Thailand’s average salary is shaped by strong contrasts between urban and rural areas, with Bangkok and other major cities paying more than provincial regions. 

Wages also differ across industries, with sectors such as finance, technology, and international business offering higher incomes than agriculture or small-scale manufacturing. 

Education and experience are key drivers, with entry-level roles paying considerably less than professional and executive positions, and multinational companies often providing more competitive packages than local firms.

This article breaks down average wages in Thailand drawing from the National Statistics Office Thailand’s first quarter labour survey.

Thailand’s average salary

The average wage in Thailand in the first quarter of 2025 was BHT 15,565 or US$485.79. 

Pay levels differed sharply across sectors. 

Lower wages were seen in agriculture, private household work, and small service activities, while higher wages were concentrated in information and communications, international organisations, electricity and utilities, and professional or financial services.

This reflects Thailand’s dual labour market, where traditional industries and informal employment keep national averages relatively low, but specialised urban sectors can command far higher pay.

Average monthly salary in Thailand by sector Q1 2025

Source: National Statistical Office Thailand

Regional comparison

Thailand sits in the middle of the regional wage scale. 

Its industrial sector, tourism, and services contribute to steady income levels, though earnings remain lower in rural provinces compared to Bangkok and other urban centres.

Singapore

Singapore leads ASEAN in wage levels, driven by its role as a global financial and technology hub. 

High salaries are sustained by strong productivity, advanced services, and a highly skilled workforce.

Malaysia

Malaysia ranks next, with wages reflecting its diversified industrial base across manufacturing, energy, and services. 

Urban centres such as Kuala Lumpur and Penang offer higher earnings due to greater investment and skilled employment.

Vietnam

Vietnam also occupies a middle position, with wages rising alongside its growing role as a global manufacturing hub. 

Foreign investment and export-led industries are lifting incomes, but disparities persist between urban and rural areas.

Indonesia

Indonesia shows broad variation in wages across its vast geography. 

Salaries are higher in major urban centres like Jakarta and Surabaya, where industry and services dominate, but remain modest in rural areas, especially those reliant on agriculture.

Philippines

The Philippines remains at the lower end of the ASEAN wage scale. 

While the business process outsourcing industry and remittances support segments of the economy, a large share of workers remain in lower-income roles, limiting overall salary growth.

Minimum wage in Thailand

The monthly minimum wage in Thailand is BHT 9,185.35 or US$286.68, with a daily rate of BHT 352.15 or US$10.99 and an hourly rate of BHT 44.02 or US$1.37. 

This benchmark sets the floor for earnings across the country, though actual pay often differs by region, industry, and skill level, with urban centres and specialised sectors generally offering higher wages than the national minimum.

Regional comparison

Thailand sits in the middle of ASEAN on minimum wages. 

It is clearly below Singapore and Malaysia, broadly comparable with Vietnam, higher than the Philippines, and more than Indonesia, where big cities can outpace Thailand but rural provinces often fall behind.

Singapore

Singapore’s wage standards are considerably higher than Thailand’s, reflecting its advanced economy and high cost of living. 

While Thailand adjusts minimum wages provincially to account for local disparities, Singapore’s approach ensures much stronger purchasing power for workers across all sectors, making the gap between the two countries significant.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s minimum wage system, like Thailand’s, differentiates by location and industry, but average levels are higher due to its stronger industrial base and higher per capita income. 

Compared with Thailand, Malaysia has been more successful in lifting wages in urban centres, though both countries share challenges in rural areas where earnings remain modest.

Vietnam

Vietnam’s zonal wage system closely mirrors Thailand’s provincial structure, with both countries seeking to align wages with local economic realities. 

Compared to Thailand, Vietnam’s wage floors are at broadly similar levels, though Thailand has a longer history of provincial adjustments, while Vietnam’s zoning provides more simplified categories.

Indonesia

Indonesia’s minimum wages are also set at subnational levels, but the variation across provinces and districts is wider than in Thailand. 

Jakarta and other major cities offer higher wage floors than those seen in Bangkok, but rural provinces in Indonesia fall behind Thailand’s standards, highlighting sharper inequality within its system.

Philippines

The Philippines maintains region-specific wage rates similar in concept to Thailand’s, but overall levels remain lower. 

Compared with Thailand, wage policies in the Philippines face greater structural obstacles, as a large share of the workforce is concentrated in informal sectors where enforcement is weak, keeping minimums less effective in raising broad income levels.

Entitlements in Thailand

Thai labour law is governed primarily by the Labour Protection Act, which sets out minimum standards for employment across the country. 

It regulates working hours, wages, overtime, and holidays, while also mandating entitlements such as leave, severance pay, and social security coverage.

Work hours

In Thailand, the standard workweek is capped at 48 hours, with a normal limit of 8 hours per day. 

For work involving hazardous conditions, the maximum is reduced to 7 hours per day and 42 hours per week. 

Employees are entitled to at least one day off per week, usually Sunday, and a rest period of at least one hour after five consecutive hours of work. 

Any hours beyond these limits must be compensated as overtime, subject to statutory pay rates.

Leave entitlements

Thai employees are entitled to at least six days of paid annual leave after one year of service, in addition to 13–16 public holidays each year. 

Sick leave is unlimited in principle but only 30 days are paid per year, and workers can take leave for personal business up to three days annually. 

Female employees are granted 98 days of maternity leave, with part of it paid through the social security system, while male employees are generally granted short paternity leave depending on employer policy.

Social security

All employees are automatically enrolled in Thailand’s social security system, which is jointly funded by employer and employee contributions. 

This provides access to healthcare through designated hospitals, unemployment benefits during periods of job loss, disability and death benefits, as well as pensions upon retirement. 

The scheme is a central pillar of worker protection in the country.

Overtime

Overtime rules require employers to pay at higher rates when employees work beyond eight hours a day or 48 hours a week. 

Work performed on official holidays is compensated at even higher rates. 

These provisions aim to regulate working hours and prevent excessive exploitation while ensuring additional pay when longer hours are necessary.

Severance

Severance pay is compulsory when employers dismiss workers without just cause, with compensation scaling according to length of service. 

Employees with longer tenure can receive several months’ wages as severance, ensuring a degree of income security during the transition to new employment. 

This protection is considered one of the stronger features of Thai labour law.

Incomes tax in Thailand

Thailand’s income tax law is based on the Revenue Code, which governs both personal and corporate taxation.

Progressive income tax rates, Thailand

FAQ: Average Wages in Thailand

These are some of the most commonly asked questions about the average wage in Thailand.

What is the current average monthly salary in Thailand?

The average salary in Thailand sits in the mid-range for ASEAN, with higher earnings in Bangkok and industrial centres than in rural areas.

How much do firms typically pay for executive positions?

Executive roles in Thailand command significantly higher pay than the national average, with compensation influenced by sector, experience, and company size.

What is the minimum wage in Thailand?

Thailand applies a province-based minimum wage system, with higher rates in major cities and industrial hubs than in rural provinces.

What additional entitlements do Thailandese workers receive?

Workers are entitled to paid leave, social security benefits, overtime pay, and severance protection under Thai labour law.

What personal income tax applies to average wage earners?

Average wage earners fall into the lower progressive tax brackets, where deductions and allowances reduce overall liability.

Outlook for wages in Thailand

Wages in Thailand are projected to grow only gradually over the coming years, with limited real gains for most workers. 

Broader economic pressures, including slower GDP growth, weak productivity improvements, and political uncertainty, are restraining wage momentum across many industries. 

Minimum wage adjustments at the provincial level provide some relief, but increases remain incremental and often lag behind rising living costs, especially in urban areas. 

Structural issues such as reliance on low-value manufacturing, a large informal sector, and uneven regional development also weigh heavily on wage growth prospects. 

On the positive side, targeted government initiatives aimed at skills development, education reform, and digital transformation could help boost higher-value employment opportunities over time, particularly in technology and services. 

That said, Southeast Asian economies can be dynamic and change quickly.

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