Summary
The Thai Social Insurance system covers disability maternity and death benefits, child and pension benefits, and unemployment insurance. It is not fully comprehensive and is aimed primarily at Thai nationals, even though non Thai employees participate in the scheme.
Details
Contributions
Total contributions to the social security branches are 5% for employers and 5% for employees. Because of the income caps used to calculate social security, the maximum amount payable per year by each of the employer and employee is around $260.
Treaties
Thailand does not have any functioning social security agreements, but given the level of contributions, the potential for double charging of social security is not a significant cost issue for employers.
Exemptions
Because of the low level of contributions, exemptions are not applicable.
Administration
The Social Security Office is responsible for administering the operation of the Thai social insurance system. The same registration deadline – 30 days after starting work – applies to foreign nationals as to Thai nationals.
Benefits
Cash benefits paid under the Thai scheme are, while wide-ranging, generally very low. With regard to retirement benefits, an employee who has paid contributions for at least 15 years will receive retirement pay, which is around 20% of the average monthly salary (capped) for the last five years of employment. Most other benefits (maternity, child allowance, invalidity etc) are dependent on previous periods of contributions – usually three months but in some cases five or more.
Social security insights are intended to provide quick and straightforward insights into social security regimes. Always seek professional advice based on actual circumstances before acting.
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