Thailand set to increase daily minimum wage to 492 baht

[lapamita]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

Its comes out to 62 baht an hour, even a slave laborer get paid more than that, and with the rise in the essential commodities and fuel prices lately, hardly cover the bare minimum...

even in europe, you have countrys with monthly minimum salary of 320 usd or an hour 1,50 usd less than your 62baht, and the half of the world half less than 60 thb per hour  in minimum salary , in many countrys minimum wage is 100 usd or 0,40 usd hr whats 12 baht , and even less

 

..its not slavery the 62baht, by far not and sure not for a  high productive thaiworker 555

Edited February 12, 2022 by lapamita

[Cake Monster]

Even if there were a massive 20 % increase applied by Law to the minimum wage, taking it up to 399 Baht per Hour, it would be the Death of the Thai Economy.

With Thailand losing business and Companies to other Nations, the last thing needed is a massive increase in the price of goods produced.

The Export sector, which is the only sector keeping the Economy afloat at the moment, would be devastated, and Inflation would quickly get out of control.

The answer to this issue IMO, is not to give massive pay rises, which will continue to always chase the Inflation, but to rein in the Inflation through measure that limit the price of consumer products.

Edited February 12, 2022 by Cake Monster

[MSMU1993]

This is an absolute nonsense headline - the government routinely raises the minimun wage year, but but it rarely goes above 5-8%.  A 30-40% jump is nonsense. Why post an article with a headline that is patently false?  Thailand is not "set" to do any such thing.

[FarFlungFalang]

7 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Does this include the migrant workers.......wait what am I saying of course it does not......

I just told 2 employers of local labor the new minimum wage and they just laughed.

Edited February 12, 2022 by FarFlungFalang

[Caldera]

Would the proposed and very generous increase have anything to do with a general election that might be looming, according to other news reports?

 

It sure cannot have anything to do with the state of the economy.

[billd766]

2 hours ago, sscc said:

Right.   I hope the final decision is  around 400 B  per day. 

 

My wife is already paying 400 baht per day for somebody to cut the 20 rai of grass and scrub out here in rural Kamphaeng Phet.

 

Assuming that is, if somebody can be bothered to turn up to do the job.

[kingstonkid]

4 hours ago, Pravda said:

My wife works in the auto industry. Thai factories can't pay these wages. The bigger problem is they will have a lot of trouble recruiting sales staff as now the starting salary for people with university degrees will be on par with every minimum wage job. I know these are still low wages, but this is not how the world works. They increased the minimum wage in Canada and now there is more poverty than ever due to astronomical real estate prices and high grocery prices. 

 

Yamaha is dumping everything in Thailand except the motorbike business by 2023.

Agreed the big reason that international businesses come her is the low cost for labour.  If you want more proof answer this question.

 

Why do Canadian and American companies buy things from China and have their factories in China and Vietnam?

 

It was not that long ago that many of the textile companies were here and bras ad other clothes were mass produced here.

 

Also the thing that people do not take into consideration is the affected cost.  A Good example is STARBUCKS and Tim Hortons.

 

The actual coffee that they sell is cheap and the price does not rise or lower that much.  However, the cost of employees is their biggest cost.  Not only the hourly wage but the taxes and government charges (as most of these are a percentage of the salary they go up too).

 

So the only way that Starbucks can survive is to close shops, fire employees or raise prices.

 

Bottom line is that while yes people need to make more money and yes some things are getting crazy with pricing the government has to be careful.  

 

Higher costs means less full time employees meaning that instead of people trying to make ends meet with the current pay many will be looking for work as factories and stores close.

 

 

[Scott Tracy]

Won't happen.

 

Can't happen.

 

Too much inflationary pressure.

[daveAustin]

It won’t help. As with any measure like this it’ll drive up inflation and scupper any relief minimum wage earners might perceive. 

[KhunLA]

I wouldn't expect too much of a raise.  Not exactly a history of big raises by military junta administrations.   Only the Thaksins ever gave the people anything; healthcare & 2011 wage raise.

 

They got < 7 % raise last election year.

 

Edited February 12, 2022 by KhunLA

[ukrules]

5 hours ago, Pravda said:

The bigger problem is they will have a lot of trouble recruiting sales staff as now the starting salary for people with university degrees will be on par with every minimum wage job.

They won't - they will of course be paid more as it's not a minimum wage job.

 

This is how a small change can affect an entire economy - it's also the reason why it won't happen.

[Will B Good]

Nice round figure.

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The 492 baht minimum wage has been put forward by agencies representing workers in the Tripartite Wage Committee.

Put forward... government only works in reverse.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, itsari said:

A minimum wage is a base for what to pay a worker . 

Sadly many employers think that is what they have to to pay  and no more .

In my area 500 to 600 baht is the normal wage to pay for a construction worker .

 

 

And how long is a day?

Minimum hourly rate would be better.

[itsari]

4 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

And how long is a day?

Minimum hourly rate would be better.

Good question on how long the working day is .

My experience when employing casual construction workers is from 8 am to 5 pm with a liquid lunch involved .

Recently I employed two men for a concrete pour and left the job when they thought the work was finished at 3 pm after having started at gone 10am and went directly to my wife for payment . She foolishly paid them without checking . I saw them leave but i never realized they were finished for the day . The wife was located at a shop that she has close by .

I have a bit of concrete grinding to look forward too .

Never heard of Thai workers mentioning a hourly rate .

 

[hotchilli]

4 minutes ago, itsari said:

Good question on how long the working day is .

My experience when employing casual construction workers is from 8 am to 5 pm with a liquid lunch involved .

Recently I employed two men for a concrete pour and left the job when they thought the work was finished at 3 pm after having started at gone 10am and went directly to my wife for payment . She foolishly paid them without checking . I saw them leave but i never realized they were finished for the day . The wife was located at a shop that she has close by .

I have a bit of concrete grinding to look forward too .

Never heard of Thai workers mentioning a hourly rate .

 

It benefits the employer.. you get 500 baht per day.. 

15hr day.

[itsari]

12 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

It benefits the employer.. you get 500 baht per day.. 

15hr day.

I never can imagine a Thai working 15 hours for  a days pay . 

Yet I do see your point . 

Edited February 12, 2022 by itsari

[rudi49jr]

7 hours ago, Pravda said:

They increased the minimum wage in Canada and now there is more poverty than ever due to astronomical real estate prices and high grocery prices.

So you’re saying there is a direct correlation between increased minimum wage and skyrocketing real estate prices and grocery prices? 

[Pravda]

A powerful senator dies after a prolonged illness. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to Heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the senator.
"Well, I'd like to but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."
"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven."
"I'm sorry but we have our rules," replies St. Peter.

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. Nearby are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him. Everyone is in evening attire and very happy to see him. They run to greet him, hug him, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy and who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that the time flies, before he realizes it, the senator has to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him. "Now it's time to visit Heaven."

The next 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
"Well then, you've spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your eternity."
The senator reflects for a minute, then answers, "Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil comes over to him and lays his arm on his neck.
"I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a beautiful club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now there is only a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable."

The Devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us!"

[Burma Bill]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

would see the daily wage increase from between 313 and 336 baht to a new flat rate of 492 baht.

150 baht for migrant Burmese, Cambodian and Laos workers?????

[rwill]

9 hours ago, Henryford said:

So all Thai workers will get at least 15,000 a month (even 7/11, bars etc), ha ha in their dreams.

1) This isn't for all Thai workers.

 

2)  492x6(days/week most work) x 4.33(average weeks per month) is under 13,000/month.

[vandeventer]

On 2/12/2022 at 6:34 AM, vadid said:

Very misleading headline.  This is a proposal made by the worker reps, very unlikely to be accepted by the government. So Thailand is NOT  "set to increase minimum wage to 492 baht".

Why don't they put their wags down 50% to counter balance the inflation it will cause.

[Capella]

The first English teaching job I had in Thailand paid 80 Baht per hour. That was back in 1989 though. 

[rudi49jr]

2 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Why don't they put their wags down 50% to counter balance the inflation it will cause.

Yes, let’s reduce the minimum wage by 50%, so people who already make very little money will make even less. You don’t believe much in liveable wages, do you?

[vandeventer]

13 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

Yes, let’s reduce the minimum wage by 50%, so people who already make very little money will make even less. You don’t believe much in liveable wages, do you?

When I say they, I am talking about the fat cats in government to reduce their wages by 50%

[rudi49jr]

2 hours ago, vandeventer said:

When I say they, I am talking about the fat cats in government to reduce their wages by 50%

My bad, I misunderstood. Totally agree with you, let the fat cats reduce their wages by 50%. Or better yet, stop their corruption, because that’s how they make most of their money, and how they became fat cats in the first place.

[Orinoco]

Great news

Now all you need them to do,  is a days work

Good luck with that one

[asiasurfer]

On 2/12/2022 at 5:57 AM, ThailandRyan said:

Does this include the migrant workers.......wait what am I saying of course it does not......

Yes, first thought... ????

[khunPer]

On 2/12/2022 at 9:03 AM, KhunLA said:

Only the Thaksins ever gave the people anything; healthcare & 2011 wage raise.

Thaksin was outsted in 2006, must be Yinglock that bought votes.

 

However, thanks for sharing the graph. The minimum wage increase has been more than 100 percent, actually 107 percent, over 20 years; 2000-2020.

 

The consumer prices have increased about 55 percent during the same period.

Edited February 14, 2022 by khunPer