A practical guide to the documents you must collect when hiring in Thailand — and the deadlines you can’t miss.
Hiring in Thailand comes with specific documentation requirements under Thai labor law. Miss a document or a deadline, and you risk fines, payroll delays, or compliance issues during government inspections.
This guide covers every document you need to collect from new employees in Thailand, why each one matters, and the deadlines you need to meet. Whether you’re an HR manager at a Thai company or a foreign business hiring locally, this is your compliance checklist.
Documents Required by Thai Labor Law
1. National ID Card (บัตรประจำตัวประชาชน)
What: A copy of the employee’s Thai national ID card (both front and back).
Why: Required for identity verification, social security registration, and tax reporting. The 13-digit citizen ID number is used across all government filings.
Deadline: Collect before or on Day 1. You cannot register the employee with the Social Security Office without it.
Note: For foreign employees, collect a copy of their passport and valid work permit instead.
2. House Registration (ทะเบียนบ้าน)
What: A copy of the employee’s house registration document.
Why: Used for tax residency verification and official correspondence address. Required for social security registration.
Deadline: Collect within the first week. Needed for social security registration which must happen within 30 days.
3. Tax Identification Number (เลขประจำตัวผู้เสียภาษี)
What: The employee’s personal tax ID, which in most cases is the same as their national ID number for Thai citizens.
Why: Required for withholding tax calculations and year-end tax filings (PND.1). The employer must withhold personal income tax from every payroll cycle.
Deadline: Before the first payroll run. You cannot process payroll correctly without it.
4. Social Security Registration (ประกันสังคม)
What: Registration of the new employee with the Social Security Office (SSO).
Why: Thai law requires employers to register all employees with the SSO within 30 days of their start date. Both employer and employee contribute 5% of salary (capped at a salary of 15,000 THB) to the Social Security Fund.
Deadline: Within 30 days of start date. Late registration can result in fines and back-payment of contributions.
Documents needed for SSO registration:
– SSO Form 1-03 (สปส. 1-03) — new employee notification
– Copy of employee’s national ID card
– Copy of house registration
– One passport-sized photo (1 inch)
5. Bank Account Details
What: Employee’s bank account number and bank name for salary transfers.
Why: While not legally mandated to use bank transfer, most Thai companies pay salaries via bank transfer. The employee needs an active account at a Thai bank.
Deadline: Before the first payroll run.
Note: Some companies require the employee to open an account at a specific bank. Allow time for this during the first week if needed.
6. Employment Contract (สัญญาจ้างแรงงาน)
What: A signed employment contract specifying terms of employment.
Why: While Thai labor law recognizes verbal employment agreements, a written contract protects both parties. It should include: position, salary, benefits, working hours, probation period, and termination conditions.
Deadline: Ideally signed before or on Day 1. At minimum, before the end of the probation period.
Required elements under Thai law:
– Employer and employee names
– Job position and description
– Compensation and payment schedule
– Working hours and days
– Leave entitlements
– Probation period (if any, maximum 119 days)
– Termination conditions
7. Work Rules Acknowledgment (ข้อบังคับเกี่ยวกับการทำงาน)
What: Employee acknowledgment that they have received and read the company’s work rules.
Why: Companies with 10+ employees are legally required to establish written work rules and file them with the Labour Protection Welfare Office. New employees must be informed of these rules.
Deadline: Within the first week. Keep a signed acknowledgment on file.
Work rules must cover:
– Working days, hours, and rest periods
– Holidays and leave policies
– Overtime rules and payment
– Salary payment dates and methods
– Disciplinary procedures
– Termination procedures
– Benefits
8. Educational Certificates
What: Copies of degrees, diplomas, or relevant certifications.
Why: Not legally required in most cases, but necessary for verifying qualifications — especially for roles that require specific licenses (medical, engineering, accounting, teaching).
Deadline: During the first week. Some regulated professions require verification before the employee can begin work.
9. Emergency Contact Information
What: Name, relationship, and phone number of at least one emergency contact.
Why: Required under workplace safety regulations. The Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act requires employers to maintain emergency contact information for all employees.
Deadline: Day 1.
10. Health Certificate (if applicable)
What: Medical examination results or health certificate.
Why: Required for certain industries (food handling, healthcare, childcare) and may be required by company policy. Some companies require a pre-employment health check for all employees.
Deadline: Varies by industry. For regulated industries, must be obtained before the employee begins work.
Additional Documents for Foreign Employees
If you’re hiring a foreign national, additional documents are required:
| Document | Purpose | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Valid passport copy | Identity verification | Day 1 |
| Work permit (ใบอนุญาตทำงาน) | Legal authorization to work | Must have before starting work |
| Non-Immigrant B visa | Legal stay in Thailand | Must be valid before starting |
| Work permit photos (3×4 cm) | Work permit application | With application |
| Educational credentials (apostilled) | Qualification verification | With work permit application |
Important: A foreign employee cannot legally start work without a valid work permit. Employing someone without a work permit carries fines of up to 100,000 THB per offense for the employer, and the employee may face deportation.
Key Deadlines Summary
| Document/Action | Deadline | Penalty for Non-Compliance |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security registration | 30 days from start | Fines + back-payment |
| Withholding tax setup | Before first payroll | Incorrect tax filing |
| Work rules acknowledgment | First week | Compliance risk in disputes |
| Employment contract | Day 1 (recommended) | Weaker legal protection |
| Work permit (foreign) | Before start date | Up to 100,000 THB fine |
Digital Document Collection
Collecting these documents manually — via email, Line messages, or physical copies — is slow and error-prone, especially when onboarding multiple employees.
A better approach is to use a digital onboarding tool that lets new hires upload documents directly from their phone:
- New hire receives a task list with clear instructions for each document
- They photograph or upload each document from their phone
- HR reviews and approves documents from a central dashboard
- All documents are stored securely and organized automatically
OnboardFlow is built for exactly this workflow. New hires see a simple checklist on their phone. HR manages everything from monday.com. No more chasing documents over email.
Compliance Checklist
Use this checklist for every new hire in Thailand:
Before Day 1:
– [ ] Employment contract signed
– [ ] National ID card copy collected
– [ ] House registration copy collected
– [ ] Tax ID confirmed
– [ ] Bank account details received
– [ ] Work permit verified (foreign employees)
Week 1:
– [ ] Work rules acknowledgment signed
– [ ] Emergency contact information collected
– [ ] Educational certificates collected
– [ ] Health certificate obtained (if required)
– [ ] SSO registration documents prepared
Within 30 Days:
– [ ] Social Security registration completed (Form 1-03)
– [ ] Employee added to payroll system
– [ ] All documents filed and backed up
OnboardFlow helps Thai companies collect all required documents digitally. New hires upload everything from their phone, and HR reviews it in monday.com. No more chasing documents over Line. Try it free.