Minimum Wage in Thailand

Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.

Last updated on 5 October 2026

Minimum wage (ค่าจ้างขั้นต่ำ, kha jang khan tam, sometimes written minimum daily wage) is the lowest daily rate an employer may lawfully pay an employee, fixed province by province by the National Wage Committee under the Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541 and currently 337 to 400 baht per day. It applies to every employee in the private sector regardless of nationality, so a Burmese construction worker and a Thai office clerk in the same province share the same floor. For a foreign employer it matters twice: once for the Thai staff on the payroll, and again because those staff underpin the work permit ratio.

How the rate is set and applied

The National Wage Committee, a tripartite body chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour with employer and worker representatives, fixes the rates after provincial subcommittees report on the cost of living, employer capacity and local conditions. The current rates come from Wage Committee Announcement No. 14 of 17 June 2025, in force since 1 July 2025. The rate is a daily figure for a normal working day, which Section 23 caps at 8 hours (7 in work hazardous to health).

A contract term paying less is unenforceable to that extent, and the employee can recover the shortfall through the labour inspector or the Labour Court. An employer paying below the rate breaches Section 90 and faces imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both (Section 144). Separate minimum rates apply to holders of national skill certificates in listed trades, and a nationwide rate of 400 baht applies to hotels in grades 2, 3 and 4 under the Hotel Act and to service (entertainment) establishments, whatever the province.

What it means for a foreign employer or employee

For the employer. The Thai employees counted towards the 4:1 ratio must be paid at least the provincial rate, on the payroll and on social security; in Bangkok that is 400 baht a day, or 12,000 baht for a monthly employee, before the employer’s 5% contribution. Pay records, the PND.1 withholding return and the monthly social security form are what the Department of Employment and Immigration read to confirm the staff are real.

For the foreign employee. The minimum wage is rarely the binding figure. A one-year extension of stay for work, which is an immigration permission and not the work permit itself, requires a salary set by nationality, from 25,000 to 50,000 baht per month, which sits well above any provincial minimum. The minimum wage guide keeps the full provincial table and the skilled-trade rates current. Wages must be paid in baht unless the employee agrees otherwise, at least once a month, and late payment carries 15% interest per year.

The rates by province

Rates are grouped into bands. The extremes and the bands most relevant to expatriate employers are below; three provinces have a higher rate in one district only.

A monthly salary is checked against the daily rate by dividing by 30, so any monthly figure under 12,000 baht in Bangkok is below the minimum.

Last reviewed: 29 September 2026. Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541 sections 23, 90 and 144 were read in Thai in the consolidated text through Amendment No. 9 B.E. 2568. The rate bands and the hotel and entertainment rate were checked against the firm’s minimum wage guide, itself reviewed against Wage Committee Announcement No. 14; the announcement was not re-read in this review, nor were the immigration salary thresholds.

Frequently asked questions

See also: Labour Protection Act, 4:1 Thai-to-foreign employee ratio, employment contract, social security, and the guides on the minimum wage by province and employee rights in Thailand.