What Employers in Thailand Should Know About Fix-Term Employment Contracts 泰國雇主需要知道的定期勞雇合約

In Thailand, some employers may think about drafting fix-term employment contracts with employees to avoid paying severance fee, because once the employment is terminated, the employers don’t need to pay severance fee. However, there are some restrictions and precedents from supreme courts that employers should be aware of when making fix-term employment contracts. Following are the important points:

有些雇主在泰國可能會考慮與員工簽訂定期勞雇合約以避免支付資遣費，因為當勞雇合約終止後雇主無須支付資遣費。但是簽訂定期時雇主不可不知勞雇合約需要了解限制條件、以及最高法院對此的判決。以下為重要事項：

1. The employment contracts can only be used for certain types of work like seasonal work, work for a special project which is not a natural business for a company.

勞雇合約只能適用在特定種類的工作像是季節性工作、特殊專案工作非公司本身進行的事業。

2. The employers and employees can set any length of employment, but the employment agreement must specify the period of employment and the date of termination of employment.[1]

雇主和員工可以任意設定聘僱期限，但勞雇合約必須明確說明聘僱期限和終止勞雇關係的日期。

3. The employment should be terminated once the period is ended. The employment period can neither be extended nor be terminated early.

聘僱關係應在期間結束後終止。聘僱期間不可延長或提前結束。

4. Based on Labor Protection Act, a probationary employment should not be considered as a fix period.[2]

依據《泰國勞工保護法》，試用關係不應被視為定期期限。

There are also some precedents from supreme court, though these precedents are not law, but when lower courts are making judgments, they will be taken into consideration. In following conditions, an employment contract is not considered as fix period:

也有一些有關的最高法院判決，雖然這些判決並非法律，但低階法院在作判決時會列入考量。在以下狀況勞雇合約不被視為定期合約：

1. When the term of a contract is longer than two years. (Supreme Court Precedent 2403-2430/2543).

當合約期間超過兩年。(最高法院判決 2403-2430/2543)。

2. When a contract contains a clause that the term of a contract can be early terminated than the prescribe period if an employee has no work to do. (Supreme Court Precedent 888/2527).

當合約有條款指出當員工沒有工作可進行時，合約可提前終止。(最高法院判決 888/2527) 。

3. When a contract contains a clause that enables either party to terminate the employment contract prior than the termination date. (Supreme Court Precedent 5180/2542).

當合約有條款指出雇主及員工任一方可以提前終止合約。(最高法院判決 5180/2542) 。

Therefore, it is important for Thai employers to be aware of the clauses in a fix-term employment contract, otherwise it is possible that the contract becomes illegal.

因此雇主了解定期勞雇合約的條款是件重要的事，避免合約成為違法合約。

[1] Judgment of the Supreme Court No. 2648/2544. [2] Section 17, paragraph two of Labor Protection Act B.E.2541.

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