本文作者/The Author：
克赖索恩·阮坤
Kraisorn Rueangkul
本文译者/The Translator：
李萌 Li Meng
一、前言 Foreword
泰国作为 “一带一路” 倡议中东南亚重要枢纽国家，凭借其优越的地理位置、日益增长的国内消费市场以及在制造业、旅游业等领域的发展潜力，正成为中资企业海外投资的热门目的地，双方在基础设施建设、数字经济、新能源等领域的合作不断深化。
As a key hub country in Southeast Asia under the "Belt and Road" Initiative, Thailand, relying on its superior geographical location, growing domestic consumer market, and development potential in fields such as manufacturing and tourism, is becoming a popular destination for overseas investment by Chinese-funded enterprises. The cooperation between the two sides in areas like infrastructure construction, digital economy, and new energy is continuously deepening.
泰国的劳动法体系在吸收国际劳工标准的同时，结合本土实际形成了独特的规范体系，尤其在劳动基准（包括工作时间、工资待遇、休息休假等）、外籍劳工雇佣（涉及配额限制、工作许可审批等严格流程）以及外商投资公司的雇佣管理（如本地员工比例要求等）方面有着极为细致且严格的规定，这些构成了中资企业在泰国开展业务时必须高度重视的合规挑战。
Thailand's labor law system, while absorbing international labor standards, has formed a unique regulatory system combined with local realities. It has extremely detailed and strict provisions especially in terms of labor standards (including working hours, wage benefits, rest and leave, etc.), employment of foreign workers (involving strict procedures such as quota restrictions and work permit approval), and employment management of foreign-invested companies (such as requirements on the proportion of local employees). These constitute compliance challenges that Chinese-funded enterprises must attach great importance to when conducting business in Thailand.
《泰国劳动法概览》由Kraisorn Rueangkul、Trin Ratanachand、Chayanee Chumchun和Jirapas Naphathorn四位律师倾力撰写，他们深入梳理泰国劳动法的各项实体条文与司法实践中的典型案例，细致剖析用工管理里的刚性约束条款和隐藏的风险隐患，力求帮助中资投资者打破文化隔阂与制度壁垒，搭建起从招聘、薪酬到解雇的全流程合规管理框架，为中资企业在泰国市场的持续发展提供坚实的法律保障。
Thailand Labor Law Guide is elaborately written by four lawyers, namely Kraisorn Rueangkul, Trin Ratanachand, Chayanee Chumchun, and Jirapas Naphathorn. They have in-depth sorted out various substantive provisions of Thai labor laws and typical cases in judicial practice, carefully analyzed the rigid restrictive clauses and hidden risks in employment management, and strived to help Chinese investors break down cultural barriers and institutional obstacles, build a full-process compliance management framework from recruitment and remuneration to dismissal, so as to provide solid legal protection for the sustainable development of Chinese-funded enterprises in the Thai market.
（下文为《泰国劳动法概览》节选内容下半部分，完整版详见《一带一路沿线国家劳动法律环境报告》之泰国篇）
(The following content is excerpted from Thailand Labor Law Overview - Part B. For the full version, refer to the Thailand Chapter in Invitation to Contribute to The Labor Law Environment Report of the "Belt and Road" Countries.)
二、外国公司的雇佣规则 Employment Rules for Foreign Companies
外国公司必须在泰国设立合法机构，才能通过当地雇员开展业务。可选择的方式包括设立有限责任公司、代表处或分公司等。
A foreign company must establish a legal presence in Thailand before conducting business through local employees. This can be done by setting up a limited company, representative office, or branch office, among other options.
此外，外国公司在泰国运营时，必须遵守所有法定义务和适用的劳动法。除了关于泰国员工与外国员工比例的要求外，外国公司与泰国公司之间没有特别的区别。具体而言，外国公司的分公司或代表处需达到1:1的比例，而希望雇用一名外国员工的一般泰国公司则需达到4:1的比例。
Additionally, foreign companies operating in Thailand must comply with all statutory obligations and applicable labor laws. There is no specific different treatment between and among foreign and Thai companies, except the requirements concerning the Thai to foreign employees ratio which would be 1:1 in the case of a branch or representative office of a foreign company, and 4:1 for general Thai companies who wish to employe one foreigner You can see further below the discussion on the legal requirements concerning the work permit which would be a mandatory requirement for employment of a foreigner.
三、外籍劳工 Foreign Workers
紧急法令禁止外国人从事某些职业，包括土木工程、建筑、秘书工作和法律。此外，劳工部还根据泰国员工数量、对泰国经济的贡献以及其他监管要求，限制公司可以雇佣的外国员工数量。
The Emergency Decree prohibits foreigners from working in certain occupations, including civil engineering, architecture, secretarial work, and law. Additionally, the Ministry of Labor enforces restrictions on the number of foreign employees a company can hire, considering factors such as the number of Thai employees, financial contributions to the Thai economy, and other regulatory requirements.
除特定豁免外，所有在泰国工作的外国人都必须获得工作许可。该许可指定了外国员工可工作的雇主，明确了工作职责和允许的工作地点，并通常有效期为1年，某些情况下可延长或续期至2年。
Except for specific exemptions, all foreign nationals working in Thailand must obtain a work permit. The permit specifies the employer the foreign employee is authorized to work for, defines the job duties and work location permitted under the permit, and is generally valid for 1 year, with possible extensions or renewals of up to 2 years in some cases.
通常情况下，如果一家有限公司每雇佣一名外国员工，至少需要雇佣4名泰国员工，并且为每位外国员工提供至少2,000,000泰铢（约58,000美元）的全额资本，同时证明外国员工的技能对公司是必要的，那么该公司就可以雇用外国员工。外国员工只能在工作许可上列出的雇主处工作。如果雇主不是泰国注册的实体，员工必须通过泰国的持牌就业机构雇佣，并且在申请工作许可时，需提供明确的工作职责和工作地点的文件。
Generally, a limited company can employ a foreign worker if it hires at least 4 Thai employees for each foreign employee sponsored, has at least THB 2,000,000 (approx. USD 58,000) in fully paid capital for each foreign employee, and demonstrates that the foreign employee’s skills are necessary for the company. Foreign employees can only work for the employer listed on their work permit. If the employer is not a Thai-registered entity, the employee must be hired through a licensed employment agency in Thailand, with clear documentation of job duties and work location when applying for a work permit.
四、劳动关系解除/终止 Termination of Employment
（一）概述 Overview
根据《劳动保护法》（LPA），雇主可以在提前通知相当于一个工资周期的情况下解除与员工的合同，通常为一个月，但不超过三个月。
Under the LPA, an employer may terminate an employee's contract by providing advance notice equivalent to one payroll period, typically one month but not exceeding three months.
如果雇主选择立即解除合同，必须向员工支付相当于从解除日期到法定通知期结束期间应得工资的替代通知金。
If the employer opts for immediate termination, they must compensate the employee with a payment in lieu of notice, equal to the wages the employee would have earned from the termination date until the legally required notice period would have ended.
然而，对于有因解除的情况，提前通知和替代通知金的要求不适用。如果解除雇佣关系，雇主有义务向雇员提供遣散费，除非解除属于有因解除。
However, this requirement for advance notice and payment in lieu of notice does not apply in cases of termination for cause. In the event of employment termination, the employer is obligated to provide severance pay to the employee, unless the termination qualifies as a termination for cause.
（二）有因解除 Termination of employment for cause
如果雇员因《劳资关系法》第119条所列原因被解雇，则雇主无需支付遣散费或发出解雇通知，这些原因包括：
雇员不诚实地履行其职责或故意对雇主犯下刑事罪行。
雇员故意对雇主造成损害。
雇员的过失行为给雇主造成严重损失。
员工在收到书面警告后，违反了雇主的合法且公正的工作规则、规定或命令。书面警告的有效期为自员工违规之日起一年（不过，在员工严重违规的情况下，雇主无需给予书面警告）。
员工无正当理由连续缺勤三天（无论中间是否有假期）。
雇员被终审法院判决监禁（但是，如果监禁是由于轻微的罪行或过失所犯的罪行，该罪行也必须对雇主造成损害）。
An employer is not required to make a severance payment or provide notice of termination if an employee is terminated for causes set out in Section 119 of the LPA, which are the following instances:
The employee performed their duty dishonestly or intentionally committed a criminal offence against the employer.
The employee wilfully caused damage to the employer.
The employee committed negligent acts causing serious damage to the employer.
The employee violated the work rules, regulations or orders of the employer that were lawful and just after a written warning was given by the employer. A written warning is valid for up to one year from the date when the employee committed the offence (though in serious cases of a breach by the employee there is no requirement for the employer to give a written warning).
The employee was absent without justifiable reason for three consecutive working days (regardless of whether there was holiday in between).
The employee was sentenced to imprisonment by a final court judgment (however, if the imprisonment is for a petty offence or offences committed by negligence, the offence must also have caused damage to the employer).
（三）遣散费/经济补偿金 Severance Pay
当因非法定原因解除雇佣关系、员工退休或雇主永久关闭业务时，必须提供遣散费。
Severance pays must be provided when employment is terminated for reasons other than statutory cause, when an employee retires, or when the employer permanently closes its business.
根据《劳工法》规定的最低遣散费如下:
The minimum severance pay under LPA are as follows:
（四）特殊经济补偿/遣散费 Special Severance Pay
如果因业务重组，如机械或技术变更而被解雇，雇主需提前60天通知受影响的员工及劳动监察部门。若未提前通知，则雇主还需支付员工60天的特别遣散费，加上任何适用的普通遣散费。此外，服务满六年的员工在类似情况下被解雇，有权获得额外的特别补偿。该补偿为每服务一年支付15天的工资，最高不超过360天。
If the dismissal occurs due to the restructuring of the business under the reason of changes in machinery or technology, the employer is required to provide 60 days'advance notice of dismissal to both the affected employees and the Labor Inspection Office. If this notice is not given, the employer must pay the employee 60 days'special severance pay in addition to any applicable ordinary severance pay. Additionally, employees with six or more years of service who are dismissed under such circumstances are entitled to special compensation. This compensation amounts to 15 days'pay for each year of service, up to a maximum of 360 days'pay.
五、社会保障 Social Security
根据《社会保障法》B.E.2533（1990年）设立的社会保障基金要求雇主和雇员每月向社会保险基金缴纳费用。目前的缴费率为雇员收入的5%，并有法律规定了缴费上限。
The Social Security Fund, created under the Social Security Act B.E. 2533 (1990), mandates that both employers and employees make monthly contributions to the Social Insurance Fund. The contribution rate is currently 5% of an employee's income, with a maximum contribution cap as prescribed by law.
社会保障基金为员工提供全面的福利，涵盖疾病、残疾、死亡、生育、儿童福利、失业和老年等多方面的情况。
The Social Security Fund provides comprehensive benefits to employees, offering financial protection in various situations such as illness, disability, death, childbirth, child welfare, unemployment, and old age.
作者简介/About the Authors
克赖索恩·阮坤 Kraisorn Rueangkul
Kraisorn 是 DFDL 泰国分所的国家合伙人，同时担任外国直接投资、监管与合规及雇佣业务组的国家负责人。
Kraisorn 常驻曼谷，为广泛的客户群体提供服务，涉及单一法域及多法域的并购交易、外国直接投资架构搭建、合资企业架构搭建，以及制造业、食品饮料、物流、科技、银行与金融等多个行业的监管与合规事宜。
他发表过多篇文章，曾在各类活动及研讨会上担任演讲嘉宾，并在高校担任外国直接投资、并购及雇佣法方面的特聘讲师。
他拥有泰国法政大学法学学士学位及英国杜伦大学法学硕士学位。
Kraisorn is a Country Partner of DFDL Thailand, and the Country Head of the foreign direct investment, regulatory & compliance, and employment practice groups.
Based in Bangkok, Kraisorn works with a broad range of clients on single and multi-jurisdictional mergers, acquisitions, foreign direct investment structuring and joint venture structuring, regulatory and compliance in various sectors, including manufacturing, food and beverage, logistics, technology, banking and finance.
He has published several articles and has been a speaker at events and seminars, and a special university lecturer on foreign direct investment, M&A, and employment laws.
He holds an LL.B. from Thammasat University, Thailand, and an LL.M. from Durham University, U.K.
李萌 Li Meng
李萌实习律师，主要执业领域为劳动法、社会保障法。协助合伙人处理过诸多劳动争议与法律咨询。
李萌律师具有社会法学科背景，本科毕业于华东政法大学，取得学士学位。硕士就读于中国人民大学社会法专业。擅长企业制度设计与审查、跨境与区域协调、争议解决、商业秘密保护。为多家大型企业提供人力资源管理和法律咨询服务。
工作语言为中文和英文。
Li Meng is a trainee lawyer whose main practice areas are labor law and social security law. She has assisted partners in handling many labor disputes and legal consultations.
Ms. Li Meng has a background in social law and received her bachelor's degree from East China University of Political Science and Law. She received her bachelor's degree from East China University of Political Science and Law and her master's degree from Renmin University of China, majoring in social law. She specializes in corporate system design and review, cross-border and regional coordination, dispute resolution, and trade secret protection. She has provided human resources management and legal counseling services to many large enterprises.
Her working languages are Chinese and English.
