Employer of Record (EOR) Thailand — Hire in Thailand Before You Have an Entity
Workwise acts as the legal employer in Thailand — your team manages the work, we carry the employer obligations.
Many foreign companies face the same situation: they have found the right person in Thailand, or want to start building a team here, but do not yet have a local entity — and setting up a whole company just to employ a few people is a bigger burden than it needs to be, in time, running costs, and the legal obligations that follow every month.
Workwise’s Employer of Record (EOR) service answers exactly this situation. We act as the legal employer in Thailand on your behalf. Employees work for your team as normal, while every legal duty of being an employer in Thailand sits with us. Employees hired through EOR can be Thai or foreign nationals — the most common case is a foreign company hiring a Thai team.
(If your company already has an entity in Thailand, the closer fit is Staffing & Outsourcing — or if you already employ your own staff and only need payroll, see Payroll Outsourcing.)
What is an Employer of Record?
An Employer of Record is a company in Thailand that takes on the legal status of “employer” for your staff, while you continue to manage their day-to-day work entirely.
When you use EOR with Workwise:
- Employment contracts are made between the employee and Workwise, fully compliant with Thai labour law
- Workwise pays salaries and remits withholding tax and social security contributions in full every month
- Employees receive leave, holidays, and every entitlement under Thai labour law
- You assign work, evaluate performance, and work with the employee directly — just like your own staff
Who this service fits
- Foreign companies without a Thai entity that want to hire from one employee up
- Companies that want to test the Thai market first, before deciding whether to set up a full entity
- Companies with staff or team members already living in Thailand who need to be employed correctly under Thai law
- Companies that have found their candidate — or have not: our recruitment team can search from the very start
Setting up your own company vs using EOR
Company registration itself does not take long — but getting a company to the point where it can genuinely employ people takes several more steps: opening a bank account, tax registration, employer registration with the Social Security Office, and setting up compliant payroll. Altogether this usually takes several weeks to several months, and for majority-foreign-owned companies there is an additional layer of conditions under the Foreign Business Act.
| Set up your own company | EOR with Workwise | |
|---|---|---|
| Start hiring | Several weeks to several months | Within a few business days after terms are agreed |
| Ongoing burden | Accounting, tax, social security, annual filings | All included in our service |
| If plans change | Company must be formally closed down | Service ends per the agreement terms |
| Best for | Businesses that must sell or issue tax invoices in Thailand | Hiring a team in Thailand without an entity yet |
Everything Workwise takes care of
- Bilingual (Thai–English) employment contracts, compliant with Thai labour law
- Salary, withholding tax (PND 1), and social security contributions — remitted in full, on time, every month
- Statutory leave and holidays, plus any benefits agreed with the employee
- Employee personal data handled under Thailand’s PDPA
- Lawful termination handling, when that time comes
- A monthly summary report your head office can understand without knowing Thai law
What you get from a team actually based in Thailand
We are here, and we can answer now. Workwise Consulting Recruitment is a Thai juristic person holding recruitment license no. น.1988/2569 from the Department of Employment. Whenever a question about the Thai context comes up, you talk to people on the ground — in Thai or English.
No candidate yet? You can still start. We are a recruitment company — we search, screen, and then employ through EOR, all in one place, from the day you do not yet know who to hire until the day they start.
Terms are discussed case by case. Every company’s situation is different. We listen first, then propose what fits your case.
Hiring foreign nationals and work permits
This is one of the topics with the most conflicting information online, because the correct answer genuinely depends on the conditions of each case.
Employing foreign nationals in Thailand depends on the employment structure, the qualifications of the role, and case-specific conditions — one-size-fits-all answers tend to point people the wrong way. What we do is assess your case first, then recommend a route that is lawful and genuinely workable for your specific situation. You can consult our team directly at no cost.
Limitations worth knowing before you decide
EOR is designed for employing a team in Thailand. If your business needs to sell, issue tax invoices, or sign commercial contracts with customers in Thailand directly, setting up your own entity is the more correct answer — and when that point comes, we can help plan the transition from EOR to your own company, with your existing employees moving across seamlessly.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the employee employed by?
Legally, the employment contract is between the employee and Workwise — we carry every employer obligation under Thai law. In day-to-day work, the employee takes assignments from and reports directly to your team.
How long until an employee can start?
Much faster than setting up your own company. Typically, once terms are agreed and the employee is ready, they can start within a few business days.
Is there a minimum headcount?
You can start with a small team. Conditions depend on the nature of the engagement — talk to our team directly.
How are salary and taxes handled?
You transfer a monthly service amount to us; we pay the employee, remit withholding tax and social security in full, and send a monthly summary your head office can read at a glance.
Can we hire Thai employees through EOR?
Yes — that is the main use case. Most foreign companies use EOR precisely to hire a Thai team before setting up an entity.
We don't have a candidate yet. Can we still start?
Yes — this is our strength. Workwise is a recruitment company: our team searches and screens candidates first, and once you choose the right person, we complete the hire through EOR in one place.
What if we later want our own company?
You can — and many clients plan it that way from the start: use EOR to test the market, then transfer employees to your new entity when ready. We help plan the transition smoothly for both the company and the employees.
Can we hire foreign nationals through EOR?
It depends on the case, as hiring foreign nationals involves several specific conditions. Tell us your situation first and we will assess it and recommend a route that genuinely works for you.
Start the conversation
Tell us the roles you want to hire, how many, and when you would like to start — the Workwise team will assess your case and recommend the route that fits. Initial consultation with no obligation.
Talk to Our Team