Remote-team / digital-nomad base
Chiang Mai
Northern Thailand's main city. It is covered here as a base for remote team members and digital nomads, with a lower cost of living than Bangkok, rather than as a primary entity location. Thailand's country rules (social security, Foreign Business Act, holidays) apply.
Chiang Mai is covered as a remote-team / digital-nomad base, not as a place to set up an entity. Cost and setup sections below are for reference.
Local notes
Remote-worker visa (DTV)
The Destination Thailand Visa 'Workcation' category covers digital nomads, remote workers and freelancers working for employers or clients outside Thailand. Applicants need proof of remote-work status and at least THB 500,000 in funds. The visa is valid for 5 years, multiple entry.
Validity per THAILAND.GO.TH: https://thailand.go.th/public/visit-thailand-detail/3---destination-thailand-visa-dtv. A DTV does not authorise working for a Thai employer or Thai clients; that needs a work permit. Check the deciding embassy's own checklist.
Local holidays
No separate statutory city holidays. Thailand's employer-announced 13 traditional holidays rule applies, and employers may include local traditional days in their list.
Hiring a local team in Chiang Mai
Practical notes on hiring Thai staff locally (entity vs EOR, talent pool, coworking) to come from field notes.
Minimum wage
380 THB/day (Mueang Chiang Mai district)
Effective 1 Jul 2025 and still the current notification when last checked. Other Chiang Mai districts: 357 THB/day. Thai minimum wages are provincial, and in Chiang Mai they also vary by district. The calculator converts daily to monthly using the site-wide 313-day convention. Ministry summary: https://www.mol.go.th/en/news/starting-july-1-ministry-of-labour-revises-minimum-wage-to-align-with-economy-and-improve-workers-quality-of-life
Employer contributions
Social Security Fund (SSO)
Employer 5% / employee 5% of wages up to THB 17,500/month (max THB 875 each) from 1 Jan 2026
Wage ceiling rises in steps under the Social Security Office's ministerial regulation. Workmen's Compensation Fund premiums (risk-rated) are not modeled.
Source: KPMG Thailand – Tax News Flash Issue 157 (Jan 2026)Last checked Oct 2026
13th-month pay
No statutory 13th-month requirement identified; pending confirmation.
Internet
Ookla Speedtest Global Index
Country median (Aug 2026): fixed 298.92 Mbps down / 241.83 up; mobile 134.45 Mbps down / 24.68 up
Country-level median, not city-specific.
Public holidays 2026
Private employers must announce at least 13 paid traditional holidays a year, including National Labour Day (1 May). They choose from official, religious or local holidays. If a holiday falls on a weekly rest day, the next working day is given off.
Labour Protection Act s.29. The exact list varies by employer.
Power
Awaiting firsthand field notes and an official grid-reliability source.
Entity setup basics
Most service businesses are on List 3 of the Foreign Business Act, so a foreign-majority company needs a Foreign Business Licence from the Department of Business Development (minimum capital THB 3 million). The alternative is BOI promotion, which can allow foreign majority ownership for the promoted activity.
BOI shareholding criteria: https://www.boi.go.th/index.php?language=en&page=criteria_for_foreign_shareholding
Typical steps
- Company registration with the Department of Business Development
- Foreign Business Licence or BOI promotion (if foreign-majority)
- Revenue Department tax ID / VAT
- Social Security Office employer registration
- Work permits for foreign staff
Timeline and cost
Realistic timeline and cost to come from field notes.
EOR / payroll coverage
| Provider | EOR status | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Deel | Listed | Provider page |
| Remote | Listed | Provider page |
| Multiplier | Listed | Provider page |
Based on each provider's public country page. Confirm coverage, pricing and entity model directly before signing. No affiliate links.
Last checked Oct 2026Pay by role
Pay-by-role data will come from Gregory Dunham's field notes. Until then, enter your own salary in the calculator.
Field notes from Gregory Dunham – coming soon
Firsthand operator observations, kept separate from official data.
Coming soon — firsthand notes from Gregory Dunham on:
- Typical monthly pay by role
- Real-world power reliability and backup needs
- Real-world internet: providers, redundancy, outages
- Entity setup pitfalls and realistic timelines