Running payroll in Thailand is not complicated when you have one or two employees. It gets messy fast when you add headcount, mix Thai and foreign staff, deal with probation periods and termination pay, or simply try to keep up with filing deadlines across three different government agencies.
Payroll outsourcing in Thailand means handing that entire process — calculations, filings, payslips, year-end submissions — to a third-party provider who does it on your behalf. You stay in control of hiring and compensation decisions. They handle the compliance work.
This guide covers how payroll outsourcing works in Thailand, what it costs, what’s included, and how to decide whether it makes sense for your business in 2026.
1. What Is Payroll Outsourcing?
Payroll outsourcing is when a business delegates its payroll function — including salary calculations, statutory deductions, government filings, and employee payslips — to an external provider. Rather than handling this internally (or trying to), you pay a monthly fee and the provider manages it.
In Thailand’s context, this covers:
- Calculating each employee’s net pay after income tax withholding
- Filing monthly PND 1 forms with the Revenue Department
- Contributing to and reporting Social Security Fund (SSF) deductions
- Managing Workmen’s Compensation Fund (WCF) obligations
- Issuing payslips and maintaining payroll records
- Year-end reconciliation and PND 1K annual submission
Some providers also handle expat payroll separately from local payroll, which is useful for businesses with both Thai staff and foreign employees on work permits.
2. Why Payroll Compliance Is Complicated in Thailand
Thailand’s payroll compliance involves three separate government agencies, each with their own deadlines, forms, and filing portals:
| Agency | Obligation | Filing Deadline |
| Revenue Department (กรมสรรพากร) | Withholding income tax (PND 1) | 7th of the following month (online: 15th) |
| Social Security Office (สำนักงานประกันสังคม) | SSF contributions (employer + employee) | 15th of the following month |
| Department of Labour Protection (กรมสวัสดิการ) | Workmen’s Compensation Fund | Annual (January each year) |
Missing a Revenue Department deadline carries a 1.5% monthly surcharge on the unpaid tax, plus penalties that can reach 100% of the original amount for intentional non-filing. The SSF has its own penalty regime.
There’s also the question of who is and isn’t covered. Foreign employees on work permits need careful treatment — their withholding calculations differ depending on tax residency, and mistakes here can create problems during annual tax audits.
For a foreign founder managing a small team while also handling business development, sales, or client work, payroll becomes a surprisingly large time drain for something that generates no revenue.
Official reference: Revenue Department of Thailand — Withholding Tax obligations: www.rd.go.th
3. What’s Included in a Payroll Outsourcing Service
The scope varies by provider, but a full-service payroll outsourcing engagement in Thailand should cover the following:
| What’s Included | Details |
| Monthly payroll calculation | Gross-to-net for all employees, including overtime and allowances |
| Withholding income tax (PND 1) | Calculated and filed with the Revenue Department monthly |
| Social Security Fund (SSF) | Employee and employer contributions calculated and submitted |
| Workmen’s Compensation Fund | Annual filing and payment coordination |
| Payslips | Issued to each employee monthly (English and/or Thai) |
| Year-end summary (PND 1K) | Annual reconciliation and submission |
| Online payroll dashboard | 24/7 access to reports, payslips, and filing history |
| Dedicated account manager | Single point of contact for questions |
Ask specifically about expat payroll if you have foreign employees. Some providers include this in their standard package; others treat it as an add-on. The distinction matters because expat payroll involves additional considerations: tax residency status, treaty benefits (if applicable), and coordination with work permit records.
4. Step-by-Step: How Payroll Outsourcing Works at Plizz
Here’s how the process runs in practice:
- Initial setup (one-time). Plizz collects your employee data: contracts, salary structures, tax identification numbers, SSF registration details. For new companies, Plizz can handle SSF registration as part of onboarding.
- Monthly data submission. Each month, you send Plizz any changes — new hires, resignations, salary adjustments, bonuses, overtime. There’s no need to log into government portals yourself.
- Payroll calculation. Plizz runs the numbers: gross pay, withholding tax deductions, SSF contributions, net pay per employee. You receive a summary for approval before anything is filed.
- Filing and payment. PND 1 and SSF contributions are submitted to the relevant agencies. You transfer the net payroll and statutory payments — Plizz provides the exact figures and bank transfer details.
- Payslip distribution. Payslips are generated and either sent directly to employees or made available through Plizz’s online platform.
- Year-end reconciliation. Plizz prepares and files the PND 1K annual summary. Employees receive their withholding tax certificates (50 tawi), which they need to file their personal income tax returns.
The whole cycle takes two to three hours of your time per month — mostly just reviewing and approving numbers before payout.
5. Payroll Outsourcing Costs in Thailand (2026)
Pricing for payroll outsourcing in Thailand varies based on headcount and service scope. Plizz uses fixed monthly pricing with no hidden fees — the quote you receive covers all filings, payslips, and account manager support.
| Business Size | Typical Employee Count | Indicative Monthly Cost |
| Startup / Sole trader | 1–3 employees | From THB 3,500 |
| Small SME | 4–10 employees | THB 5,000–9,000 |
| Growing SME | 11–30 employees | THB 9,000–18,000 |
| Mid-size company | 30+ employees | Custom quote |
These figures are indicative. The actual quote depends on employee mix (Thai vs foreign), complexity of compensation structures, and whether you need additional services like expat payroll or year-end personal income tax filing support for individual employees.
For an exact quote: plizz.co/our-services/payroll-outsourcing/
What you’re comparing against
An in-house payroll setup requires either a dedicated HR/accounting staff member (minimum THB 20,000–35,000/month in Bangkok for an experienced hire) or significant time from the business owner. Payroll software subscriptions add another THB 500–2,000/month, and still leave you handling government portal submissions personally.
For most SMEs with under 30 employees, outsourcing is cheaper than the alternative when you factor in staff time honestly.
6. In-House vs Outsourced Payroll: Which Is Right for Your SME?
| In-House Payroll | Outsourced to Plizz | |
| Monthly cost (5 employees) | ~THB 25,000–40,000 (staff time + software) | From THB 3,500/month |
| Thai Revenue Dept filings | You handle it | Plizz handles it |
| SSF & Workmen’s Comp | You handle it | Plizz handles it |
| Payroll errors & penalties | Your risk | Plizz’s responsibility |
| Scales with headcount | Proportional cost increase | Fixed or per-head pricing |
| Payslips & reporting | Manual or basic software | Auto-generated, 24/7 online access |
| English-language support | Depends on staff | Full English service |
The practical tipping point for most SMEs: if payroll is taking more than 3–4 hours per month, or if you’ve had a compliance error in the past 12 months, outsourcing costs less than the time and risk you’re carrying.
Foreign-owned businesses have an additional consideration — every month is an implicit compliance risk if the person handling payroll isn’t current on Thai tax regulations. These rules change, and the Revenue Department has been increasingly active in auditing SMEs.
7. How Plizz Handles Payroll Outsourcing
Plizz is a Bangkok-based accounting and business services firm founded in 2015, certified by the Federation of Accounting Professions of Thailand. The payroll team handles both Thai and expat payroll for SMEs across a range of industries — manufacturing, tech, services, retail, and F&B.
A few things that distinguish how Plizz works:
- Fixed monthly pricing with no surprise invoices. The quote covers everything in scope.
- Full English service. All communication, documents, and reporting are available in English — useful if you’re managing a Thai entity but aren’t reading Thai government correspondence.
- One-stop model. If you also need accounting, company registration, visa and work permit support, or CFO services, Plizz handles all of it. You deal with one firm instead of three.
- 24/7 online access to payroll reports, payslips, and filing records through Plizz’s platform.
- Dedicated account manager. You’re not dealing with a helpdesk ticket queue.
Plizz has worked with clients from Singapore, the UK, the US, Hong Kong, and Australia setting up and operating businesses in Thailand. The team understands the specific compliance questions that come up for foreign-owned entities.
Related: Plizz Accounting Services for SMEs in Thailand | Visa and Work Permit Assistance
8. FAQ
Can a foreign company use payroll outsourcing in Thailand?
Yes. Foreign-owned companies registered in Thailand — whether as a limited company, BOI-promoted entity, or representative office — can use payroll outsourcing services. Plizz handles both Thai and international staff payroll.
What’s the minimum number of employees required?
There’s no minimum. Some Plizz clients have a single employee. The cost-benefit analysis changes with headcount, but even a one-person payroll in Thailand involves SSF registration, monthly filings, and year-end documentation — all of which can be outsourced.
Does payroll outsourcing include personal income tax filing for employees?
Payroll outsourcing covers withholding tax (the employer’s obligation). Personal income tax filing — the annual return that each employee submits individually — is a separate service. Plizz offers personal income tax filing support for employees as an add-on, which is particularly useful for expat staff.
How do I transfer payroll funds if Plizz is handling the filings?
You remain in control of all payments. Plizz provides the exact amounts and bank transfer details each month. You authorise and execute the transfers yourself — to employees, to the Revenue Department, and to the SSF. Plizz does not hold or move client funds.
What happens if there’s an error in a filing?
Errors are rare when payroll is handled by professionals with current knowledge of Thai tax rules, but they happen. Plizz takes responsibility for correcting any errors in filings it handles and manages the resolution process with the relevant agency.
Can Plizz take over from my current payroll setup mid-year?
Yes. Mid-year transitions are common. Plizz will need historical payroll data for the current tax year to ensure the year-end PND 1K is accurate. The onboarding process handles this systematically.
Is payroll outsourcing the same as an employer of record (EOR) service?
No. Payroll outsourcing assumes you are the employer — you have hired the staff, you hold the employment contracts, and you are responsible for their statutory rights under Thai labour law. An EOR service involves a third party acting as the legal employer on your behalf. Plizz provides payroll outsourcing, not EOR services.
9. Conclusion
Payroll in Thailand is one of those compliance areas that looks manageable until it isn’t. Missing an SSF deadline or miscalculating withholding tax for a foreign employee creates problems that are time-consuming to fix and occasionally expensive.
For SMEs with limited internal accounting capacity, outsourcing to a firm that handles it daily is usually the straightforward call. The cost is predictable, the filings are handled by people who know the system, and your time goes back to running the business.
If you’re reviewing your payroll setup — whether you’re starting fresh, taking over from a previous arrangement, or just tired of doing it yourself — Plizz can give you a fixed quote within 24 hours.
| Ready to hand off your payroll?Get a fixed monthly quote from Plizz in 24 hours. No lengthy onboarding, no hidden fees.Get a Payroll Quote → plizz.co/our-services/payroll-outsourcing/ |