News

The Thai government announced on 22 October that an amendment to the Home Workers Protection Act has been submitted to the House of Representatives: employers who fail to pay home workers on time must pay default interest at 15% a year, plus a further 15% for every full seven days of willful default; the scope of the law is proposed to expand from industry to commerce, agriculture and services.

What the Amendment Changes

According to an announcement by the Deputy Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister on 22 October, the draft Home Workers Protection Act (Amendment) proposed by the Ministry of Labour has been submitted to the House of Representatives, amending the current law of 2010. The government said the aim is to close loopholes in labor law and prevent employers from withholding payment owed to home workers.

Pay standards. Pay must not be lower than the wage standards under the labor protection law (where the nature of the work is the same as work performed within the business), or must follow standards set by the committee; payment must be made in Thai baht, unless the worker agrees to accept negotiable instruments or foreign currency.

Liability for late payment. Employers who fail to pay wages, return deposits, or pay medical, rehabilitation or funeral expenses must pay default interest at 15% a year; where the default is willful, without reasonable cause and exceeds seven days, a further 15% of the amount owed is payable for every full seven days. Employers may deposit the amount with the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to stop interest from accruing.

Scope. Expanded from industry to commerce, agriculture and services, as specified by Royal Decree; electronic documents are recognized by law.

Protection of children and pregnant women. Employing children under 15 is prohibited; the minimum age for hazardous work is raised from 15 to 18. Assigning minors under 18 or pregnant women to hazardous work that results in injury or death is punishable by up to four years' imprisonment or a fine of up to THB 2 million.

Penalties. Minor violations, such as failing to prepare documents, will be subject to administrative fines instead; criminal cases end once the employer complies with an order or judgment.

Current Status

The draft is still under consideration by the House of Representatives and has not yet become law. The Ministry of Labour said it is open to suggestions and to amendments at the committee stage. The final provisions will be those passed by Parliament and published in the Royal Gazette.

Same Week: Research on Protecting Informal Workers

The government website also reported on 22 October that the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare and King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok signed a memorandum of understanding to study the protection of informal workers, including home workers, domestic workers, seasonal agricultural workers and new forms of employment. Taken together, the two announcements show the Ministry of Labour extending protection beyond regular in-house employees to outsourced processing and flexible employment.

Key Points

• The amendment has been submitted to the House of Representatives and is not yet in force.

• Late payment carries default interest of 15% a year, plus a further 15% for every full seven days of willful default.

• The scope is proposed to expand to commerce, agriculture and services.

• The minimum age for hazardous work is proposed to rise to 18, with related violations carrying fines of up to THB 2 million.

Z&X Insight

Factories that outsource part of their processing to home workers should first review their existing outsourcing contracts, piece rates and payment cycles; once the law is passed, interest and surcharges on late payments will directly add to costs. Z&X Annual Finance & Tax Advisory Retainer provides monthly online thematic training and online consultation, and can advise on the finance and tax treatment of employment arrangements.

Sources

• รัฐบาลเดินหน้าปิดช่องโหว่กฎหมายแรงงาน สกัดนายจ้างเบี้ยวค่าจ้างผู้รับงานที่บ้าน ค้างจ่ายเจอดอกเบี้ย 15% ปรับหนักสุด 2 ล้าน (Government Moves to Close Labor Law Loopholes, Stops Employers from Withholding Home Workers' Pay: 15% Interest on Arrears, Fines of up to 2 Million) | Royal Thai Government website (Deputy Spokesperson, Office of the Prime Minister) | 2026-10-22 | https://www.thaigov.go.th/th/news/170420

• กสร. – มจพ. ผนึกความร่วมมือทางวิชาการ ยกระดับการคุ้มครองแรงงานนอกระบบ (Department of Labour Protection and Welfare and KMUTNB Join Forces in Academic Cooperation to Enhance Protection of Informal Workers) | Royal Thai Government website | 2026-10-22 | https://www.thaigov.go.th/th/news/170445