Labor Minister Julpan announced in Parliament the push for a new Home-Based Workers Protection Act to tighten controls on wage evasion and prohibit hazardous work for children under 18, increasing fines up to 2 million baht.
On 21 October 2026 at the Parliament, Julpan Amornwiwat, Minister of Labor, addressed the House of Representatives during the reading of the draft Home-Based Workers Protection Act (No. ..) B.E. ...., which has officially entered parliamentary consideration. He stressed the need to improve the quality of life and protect the rights of home-based workers in line with current work practices. The draft law's key points include the following.
1. Expanding the scope of work and updating definitions to be current. The definition of “work done at home” is broadened from focusing solely on industrial work to cover commercial, agricultural, or service work as specified by Royal Decree, ensuring legal protection for workers in diverse sectors. It also includes the definition of “documents” to encompass electronic data under the Electronic Transactions Act, supporting digital-era work.
2. Protecting benefits and guaranteeing fair compensation. Employers are required to pay wages not less than rates specified under labor protection laws (for work similar to that done in establishments) or as determined by the committee. Payment must be in Thai currency unless consent is given to pay by promissory notes or foreign currency. A penalty interest rate of 15% per year applies if employers fail to return security deposits or pay wages, medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, or funeral expenses.
Measures to prevent wage evasion include a penalty of an additional 15% of unpaid wages for every 7-day period if employers intentionally delay payment beyond 7 days without reasonable cause. To ensure fairness to employers, if the worker refuses or is unable to receive payment, the employer may deposit the funds with the Director-General of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to halt accumulating interest or additional charges.
3. Enhancing penalties to ensure maximum safety. The law imposes stricter enforcement when children under 18 or pregnant women are allowed to perform hazardous work causing physical, mental harm, or death, with penalties including imprisonment up to 4 years or fines up to 2 million baht.
Julpan emphasized to the parliamentary session that this law represents a significant step toward reducing inequality, establishing income fairness, and building tangible safety protections for home-based workers across the country.