Can Thailand afford to raise minimum wage to 600 baht?

[vandeventer]

On 12/15/2022 at 5:40 AM, RichardColeman said:

How'd you work that one out ? 

 

Raising it to 'daily' 600 , when current is 300-350 ? 

 

link - The current minimum wage in Thailand ranges between 328 and 354 baht depending on location.

Your right and many minimum wage earners have not had a pay increase in years. So yes raising it to 600 baht a day is fair.

. 

[Patong2021]

Big raise is long overdue. Phase it in, but give them 150 baht now .

[VocalNeal]

600 baht a day is 13,200 a month for a 5-day week. Maybe the push back is coming from sweat shops that work 6 or 6 1/2 days a week????

Like the Tesco jeans place in Mae Sot.

Edited December 25, 2022 by VocalNeal

[Boomer6969]

On 12/15/2022 at 8:09 AM, itsari said:

Cant afford not to pay 600 baht  as a minimum wage

= poor, lazy management.

[connda]

No.  Not based on the current minimum wage.  A cost of living increase for the recent inflation - ok.
But that isn't going to bring it to 600 THB/day. 

By the way.  We pay are own laborers based on skills, productivity, and unfortunately gender.  Based on those factors we pay between 300 to 600 THB/day. 
Before some Westerner has a mental breakdown, come live in rural Thailand before you melt down.  Then get a grip on that the plate of somtum you bought for 20 THB 10 years ago - still costs 20 THB today.

In Bangkok?  The cities are insane and a crucible for inflation.  Which is why I don't live rural.

 

[herfiehandbag]

6 hours ago, connda said:

No.  Not based on the current minimum wage.  A cost of living increase for the recent inflation - ok.
But that isn't going to bring it to 600 THB/day. 

By the way.  We pay are own laborers based on skills, productivity, and unfortunately gender.  Based on those factors we pay between 300 to 600 THB/day. 
Before some Westerner has a mental breakdown, come live in rural Thailand before you melt down.  Then get a grip on that the plate of somtum you bought for 20 THB 10 years ago - still costs 20 THB today.

In Bangkok?  The cities are insane and a crucible for inflation.  Which is why I don't live rural.

 

Cheap street food is no excuse to go pay exploitative wages.

 

Interesting that you pay some below the minimum wage.

[tgw]

16 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Cheap street food is no excuse to go pay exploitative wages.

 

Interesting that you pay some below the minimum wage.

I'm opposed to a general minimum wage, I think it disregards specificity and differences between people.

 

There are huge differences in the personal individual situations of people, for example if they have to pay rent or not, passive income, living in the same household, family members of the owner of the business, etc.

Minimum wages generally announce the end of small family businesses, as well as freelance jobs, and that's not a good thing.

 

A general minimum wage is not something that is a must have for a welfare state. Switzerland for example does not have a minimum wage.

 

Another bad side effect of a minimum wage is that it does automatically transform low performers into jobless bums and criminals. Because as the minimum wage rises, so does businesses' requirements for employees to perform to justify their employment.

Expect less "security" staff paid for sleeping through the night on their post and more petty thieves and scammers.

 

Better ways to ensure proper wages are paid are issuing official advisory guidelines for salaries according to qualifications, unionizing in some jobs and sectors, and, of course, the government leading by example, especially in schools, hospitals and the police.

[JackGats]

Minimal wages are the worst job-killers in any economy. Wages should vary according to supply and demand and nothing else.

[Lacrimas]

On 12/15/2022 at 7:02 AM, 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. 

That's illegal by the law, it is widespread in rural areas but illegal. 

[Lacrimas]

I say start with 400 at least... at least they can afford one more meal per day, poor people. 

[herfiehandbag]

10 hours ago, tgw said:

Better ways to ensure proper wages are paid are issuing official advisory guidelines for salaries according to qualifications, unionizing in some jobs and sectors, and, of course, the government leading by example, especially in schools, hospitals and the police.

The problem with the "minimum wage", in Thailand, is that it has effectively become, in many areas and activities, effectively the Government mandated standard wage.

 

The ties between the really big employers and the current government are too close to allow your suggestions to improve the lot of the workers.