Révisé par ThaiLawOnline, un cabinet d'avocats thaïlandais agréé exerçant en Thaïlande depuis 2006. Avocate thaïlandaise en charge du dossier : Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., licence du barreau thaïlandais 3149/2556.
Dernière mise à jour le 5 septembre 2026
Social security (ประกันสังคม, prakan sangkhom, often referred to by the office that runs it, the SSO) is Thailand’s compulsory social insurance scheme under the Social Security Act B.E. 2533 (1990), funded by matching contributions from employee and employer plus a government share, and paying seven benefits: sickness, maternity, disability, death, child allowance, old age and unemployment. Every private-sector employee, including a foreigner holding a work permit, is enrolled by the employer. For most expatriates it is their first encounter with Thai public health cover, and the contribution record also matters at work permit renewals.
Table des matières
How the Act works
Section 33 makes membership compulsory for employees aged 15 to 60 of any private employer, regardless of nationality. The employer must register a new employee with the Social Security Office within 30 days of hiring, deducts the employee’s contribution of 5% of wages up to the current ceiling, adds its own 5%, and files the monthly return. The wage ceiling was raised in January 2026 and rises again in stages in 2029 and 2032, so the monthly deduction moves with it.
An employee who leaves work can keep cover under Section 39 by applying within six months and paying a fixed monthly premium. Section 40 is a separate voluntary scheme for self-employed Thais. Civil servants have their own system. Benefits are claimed at the SSO branch or, for medical care, at the hospital the member has chosen from the SSO list; the choice can be changed once a year.
What a foreign employee gets
Health cover. Treatment at the registered hospital is free for the member, with emergency care at any hospital protected. Sickness benefit pays 50% of wages for up to 90 days per illness, maternity pays a lump sum plus 50% of wages for 90 days, and disability, death and child allowance follow set scales. The social security guide lists each benefit and its conditions.
Unemployment and old age. An employee laid off after at least six months of contributions receives 50% of wages for up to 180 days, or 30% for 90 days after a resignation, provided registration at the employment office happens within 30 days. Old-age benefit is claimed at 55: a lump sum where contributions total less than 180 months, a monthly pension where they reach 180 months or more. A foreigner who leaves Thailand does not lose the fund; it is claimed at 55 like any other member’s. An employer that skips registration leaves the employee uninsured and complicates the later permis de travail renewal difficult.
Social security compared with the other funds
Three different payroll funds are easily confused. Social security is the joint-contribution scheme above. The Workmen’s Compensation Fund, under a separate Act, is paid by the employer alone and covers injury, illness or death arising from work. From October 2026 an Employee Welfare Fund adds a small further contribution from each side, per the timetable in the guide to coming changes.
| Scheme | Who pays | Ce que cela couvre |
|---|---|---|
| Social security (Section 33) | Employee 5%, employer 5%, government share | Seven benefits including non-work sickness, maternity, unemployment, old age |
| Workmen’s Compensation Fund | Employer only, rate by industry risk | Work-related injury, illness, disability and death |
| Employee Welfare Fund (from October 2026) | Employee and employer, small percentage each | Lump sum on leaving employment or death |
| Private health insurance | Individual or employer, by contract | Whatever the policy says; often required for visas |
Foire aux questions
Do foreigners have to pay social security in Thailand?
Yes. A foreigner employed by a Thai employer is registered under Section 33 and pays 5% of wages up to the ceiling, matched by the employer. It is not optional, and immigration expects to see the contribution records at work permit and extension renewals.
What does Thai social security cover?
Seven benefits: sickness, maternity, disability, death, child allowance, old age and unemployment. Medical treatment is at the hospital the member registers with, and cash benefits are usually a percentage of the insured wage for a fixed period.
Can I get my social security contributions back when I leave Thailand?
Not immediately. Old-age contributions are paid out at age 55, as a lump sum where there are fewer than 180 months of contributions and as a pension otherwise. The other contributions are insurance premiums and are not refunded.
Voir aussi : permis de travail, 4:1 Thai-to-foreign employee ratio, contrat de travail, numéro d'identification fiscale, and the guides on la sécurité sociale en Thaïlande ET employee rights.
Actualités juridiques thaïlandaises, gratuites par courriel
Des informations claires et concises sur les changements législatifs thaïlandais concernant les étrangers : propriété, visas, mariage, affaires et testaments. Un court courriel par mois, envoyé par un cabinet d’avocats établi depuis 2006. Zéro spam, désabonnement possible à tout moment.