Planned Regulatory Changes in Thailand Favourable to Employees

Draft bills approved in Parliament in September could see the legal working week reduced from 48 hours to 40 hours.

HR Policy Global's Take: Thailand is a top-tier manufacturing destination in ASEAN, providing a ‘sweet-spot’ position between lower-cost countries (such as Vietnam and Cambodia) and high-skill economies (such as Japan and Korea), making it an anchor for multinational supply chains.  Changes to the Labour Act will continue to make it an investment destination for multinationals seeking higher global labour standards.   

The Key Details 

Several bills amending the Labour Protection Act (LPA) were tabled in parliament in September and were unanimously approved. While still in process, notable elements include: 

• A bill to reduce standard working hours from 48 hours to 40 hours per week and for hazardous work to 35 hours per week 

• A bill requiring employers to provide at least two rest days per week, and ensuring no more than five consecutive working days without a rest day 

• Increased leave entitlements: for example, workers who have continuously worked 120 days would be entitled to at least 10 days paid annual leave (up from 6 days after one year)  

• Amendments relating to maternity/parental leave: female employees may receive 120 days maternity leave (up from ~90/98 days) and male partners up to 15 days leave in certain circumstances 

• Proposals to strengthen non-discrimination protections, menstrual leave, family care leave, and facilities for breastfeeding/breast-milk expression  

• A separate bill aimed at protections for informal workers (e.g., delivery riders, digital content creators) including mandatory registration, recognizing that some 20 million informal workers in Thailand currently fall outside standard labour protections. 

Split into two bills, the amendments relating to parental leave and informal workers are likely to be approved first.  Sources suggest the reduced work week and enhanced leave provisions may be implemented later in 2026/early 2027. 

Key takeaways for employers 

Keep abreast of the passage of the labour bills.  Implementation of changes will not take place until the bills are gazetted and may occur in a phased manner. 

Prepare scenarios modelling adjusted working hours and enhance leave provisions, considering the potential rise in employment costs, alterations in shift patterns, and the need for additional staff. 

Malaysia, Chile and Colombia have reduced (or are reducing) maximum work weeks in recent years.  Connect with your local teams to understand the implications for your company and opportunities for best practice sharing.