New Security Guard OT Rates 2026: Essential Compliance for B2B De-risking

Summary of the new Overtime Pay (OT) regulations for security guards, effective April 24, 2026, aimed at aligning security personnel rights with international labor standards.

New Security Guard OT Rates 2026; Effective April 24, 2026, security guards are entitled to overtime (OT) pay of no less than 1.25 times the hourly rate for regular workdays and at least 2.5 times for holidays. This new Ministerial Regulation (2025) repeals long-standing exemptions, ensuring fair labor standards for security personnel.

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Key Regulatory Changes: The End of "Flat-Rate" Overtime

Under the 2009 regulation, security work was exempt from mandatory OT pay, often leading to 12-hour shifts at standard rates. The new 2025 framework establishes clear standards:

• Regular Workdays: Hours exceeding the initial eight hours must be compensated at 1.25 times the hourly wage.

• Holiday Overtime: Working extra hours on holidays requires compensation of at least 2.5 times the standard rate.

• Comprehensive Coverage: Even with a prior agreement to work more than eight hours daily (within the 48-hour weekly limit), non-monthly employees must receive these new rates for excess hours.

"Joint Employer Liability" Risks for B2B Entities

We would like to highlight a significant risk: if your organization utilizes outsourced security and exercises direct control or supervision over their tasks, the entity may be legally classified as a "Joint Employer".

Should an outsourcing agency fail to comply with these new OT rates, the primary hiring corporation could be held liable for the employees' benefits in labor court. Auditing contractor compliance is a vital de-risking strategy for 2026.

Strategic Adaptation Guidelines

To maintain operational stability and manage costs, I recommend:

1. Contract Audit: Review current service level agreements (SLAs) with security providers to ensure they incorporate the rising OT costs.

2. Integrate Price Adjustment Clauses: Use formula-based pricing to account for legislative changes in labor costs.

3. Source Certified Partners: Prioritize contractors registered with SME One ID or recognized by the DBD CG Standard to streamline vendor onboarding and due diligence.

   
   

For a detailed impact analysis and contract restructuring, ME@NLAW offers Business Legal Counsel services at 2,000 THB per hour. We provide a summary report and audio recording for each session to ensure professional transparency and financial clarity.

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