Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand June / July 2017: The Business Issue | Page 44

10
STAFFING,
SALARIES & HR
Once you have hired your staff, you
need to collect their documents, reg-
ister them for social security, and
begin to pay them a monthly salary.
Based on Adecco’s annual salary sur-
vey 2017, the following are guide-
lines in Thailand for monthly remu-
neration, based on position, in Baht:
¬ ¬ Accounting Manager — up to
120,000
¬ ¬ Administrative Assistant — up
to 30,000
¬ ¬ Project Coordinator — up
to 40,000
¬ ¬ Receptionist — up to 25,000
¬ ¬ Customer Service Coordinator —
up to 30,000
¬ ¬ Human Resources Officer — up
to 25,000
¬ ¬ Payroll Officer — up to 35,000
¬ ¬ Marketing Assistant — up
to 40,000
¬ ¬ Marketing Executive — up
to 45,000
¬ ¬ Purchasing Officer — up to 50,000
¬ ¬ Sales Account Executive — up
to 40,000
LOOKING FOR
THE BEST STAFF
Finding the right employees to
work for you can be difficult.
To help, try posting job listings
with the popular website
www.jobsdb.com or seek
assistance from a recruitment
agency.
COMPANY RULES
AND HR POLICIES
For businesses with ten staff or more,
it is required by law to have your com-
pany’s rules and regulations pub-
lished and available from the outset.
Even if you employ fewer than ten
staff, carefully crafted and clear HR
policies protect both you and your
staff and should cover a range of ar-
eas, from vacation days and sick leave
to more serious topics such as dis-
crimination, bullying, harassment, and
work contract termination. Employees
should be trained on these policies
44 WANDERLUST
and sign employment contracts and
other relevant documents to state
that they have understood and will
adhere to company policies.
But don’t assume that the HR pol-
icies you might have followed in the
West can be applied in Thailand. Each
country has its own way of doing
things. GPS Legal can offer guidance
on the full extent of the topics you
should consider to help you create
the best possible policies and ensure
they are in sync with properly drafted
employment contracts.
EMPLOYMENT
TERMINATION AND
SEVERANCE PAY
The Labor Protection Act defines termi-
nation as when an employer ends an
employee’s position and ceases to pay
wages. This could be upon the natural
expiration of an employment contract
or earlier termination with or without
cause. Under the Act, there are cases
when an employer is not required to
pay severance. These include when:
¬ ¬ The employee voluntarily resigns
from the job.
¬ ¬ The employment contract is for a
specific period (that does not ex-
ceed two years), for work that has
a definitive end, and it is terminat-
ed at the end of contract period.
In Thailand, the Labor Protection
Act details employers’ duties as well
as employees’ rights, when it comes
to employee termination:
¬ ¬ An employee cannot be terminat-
ed unless there is a practical rea-
son related to the capacity or con-
duct of the worker.
¬ ¬ An employee who is to be terminat-
ed must be provided a reasonable
period of notice or compensation
in l ieu, unless he is guilty of serious
misconduct. (“Serious misconduct”
comprises a list of specific items de-
fined by the Labor Protection Act.)
¬ ¬ In the event of unfair dismissal,
where the employer cannot return
the employee back to his or her pre-
vious job, the employer must com-
pensate the employee reasonably.
¬ ¬ Severance pay is owed to the ter-
minated employee.
11
GETTING YOUR
VISA AND
WORK PERMIT
The term “work” in Thai law is defined
very broadly. It covers both phys-
ical and mental activities for wag-
es or other forms of compensation.
Whether an employee or a direc-
tor, if you are carrying out the duties
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