Hiring in Thailand: executive search FAQs

Foreign and returning Thai hires

A foreign national normally needs both a Non-Immigrant B visa and a work permit for the specific employer and role. These are separate approvals; neither replaces the other.

Under the standard route, an employer sponsoring a foreign work permit generally needs THB 2 million in paid-up registered capital and four Thai employees on payroll for each foreign work permit holder. Board of Investment-promoted businesses may use different, more favourable requirements through the BOI One Stop Service Center.

Plan the visa and work-permit process from offer acceptance. Once a complete application is submitted, e-WorkPermit processing is commonly three to seven working days, but document preparation and eligibility checks often make a two-to-three-week onboarding buffer more realistic. Read the full foreign-hire guide.

Candidate data and PDPA

We obtain consent before presenting a candidate to a client for a specific role. Candidate information is held in access-controlled systems and is available only to consultants who need it for the search.

Candidate records are retained for a maximum of five years from first registration. We do not sell personal data. Candidates may ask to access, correct, erase or restrict their data, or withdraw consent, by contacting [email protected]. Read our Privacy Policy.

Off-limits and client protection

Off-limits protection is not implied or left to verbal understanding. Before a search begins, the engagement letter records whether the mandate includes candidate or client-organisation protection, who it covers, and the agreed duration.

This approach gives both parties a clear, written basis for the assignment. If protection for a particular business unit, geography or placed executive is important, raise it during scoping so it can be documented before research starts.

What is a non-compete worth in Thailand?

A non-compete is not automatically enforceable simply because it appears in a contract. In practice, its scope, duration, geography, role and the legitimate business interest it protects all matter. Courts may limit terms that go further than is reasonably necessary.

Search planning should therefore distinguish between a contractual restriction, a confidentiality obligation and an employer preference. We do not give legal advice; for a sensitive move, employers should obtain Thailand-qualified legal advice before relying on a restriction.

English reporting and time zones

We provide English-language search updates and documentation for headquarters stakeholders. At kickoff, we agree the reporting cadence, recipients, interview feedback process and decision log for the assignment.

Our team is based in Bangkok and operates on Indochina Time (UTC+7). Where head office is outside Asia, meeting windows and escalation arrangements are agreed at the outset so that a search does not stall between time zones.

Replacement and guarantee terms

Replacement and guarantee provisions are agreed per mandate and set out in the signed engagement letter—not described loosely as a “guarantee period”. The written terms specify the qualifying circumstances, notice requirements, scope of any replacement search, exclusions and the period that applies.

Ask for the proposed terms during scoping. That lets the assignment reflect the seniority, market, notice periods and relocation considerations of the role.