfare Fund deductions start 1 January 2027

  Status

  Published 22 Oct 2026; collection from 1 Jan 2027

  Who is affected

  Businesses with 10 or more employees, except employers with a provident fund or welfare for leaving or death under the ministerial regulation.

  In practice

  Employees will have 0.25% of wages deducted as savings and the employer pays a further 0.25%.

  What HR should do

  Decide whether the company is covered or exempt, then set up payroll in time for 1 January 2027.

  See the action plan: Employee Welfare Fund deductions start 1 January 2027

  1. 1Legal change
  2. 2Business impact
  3. 3HR action
  4. 4Completion evidence

  What changed?

  Item	Before	Now
  Start of collection	1 Oct 2026 (2568 decree)	1 Jan 2027 (2569 decree)

  Does it apply to us?

  • Rates in the 2568 regulation: employee 0.25% and employer 0.25% of wages in the first period, then 0.5% each from 1 Oct 2031.
  • Caution: the regulation’s rate table still dates its first period from 1 Oct 2026, while the 2569 decree starts collection on 1 Jan 2027. No newer regulation had been published on the day checked.
  • Exemption (s. 130): employers with a provident fund or approved welfare should ask the Department how employees who are not fund members are treated.
  • Businesses with fewer than 10 employees are not covered until a Royal Decree says so (s. 130 para 3).

  What should HR update?

  • Legal requirementDeduct 0.25% of wages as employee savings from 1 Jan 2027.
  • Legal requirementPay the employer’s 0.25% contribution.
  • Good practiceEstimate employer cost: monthly payroll × 0.25%.
  • Good practiceCheck whether your provident fund or welfare scheme exempts you, and record the result.
  • Good practiceAdd the deduction in the HRIS and tell the payroll vendor the start date.
  • Good practiceFollow the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare for the remittance method and forms.
  • Good practiceTell employees in advance what the new deduction is and when it starts.

  Who should own it?

  Suggested operational ownership, not a statutory appointment

  • Payroll: deduction
  • Finance: cost
  • Legal: exemption
  • HR Operations: communication

  When?

  Statutory deadline

  Collection from 1 Jan 2027

  Suggested internal date (not a legal deadline)

  Test in the December 2026 payroll; tell employees before January pay

  What proves completion?

  • Recorded exemption decision
  • Payroll test showing the 0.25% deduction
  • Deduction configuration export
  • Dated notice to employees
  • First remittance receipt

  Sources [4][5][6][7][3] · Checked 6 Nov 2026

• In forceIn force in 2026

  Skill-standard wages for four more trades

  Status

  In force 14 Sep 2026

  Who is affected

  Employers who assign work needing the skill standard in these four trades, and employees who have passed the national skill-standard test.

  In practice

  Employees in these trades who have handed in a certificate must be paid at least the notice’s rate.

  What HR should do

  Find the roles concerned, set their wage floor and a way to receive certificates.

  See the action plan: Skill-standard wages for four more trades

  1. 1Legal change
  2. 2Business impact
  3. 3HR action
  4. 4Completion evidence

  What changed?

  Minimum (baht per day); a “day” is the employee’s normal working hours

  Flux-core welder, level 1	550
  Flux-core welder, level 2	650
  MIG welder, level 1	550
  MIG welder, level 2	650
  Off-grid solar system installer, level 1	600
  Industrial robot maintenance technician, level 1	630

  Does it apply to us?

  • Applies when the employer assigns work needing that skill standard, in whole or in part.
  • The employee hands in the certificate; the rate is due from the day the employer receives it.
  • Other trades remain under earlier notices.

  What should HR update?

  • Legal requirementSet the role’s wage floor by skill level, from the day the certificate is received.
  • Good practiceRecord the certificate receipt date in the HRIS.
  • Good practiceSet how certificates are received and tell production or engineering managers.

  Who should own it?

  Suggested operational ownership, not a statutory appointment

  • HR Operations
  • Payroll
  • Production or engineering managers

  When?

  Effective date

  In force 14 Sep 2026

  Suggested internal date (not a legal deadline)

  Review the roles concerned by the next payroll cycle

  What proves completion?

  • Certificate register with receipt dates
  • Role wage rates set in the system

  Sources [8] · Checked 6 Nov 2026

• MonitorDraft or watch item, not a requirement

  Draft: social security section 33 for three more groups of employees

  Status

  Draft: Cabinet approved in principle, 25 Aug 2026

  Who is affected

  Employees in crop, forestry and livestock businesses; employees of individual employers such as housekeepers, gardeners and drivers; and employees of street stalls.

  In practice

  Not in force. If enacted, it takes effect 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette.

  What HR should do

  No system change yet. Check whether you employ these groups and watch the Royal Gazette.

  Sources [10] · Checked 6 Nov 2026

• MonitorDraft or watch item, not a requirement

  A rate regulation matching the new Employee Welfare Fund start date

  Status

  Watch: no newer regulation found on 6 Nov 2026

  Who is affected

  Employers starting Employee Welfare Fund deductions.

  In practice

  The current rate regulation dates its first period 1 Oct 2026 – 30 Sep 2031, but collection starts on 1 Jan 2027.

  What HR should do

  Recheck the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare’s legal page before setting up the first payroll.

  Sources [6][4][7] · Checked 6 Nov 2026

No updates under this filter.