Thailand’s 2025 Paid Leave Reforms — Strengthening Worker Welfare

• Maternity leave extended to 98 calendar days with shared employer-SSO financial responsibility
• New mandatory 3 paid personal leave days per year for “necessary business” matters
• Sick leave standardized at up to 30 paid days annually with medical certificate requirements
• Draft paternity leave proposals suggest up to 15 days of paid leave for fathers or spouses

Thailand’s labor laws saw sweeping changes in 2025, with a renewed focus on employee wellbeing, family support, and work-life balance. At the heart of these reforms is the significant expansion of statutory paid leave entitlements across key categories—maternity, paternity, sick, personal business, and annual leave. These updates not only modernize the country’s employment framework but also bring it closer in line with international labor standards, while placing greater responsibilities on employers to comply, adapt, and communicate.

The reforms also come amid broader efforts to improve protections for contract and gig economy workers, ensuring that all segments of the labor market benefit from fair and inclusive policies.

Perhaps the most substantial change in 2025 revolves around maternity and parental leave.

Under the revised Labor Protection Act, maternity leave has been extended to 98 calendar days per pregnancy. This includes weekends, public holidays, and other paid leave entitlements. The financial responsibility is shared between the employer and the Social Security Office (SSO). Specifically:

• Employers are obligated to pay the employee’s full salary for the first 45 days.
• The remaining 53 days are compensated through the SSO at 50% of the employee’s wage, capped under existing rules.

This extended leave aims to provide better postpartum care, promote early bonding, and ease the transition for working mothers back into the workforce.

In the public sector, benefits are even more generous. Government employees are eligible for 188 days of leave—98 days fully paid and an optional 98 days at half pay. Though not yet law in the private sector, this model may influence future reform and serves as a potential benchmark.

In addition, paternity and parental leave reforms are currently under legislative review with draft proposals suggesting up to 15 days of paid leave for fathers or spouses, signaling increased policy support for dual-parent caregiving. While not yet finalized, employers should stay informed as these provisions are expected to evolve in the near future.

Employees are now entitled to up to 30 days of paid sick leave per year. The law permits employers to request a medical certificate if the absence extends beyond three consecutive days, helping to maintain accountability while respecting employee health needs.

For absences exceeding the 30-day limit, employers may classify the remaining days as unpaid leave or deduct them from annual leave, depending on internal policy.

This provision encourages responsible use of sick days while promoting a healthier and more transparent work culture.

The law now mandates that employers grant at least three paid days per year for personal or “necessary business” matters. While the legislation doesn’t define “necessary business” in exact terms, employers are expected to:

• Establish clear criteria for acceptable reasons (e.g., legal appointments, family emergencies)
• Include detailed approval procedures in employee handbooks and internal work rules
• Ensure this leave is treated separately from annual leave and not deducted from vacation entitlements

Failure to provide or clearly define this leave could lead to internal disputes or labor inspector scrutiny.

Annual leave continues to be a cornerstone of Thai labor protections. Employees who have completed one full year of continuous service are entitled to a minimum of six paid annual leave days.

However, recent reforms clarified and strengthened how employers must manage this entitlement:

• Leave should be scheduled by the employer, though best practice encourages mutual agreement with employees
• Employers must not allow leave to lapse without offering employees the opportunity to use it
• If leave is unused, it must be carried forward, and failure to do so may entitle employees to claim wage compensation—retroactively—for up to two years
• Non-compliance may lead to fines of up to THB 20,000

Thailand also mandates 13–16 national public holidays, depending on government declarations each year. If work is required on a public holiday, employers must provide a substitute day off or holiday pay, as applicable.

The 2025 legal framework also retains various special leave entitlements, many of which are not widely understood but remain critical to compliance:

• Military service leave – up to 60 paid days, applicable for conscription or training obligations
• Ordination leave – typically up to 30 days, paid or unpaid depending on policy
• Post-sterilization leave – for recovery from medical sterilization procedures
• Training leave – allowed if aligned with company policy and training relevance

Employers should not only acknowledge these categories but also embed clear rules for eligibility, duration, and approval.

The enhanced leave entitlements demand proactive steps by employers to remain compliant and retain trust among employees. Here’s how HR departments should respond:

1. Update policies and contracts: Reflect new entitlements across HR handbooks, employment agreements, and onboarding documents
2. Clarify personal leave criteria: Include concrete examples, application procedures, and response timelines in internal work rules
3. Upgrade HR systems: Ensure leave types, accrual balances, and carry-over data are accurately tracked in your HRIS or payroll system
4. Train managers and HR staff: Conduct internal workshops to ensure everyone understands the new policies and how to implement them
5. Communicate proactively: Notify employees via briefings, internal portals, or digital handbooks about their updated rights

These reforms do more than improve statutory protections—they reflect Thailand’s evolution toward a more equitable labor market. As the country seeks to attract foreign investment and remain competitive in global talent markets, demonstrating robust worker protections is critical.

Companies that embrace these changes early not only mitigate compliance risks but also:

• Improve employee morale and retention
• Strengthen brand reputation as a fair employer
• Foster trust and reduce conflict over unclear policies

In the long term, offering transparent, generous leave benefits is not just a compliance matter—it’s a talent strategy.

Managing complex leave entitlements requires robust systems that can handle Thailand’s evolving labor laws. Sprout’s comprehensive HR management platform helps Thai businesses stay compliant with automated leave tracking, policy management, and real-time reporting.

Ready to modernize your HR operations? Contact our experts today to discover how Sprout can help your organization navigate Thailand’s new labor regulations with confidence.