Can Thailand afford to raise minimum wage to 600 baht?

[Lorry]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

If you read the "other" newspapers Opinion page it has an interesting article which I cannot quote from.

Good article.

 

According to BoT, average wage (country-wide) in the non- agricultural sector is 605 baht. 

The author of said article reckons that only 15% of workers get minimum wage. 

[jvs]

If Thailand wants to remain competitive in Agricultural products

then this raise will be counter productive.

I know it is meant to be spread over 5 years but still.

[Ralf001]

5 hours ago, digger70 said:

They say THB328 and THB354 that's Incorrect. 

Down here in the 7/11 shops it's THB 200  a day for long Hours that's THB 5000 for a 25 day Month. 

25 day month is generous.

 

Thai labour law pegs a working week as 6 days.

[Photoguy21]

If you base it on a 5 day week it amounts to Baht 12,000 a month (assuming 4 weeks in the month). If the work is 7 days a week then it equates to Baht 16,400 for a 4 week month.

I cant believe any of these companies have such small profit margins that they cant afford to pay these amounts of money. It is just greed on behalf of the employer that stops them paying a decent wage.

Edited December 15, 2022 by Photoguy21

[MrMojoRisin]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

It makes no difference what the minimum wage is, the richer people will continue to pay below it. As usual, the Shiniwat family are focusing on the poor people for votes as the more educated can see through their scams like giving free phones to people then milking them for services. The poor will vote for the "possibility" of extra money as they are desperate, even willing to ignore the 1000s of extrajudicial killings by the clan. 

I used to teach this entitled brat, who arrived in a brown Bentley (bought with money her father got by crashing the economy when he was Finance minister or Dept PM to "Banhan' the most corrupt PM ever or 'Big Jew') when she was at school in Bangkok around 1997.

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/1/4/17989224/intellectual-humility-explained-psychology-replication

[Scouse123]

1 hour ago, pegman said:

Easy solution. Change the law to allow employers of illegals to be criminally charged. Then put the Big Joke in charge of rounding them up. I remember after the last coup the Greens announced their plans to do something  similar. Within a week all the migrants had left the country. High-rises in my neighbourhood under construction we're completely deserted.  It took some powerful interest to get them to change course and months before all the migrant construction workers came back. 

Some of those that own these projects carry far more clout than Big Joke.

[pegman]

33 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Some of those that own these projects carry far more clout than Big Joke.

True but then Mr Thaksin may want to settle some scores should his daughter become PM

[zzaa09]

One manner in which to consolidate the inordinate working class conditions might be to install fair and reasonable hourly wage infrastructures [including overtime conditions] and laws/regulations that protect the worker bees from being exploited by way of their real worth....which, in act, is what day wages are all about and the raison d'etre. 

 

I realize that this much needed civilised act would almost be considered dreamy [even fanciful] throughout the economic sectors. Yet, this major change would enact the base economy to develop far more real than what we are seeing today. 

[Scouse123]

52 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

One manner in which to consolidate the inordinate working class conditions might be to install fair and reasonable hourly wage infrastructures [including overtime conditions] and laws/regulations that protect the worker bees from being exploited by way of their real worth....which, in act, is what day wages are all about and the raison d'etre. 

 

I realize that this much needed civilised act would almost be considered dreamy [even fanciful] throughout the economic sectors. Yet, this major change would enact the base economy to develop far more real than what we are seeing today. 

But not in our lifetime.

[zzaa09]

3 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

But not in our lifetime.

Yep. Unfortunately so. 

Just a dreamy proposal of slight possibility.

[Sydebolle]

Possibly news for Paetongtarn, the newest kid on the block. Your lovely Auntie, spending an extended holiday with your father since 2014, had already such devastating ideas. 

Auntie Yingluck promised, in a very populistic way to underline the most uneducated electorate, a salary increase from 200 Baht to 300 Baht and, guess what, she got elected (among other ideas of plundering state coffers at 15'000 Baht/ton of rice and 15'000 Baht minimum salary for university graduates). 

While politicians have funny ideas, it is the private industry to pay for it; same applies with the tremendous increase of "public holidays"; announced by the government which got standing ovations while the cranky looking industry had to follow. 

It curbs inflation (everybody was wondering, why i.e. the noodle soup skyrocketed from 25 to 60 Baht) and makes Thailand even less attractive; nobody gets staff at those minimum wages anymore (except those crooked Chinese with their mills and farms employing Burmese, Laotians and Cambodians which are all hired below the belt line, no permits, no insurance, no nothing). 

[Ralf001]

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

One manner in which to consolidate the inordinate working class conditions might be to install fair and reasonable hourly wage infrastructures [including overtime conditions] and laws/regulations that protect the worker bees from being exploited by way of their real worth....

 

 

You prolly should read up on the Thai Labour Laws.

[worgeordie]

Making it a 5 day working week for everyone would be an improvement ,

When I started work 60 odd  years ago it was 5,5 working week , now 

4 to 4,5 , working 6 days a week you are living to work , not working to

live ,

regards worgeordie

[zzaa09]

45 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

You prolly should read up on the Thai Labour Laws.

Which require a complete overhaul from their Draconian presence. 

A general labour revolution might suffice. 

Or not.

[puchooay]

8 hours ago, digger70 said:

Down here in the 7/11 shops it's THB 200  a day for long Hours that's THB 5000 for a 25 day Month. 

No, it isn't. 7/11 pay at least minimum wage.

[puchooay]

Maybe they could but it wouldn't make any difference.

 

Prices would rise. The 600b would only be worth the same as what they get now.

 

That's the problem with Thai economics. People only think about what they receive. They don't think about what they need to spend.

 

 

[MrMojoRisin]

17 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Maybe they could but it wouldn't make any difference.

 

Prices would rise. The 600b would only be worth the same as what they get now.

 

That's the problem with Thai economics. People only think about what they receive. They don't think about what they need to spend.

 

 

Since wage-push inflation’s birth, research has debunked its theoretical role as a cause of inflation. Instead of higher wages leading to higher prices and inflation, higher prices lead to higher wages.
 

In other words, wages do not push up prices—instead, it’s the other way around.
 

https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-is-wage-push-inflation-5214749

 

 

[puchooay]

4 minutes ago, MrMojoRisin said:

Since wage-push inflation’s birth, research has debunked its theoretical role as a cause of inflation. Instead of higher wages leading to higher prices and inflation, higher prices lead to higher wages.
 

In other words, wages do not push up prices—instead, it’s the other way around.
 

https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-is-wage-push-inflation-5214749

 

 

Really? So a shop owner is told they must increase the salaries of their staff. They are going to take that on the chin and accepts profit loss? I very much doubt it. More so in Thailand.

[digger70]

4 hours ago, Lorry said:

Do you believe this?

Yes the Gf Son is /Was working for that Greedy Mob until he got Paid.

Edited December 15, 2022 by digger70

[digger70]

30 minutes ago, puchooay said:

No, it isn't. 7/11 pay at least minimum wage.

That just shows that you don't know what's going on.

[digger70]

4 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

25 day month is generous.

 

Thai labour law pegs a working week as 6 days.

25 days Generous at THB 200 ? you'r kidding aren't you.

[puchooay]

1 minute ago, digger70 said:

That just shows that you don't know what's going on.

Please show me then. Educate me. Anyone who is working in 7/11 on contracted hours will be on minimum wage.

 

Maybe you know some who are working under the radar so they don't have to show how much they are earning, do tax returns or pay into the Social Security scheme. That's up to them.

[digger70]

20 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Please show me then. Educate me. Anyone who is working in 7/11 on contracted hours will be on minimum wage.

 

Maybe you know some who are working under the radar so they don't have to show how much they are earning, do tax returns or pay into the Social Security scheme. That's up to them.

Stop badgering I know what they paid the Gf son . THB 200 for a long day.

[puchooay]

1 minute ago, digger70 said:

Stop badgering I know what they paid the Gf son . THB 200 for a long day.

Excellent. Girlfriend's son. 5555

 

Let's believe him over what the law says. 

 

How old is he?

[digger70]

2 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Excellent. Girlfriend's son. 5555

 

Let's believe him over what the law says. 

 

How old is he?

You wanna Laugh about Lady digger and Her son? 

You should be ashamed ,you don't know Me or Lady digger .

You keep badgering I will Report you.

If you want to know,her son is 25

I don't care  I just made a statement on fact and 7/11 doesn't care about the Law . 

There are many 7/11 that are Franchises down here and they pay All same. 

End of Rant ,,,,Closed.

[puchooay]

3 minutes ago, digger70 said:

You wanna Laugh about Lady digger and Her son? 

You should be ashamed ,you don't know Me or Lady digger .

You keep badgering I will Report you.

If you want to know,her son is 25

I don't care  I just made a statement on fact and 7/11 doesn't care about the Law . 

There are many 7/11 that are Franchises down here and they pay All same. 

End of Rant ,,,,Closed.

You clearly have no knowledge of how business law works. You also clearly have no idea of how staffing works in 7/11 franchises.

[DJ54]

The last increase was like pulling teeth for most companies to agree… wouldn’t want to bet on it reaching 600 up in the Northeast Isaan in 5 years 

[moogradod]

2 minutes ago, puchooay said:

You clearly have no knowledge of how business law works. You also clearly have no idea of how staffing works in 7/11 franchises.

No, you seem to have no idea. I know because a Thai (!) family member applied just for fun. And @digger70 is correct in every regard as far as I can tell - as well with his other statements concerning working law and rules for the Thai. At least that is what I have seen.

[sqwakvfr]

Simple economics is when the lowest members of the working class get a minimum wage of 600 Baht or in many parts of the US $15 per hour then all workers above them should get a commensurate raise as well. It only seems fair that a worker who currently makes 600 Baht then should get a raise to 1200 Baht?  Then what will you get?  A steep increase in prices of goods and services.  Doubt it will happen because business leaders will do everything they can to stop it.  I can see a gradual increase to 600 Baht in phases.  For instance 400 Baht this year, 450 in 2023 and 500 in 2024 and so on.  But then I just realized I am applying western logic.  Disregard, TIT.

[sqwakvfr]

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

Please show me then. Educate me. Anyone who is working in 7/11 on contracted hours will be on minimum wage.

 

Maybe you know some who are working under the radar so they don't have to show how much they are earning, do tax returns or pay into the Social Security scheme. That's up to them.

I saw a help wanted sign at local CNX 7-11 and the posted daily pay was 350 Baht.  It did not mention how many hours per day.