Wage Committee Proposed to Hold Discussions on Minimum Wage Increase

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by Krajangwit Johjit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The National Wage Committee is expected to hold a meeting to consider a proposal to increase the daily minimum wage rate due to increased living costs in Thailand.

 

The statement was made by Labor Minister Suchart Chomklin during a press conference at the Government House as the cabinet addressed measures to ease the impact of rising fuel prices. This also came after a recent proposal made to the government by the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) and the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC) to set the minimum wage rate at 492 baht per day for workers.

 

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According to the Labour Minister, a survey will be conducted from April to June to assess people’s living expenses. In July, a subcommittee will meet to discuss the minimum wage rate before submitting a report to the National Wage Committee, where the proposal is expected to be considered between August and September. If the proposed wage rate is approved, the Ministry of Labour will submit it to the cabinet for further consideration.

 

The National Wage Committee is made up of representatives from employers, labor unions, and government officials. The government is represented by the Ministry of Labour, while workers and employers are represented by TLSC and SERC, and the Employers’ Confederation of Thailand, respectively.

 

Wage increases will be determined using International Labour Organization (ILO) principles such as the country’s cost of living index, inflation rate, living standards, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and socioeconomic factors.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-26

 

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[edwinchester]

Good luck with that, only reputable employers pay minimum wage.

In our area people can still be paid as little as 200 bht a day.....take it or leave it seems to be the attitude.

[Sydebolle]

2013 saw an election promise of salary adjustment from 200 Baht to 300 Baht; likewise every university graduate would start with 15,000 Baht. 
2022, nine years later they talk about 492 Baht; a staggering increase of 292 Baht or 146% over 2013. 

All those "adjustments" are done exclusively by people who do not have to pay. Is today's output of a Thai worker 2 ½ times compared to ten years ago? Has the performance seen steep increases, is the work force today on the way up, compared to 2013? 

In addition to all this, the same governmental jokers add one holiday to another one and now has peaked in more than double the public holidays compared to 20 years ago. 

This, combined with a serious attitude problem by most workers and zero improvement on education on basic schooling and vocational training ....... go figure! 

In closing, it is yet to be seen, how the industry and agricultural business will react. In the past (il)legal workers from neighbouring countries were seriously exploited with minimum of anything and that will not change. Non-Thai employers will either adjust to yet another new rule ...... or take their business elsewhere. Bottomline is, that 31 x 492 clocks 15,000 Baht, too much to die and not enough to live on. Thais in that category do not live, they exist.

Yet another pristine example of what happens, if totally unqualified government clowns stir in the private industry soup but yes, this country belongs to Thais so let them sort out their yet another nice mess they got themselves into!  

[Will B Good]

The wife employs locals in her fields from time to time.....250 baht/day......I asked, but isn't the minimum wage 300 baht?.....she just shrugged and said they have breaks.