Social Security deals with providing security and coverage to insured individuals who live in Thailand for more than 180 days. Whether they work or run a business within Thai borders, all foreigners must pay contributions to the Social Security Fund every month, as the Social Security Act requires.

As an insured person, you must contribute to the Thailand Social Security Fund to receive security and coverage while working in Thailand. This requirement is mandatory for all foreigners.

At this moment the contribution rate is 5% of an employee’s salary. During COVID-19, the Thai government decided to reduce the Social Security Fund from 5% to 3%. This reduction was available from January 2021 to March 2021. Ever since then, the Social Security Fund in Thailand has returned to 5%.

Thailand calculates the contribution based on the minimum salary. For the minimum salary which is THB 1,650, the contribution rate will be THB 83. This rate increases depending on the salary and can arrive at a maximum of THB 750 for the maximum salary in Thailand, namely THB 15,000.

If the salary of an employee exceeds THN 15,000, the contribution rate to the Social Security Fund will still be THB 750.  The Social Security Fund in Thailand is mandatory.
You must submit your contributions to the Social Security Office by the 15th of the following month.

There are two cases of social security registration in Thailand:

1. The employer who detains a company that has at least one employee aged between 15 and 60 is eligible for Social Security Fund registration. Therefore, the employer must submit for each of his employees the Social Security Fund application. This form must arrive at the Social Security Office within 30 days from the day the employee starts to work for your company.
2. The foreigner who works legally in Thailand is eligible for Social Security Fund registration. The registration consists of an application form submitted to the Social Security office. Once you complete the registration, you, as a foreign employer, will be entitled to the same benefits as any other Thai employee.
   

The Social Security Act requires individuals aged 15-60 in Thailand who work and are insured to register for the Social Security Fund.

As an insured Thai citizen, you enjoy the same benefits as other Thai citizens, despite paying contributions to the Social Security Fund.

• Receive injury and sickness benefits, such as health promotion and disease prevention
• You will receive maternity benefits
• Also, disability benefits
• Death benefits
• Child benefits
• Old-age benefits
• Unemployment benefits

According to the Social Security Act, an insured person benefits from injury or sickness benefits when the employee has paid their contributions for at least three months out of the previous 15 months before the beginning of receiving medical services.

The benefits related to injury and sickness include coverage for:

• Medical examinations
• Diagnosis
• Health promotion
• Disease prevention
• Medical treatment
• Rehabilitation
• Medicine and medical supplies
• Ambulance services and transportation to the medical institutions

Depending on the severity of sickness from a chronic illness, the employee can benefit from more than 180 days, but less than 365 days of recovery in a year, as the Ministerial Regulations relate. Nevertheless, the insured person will benefit from 50% of their salary during their absence from work. You can pay for up to 90 days per incident, and the total cannot exceed 180 days in a year.

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Maternity benefits are available for employees who have paid their contribution to the Social Security Fund in Thailand for at least five months within the last 15 months. These benefits are represented by:

– Medical Examinations

– Prenatal care

– Medical treatment

– Child delivery

– Nursery care

– Ambulance services and transportation to the medical institutions;

– Other necessary expenses.

The employee who has to leave work to give birth will benefit from 50% of the salary in a lump sum for 90 days. It is important to know that the benefits of giving birth are offered not more than two times per employee.

To be eligible for non-work disability benefits, the employee must pay contributions to the Social Security Fund of Thailand for at least 3 months within the last 15 months. The disability benefits include:

– medical examination

– diagnosis

– medicine and medical treatment

– ambulance services and transportation to medical institutions

– physical, mental, and occupational rehabilitation

– other necessary expenses

For non-work-related causes, the insured employee who has become disabled is entitled to receive financial benefits of the salary that do not exceed 50% of the salary. Both the rate and the period for receiving it will be established by the Medical Committee. In case the insured person becomes disabled for a severe disability, the employer will receive benefits of 50% of the salary.

In this case, if you want to receive death benefits for a non-work-related cause, the insured person has paid contributions for at least one month within the last 6 months before the death. For that reason, the insured person will benefit from funeral expenses. The death allowances will be shared with the person or persons whom the insured person specified in writing. On the other hand, if the insured person did not mention anyone, the death allowance will be shared equally among their first-grade relatives such as husband/wife/parents/children.

If the insured person paid contributions to the Social Security Fund in Thailand at least 36 months before the death, the monthly wage of 50% will be multiplied by four. Paying contributions for more than 120 months means 50% of the salary multiplied by 12 and also paid as allowance.

To receive child benefits, an employer must have paid contributions in at least 12 months of the past 36 months. Another condition for child benefits is that the age of the child is a maximum of 15 years old. Child benefits include:

• Children’s living expenses
• Tuition fees
• Children’s medical services
• Other necessary expenses
  

In detail, if the insured person is 55 years old or above and has paid contributions to the fund for at least 180 months, they will be eligible for old age benefits. So, these benefits consist of monthly living allowances, of lump sum payments.

At this point, an insured person who has paid their contribution to the fund for at least 15 months before becoming unemployed is entitled to receive unemployment benefits.

It is essential to register all your employees for the Social Security Fund in Thailand whether they are foreigners or Thai citizens. Their registration must be done correctly and on time. Otherwise, you will deal with penalties and many other issues with the Thai authorities. 

Therefore, choose to have an impeccable outlook regarding Social Security and contact our firm for help. Our services will bring to your company multiple benefits such as being always on time with the registration of each employee and on time with the payment of the contributions. 

Also, we will always keep you up-to-date when the law regarding Social Security changes. Count on us to make your work easier and never hesitate to ask one of our consultants if you have any questions.

Get in touch with our Legal services in Thailand – J&E Concierge law firm, Pattaya