Answer ... Yes, there are minimum daily wages in Thailand, but the applicable rates vary from province to province. There are also minimum wages based on profession (mostly skilled technicians who are certified by the Thai government). The minimum wages of these certified technicians are sometimes twice or three times higher than the standard minimum wages.

Answer ... Yes, generally speaking, employees who are required by their employer to work overtime, to work on their holidays or to work overtime on their holidays will be entitled to additional payments (1.5 times, twice or three times their normal hourly wages, depending on the circumstances). However, employees in certain functions (eg, salespeople) are not entitled to these payments.

Answer ... Yes, employees who have continuously worked for the same employer for one year will be entitled to a minimum of six days of paid annual leave. Some employees may be entitled to more annual leave, depending on their employment contracts and the work rules of the employer.

Answer ... Yes, employees may take as many days of sick leave as needed, as long as they are actually sick; but they are entitled to receive only 30 days’ wages during their sick leave per year. Employers may require employees to provide a medical certificate or other proof of sickness upon return to work.

Answer ... Employees who have reached the age of 60 may at any time exercise their right to retire by giving their employer 30 days’ advance notice. A lower retirement age may be stipulated in the work rules of the employer.

Employees who retire at the applicable retirement age are entitled to receive severance pay based on their length of service with the employer (up to 400 days’ wages).