Starting a job in Thailand: what has to be agreed (and what doesn't have to be written down)
Thai law doesn't require a written contract to be valid — but businesses with 10+ staff must have written work rules, and hiring a foreign worker means a work permit before their first shift, not after.
The quick version
A verbal job agreement is legally binding in Thailand — a written contract isn't strictly required. But any business with 10 or more employees must have written work rules that staff can actually access, and getting the basics agreed up front (role, pay, hours) saves both sides from disputes later. If the new hire isn't a Thai national, there's one more step: a work permit must be approved before their first shift, not arranged afterward.
What the law says
- Contracts don't have to be written to be valid — a clear verbal agreement is legally binding. Written terms are strongly recommended anyway: they're your evidence if a dispute ever reaches the Labour Court.
- What should be clear either way: position/duties, pay rate and payday, workplace location, working hours, and how the job can end (notice, severance — see our probation, notice and severance article for that side of it).
- Written work rules are mandatory at 10+ employees (Labour Protection Act): covering working days/hours, holidays, leave, discipline, and grievance handling. They must be posted or otherwise genuinely accessible to staff — not filed in a drawer.
- Foreign workers need a work permit before starting work, on top of the correct visa category (typically Non-Immigrant "B"). Permits are renewed annually. Some occupations are reserved for Thai nationals under the Alien Employment Act — check before hiring, not after.
- Employers sponsoring foreign staff must meet the Ministry of Labour's own eligibility requirements (company registration, capital, and other conditions) — this is on the business, not the worker, to arrange correctly.
Both sides
For employees
- You can ask for terms in writing even if the law doesn't require it — a good employer won't refuse, and it protects you if pay or duties get disputed later.
- Keep anything that shows your agreed terms: messages, a schedule, payslips. That's your evidence too.
- If you're a foreign worker: confirm your work permit is actually approved before you work a single shift. Working without one is a real legal risk for you, not just the employer.
For employers
- Put the basics in writing even under 10 staff — it's cheap insurance against a dispute that costs far more later.
- At 10+ employees, get written work rules done and genuinely visible — a labour inspection will ask for them.
- Never let a foreign hire start before the permit clears. "We'll sort the paperwork later" is the single most common way employers end up in violation.
Myths & gray areas
- "No written contract means no real job / no protection." False. A verbal agreement is binding — you don't lose your rights for lack of paperwork.
- "Any foreign national can work any job once they have a permit." Not quite — certain occupations are reserved for Thai nationals regardless of permit status. Confirm the role is open to foreign workers before you hire or accept the job.
- "Work rules are just internal paperwork, optional in practice." Not at 10+ employees — it's a legal requirement, and "we didn't get around to it" isn't a defence in an inspection.
What good looks like
Give every new hire a short written summary on day one — even a simple message covering role, pay, hours, and start date is enough to prevent most disputes. If you're at 10+ staff, keep your work rules genuinely accessible, not just filed. And if you're bringing on a foreign worker, treat the permit as a hard gate before their first shift — not a formality to catch up on later.
Sources
Plain-language summary, not legal advice.
Laws and figures change. For your situation, confirm with the source or a licensed Thai lawyer. Department of Labour Protection & Welfare hotline: 1506. Disputes can go to the Labour Court.
Related
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