The minimum wage and average salary in Thailand in 2025

When you’re trying to find a job or secure a work visa in Thailand, you probably want to know how much you can expect to earn. After all, this country is famous for its energetic labor market and cheap cost of living.

Here’s what you need to know about the minimum wage in Thailand:

What’s the minimum wage in Thailand in 2025?

Thailand passed the Labour Protection Act in 1973, setting a minimum wage rate for most workers in the country. Since April 2024, the minimum wage (ค่าแรงขั้นต่ำ) also applies to domestic workers.

The Thailand Wage Committee – an independent body made up of employees, employers, and officials – reviews the base rate every few years, taking into account the economic conditions, labor market, cost of living, and inflation rates.

Because the base salary rate is tied to the cost of living, wages vary from province to province. As of 2025, the minimum wage for the different regions in Thailand is:

Minimum wage	Regions
฿400/day	Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Phuket, Rayong, and Koh Samui District (Surat Thani)
฿380/day	Mueang District (Chiang Mai) and Hat Yai District (Songkhla)
฿372/day	Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, and Samut Sakhon
฿359/day	Nakhon Ratchasima
฿358/day	Samut Songkhram
฿357/day	Khon Kean, Chiang Mai (excepted Mueang District), Prachin Buri, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, and Saraburi
฿356/day	Lop Buri
฿355/day	Nakhon Nayok, Suphan Buri, and Nong Kai
฿354/day	Krabi and Trat
฿352/day	Kanchanaburi, Chanthaburi, Chiang Rai, Tak, Nakhon Phanom, Buri Ram, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phangnga, Phitsanulok, Mukdahan, Sakon Nakhon, Songkhla (excepted Hat Yai District), Sa Kaeo, Surat Thani (excepted Samui District), and Ubon Ratchathani
฿351/day	Chumphon, Phetchaburi, and Surin
฿350/day	Nakhon Sawan, Yasothon, and Lamphun
฿349/day	Kalasin, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Bueng Kan, Phetchabun, and Roi Et
฿348/day	Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Phatthalung, Sing Buri, and Ang Thong
฿347/day	Kamphaeng Phet, Pichit, Maha Sarakham, Mae Hong Son, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Lampang, Loei, Si Sa Ket, Satun, Sukhothai, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Amnat Charoen, Udon Thani, Uttaradit, and Uthai Thani
฿345/day	Trang, Nan, Phayao, and Phrae
฿337/day	Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala

When compared to other Southeast Asian countries, the base rate is higher than Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar but lower than Malaysia and the Philippines.

Exclusions to the minimum wage

While the base salary rate applies to most workers in Thailand, there are some exceptions to the law. The minimum wage does not apply to:

• Government workers
• State enterprise employees
• Certain domestic workers
• Non-profit employees
• Those loading or unloading cargo at seagoing vessels
• Workers with home-based work agreements
• Seasonal agricultural workers

What is the average salary in Thailand?

Despite the minimum wage, employees generally earn a higher monthly salary. In November 2024, the average salary in Thailand was roughly ฿15,900/month (based on data from the Bank of Thailand). Meanwhile, Salary Expert suggests the base salary is around ฿553,409/ year (i.e., ฿46,117/month).

Although the latter paints a beautifully rosy picture, Thai income inequality is one of the most significant in Southeast Asia. For example, around 6–8% of households live in poverty, especially those relying on work in the agricultural sector.

Average salary by sector in Thailand

As is usual, salaries vary greatly by sector and location. This is because certain industries require more experience, education, and qualifications and therefore offer better pay.

Below is an outline of average monthly base wages for professionals with 0–7 years of experience, according to Adecco Thailand (2025):

Job sector	Average monthly salary
Accounting and finance	฿22,000–200,000
Construction	฿20,000–80,000
Engineering	฿15,000–150,000
Healthcare and social services	฿30,000–200,000
Hospitality and tourism	฿10,000–70,000
IT	฿25,000–120,000
Marketing	฿20,000–150,000
Non-profit or public sector	฿25,000–100,000
Retail and consumer products	฿13,000–100,000
Shipping, manufacturing, and transportation	฿20,000–150,000

Average salary by region in Thailand

As with the Thai minimum wage, average salaries vary considerably by region and whether you work in an urban or rural area. Generally, Bangkok offers the highest monthly income in the country, around ฿19,000–41,000.

In the rest of the country, however, the average salary is considerably lower than the capital. For example, you can expect to earn around ฿15,000 in central Thailand, about ฿14,000–15,000 in the north, and roughly ฿13,000 in the south.

What are the highest-paying jobs in Thailand?

Unfortunately, there’s no real fast way to earn lots of money. Some of Thailand’s most lucrative job opportunities require specialized qualifications, skills, and experience.

Top-paying jobs include:

• Technical writers
• Security Operations Engineers
• Sales Development Managers
• Translators
• Full Stack Developers
• Social Media Managers

Salary checker in Thailand

Online salary checkers can vary in accuracy – primarily due to the country’s income equality – but here are some you can try:

• Addeco Salary Guide
• Glassdoor
• Payscale

The gender pay gap in Thailand

According to the latest data from the UN (2020), Thailand’s gender wage gap is 10.9%. This is significantly better than elsewhere in the world (average of 17%), including Europe (average of 12.7%).

When it comes to women’s rights, Thailand ranks 65^th on the WEF 2024 Global Gender Gap Report. The country has one of the highest ratios of female CEOs in the world. In 2024, almost 65% of companies had women in senior management positions, and 33.4% of businesses were majority female-owned.

Still, gender inequality remains a persistent issue. Women are still underrepresented in the workplace (only 59%) and spend 3.2 times more time on unpaid work (e.g., domestic or caregiver roles) than men.

Salaries and wages for expats in Thailand

Thailand has over 2.3 million foreign workers, around 7% of the total population. Most expats work in the sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.

The sad dichotomy is that international workers are treated (and paid) differently depending on their nationality. Foreign nationals from places like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam are often vulnerable to exploitation.

Meanwhile, people from Europe, Northern America, and Australia earn tens of times more. They often receive additional employment benefits, including relocation, accommodation, and childcare allowances.

What to do if your salary is below the minimum wage?

If you are not being paid a fair wage, the first step is to speak to your employer or HR department, as it is your legal right to earn a decent salary.

If your company doesn’t resolve your complaint, you can consult a lawyer or labor union rep and report the issue to the Ministry of Labor for further investigation. You can also contact a Labor Inspection Officer (เจ้าหน้าที่ตรวจแรงงาน) for a solution.

If you’re not fluent in Thai, it is recommended to hire a translator or a lawyer who will clarify the paperwork and bureaucracy. This will help you avoid making costly mistakes due to language barriers.

Useful resources

• HelpMe – official government portal to report a workplace issue that breaches Thailand’s labor protection law
• Ministry of Labor (in Thai) – official government website with minimum wage rates in Thailand