Millions of struggling Thai workers eye election promises to ease daily hardship

[webfact]

 

By Thai PBS World

 

Security guard Nopporn Net-aram does not expect much on Labor Day, marked on May 1 every year. Nor does he have high hopes of the May 14 election.

 

“I always work on Labor Day,” the 53-year-old said. “I don’t get paid anything extra for working on this public holiday. I just get paid the normal rate.”

 

Paid 529.50 baht for a 12-hour shift that starts at 6am sharp, Nopporn says he earns about 15,000 baht a month. Security guards, who are ubiquitous in the towns and cities of Thailand, are usually required to work every day.

 

Though his two children are already adults, Nopporn still needs to support his elderly mother. But faced with soaring living expenses, he can barely afford to give her 1,000 baht a month.

 

Asked about the upcoming general election, Nopporn said most political parties are making big promises – including a sharp hike in daily minimum wages.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/millions-of-struggling-thai-workers-eye-election-promises-to-ease-daily-hardship/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-05-01

 

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[Crossy]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

Asked about the upcoming general election, Nopporn said most political parties are making big promises – including a sharp hike in daily minimum wages.

 

Promises that will evaporate faster than a snowball in hell if they actually win the election ???? 

 

My youngest (in the UK) suggested that all election manifestos should be made legally binding! Never going to happen anywhere, at least not in this universe.

[BangkokReady]

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

Asked about the upcoming general election, Nopporn said most political parties are making big promises – including a sharp hike in daily minimum wages.

Many places are very over staffed, presumably because the daily rate is so low having too many workers is not a problem.  If the minimum wage is raised beyond a certain level, there are bound to be a lot of layoffs.  I hope people are considering that when they think about who to vote for.

[hotandsticky]

14 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Many places are very over staffed, presumably because the daily rate is so low having too many workers is not a problem.  If the minimum wage is raised beyond a certain level, there are bound to be a lot of layoffs.  I hope people are considering that when they think about who to vote for.

 

Indeed, the grass is not always greener.....

[ezzra]

Hope springs eternal goes on the proverb to say, and just like previous governments promised to make life easier and never delivered so will do the next one, and the next one, and the next

[carlyai]

Though B30,000 per farmer does sound appealing. 

Wifey polishing up her gumboots. ????

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Paid 529.50 baht for a 12-hour shift that starts at 6am sharp, Nopporn says he earns about 15,000 baht a month. Security guards, who are ubiquitous in the towns and cities of Thailand, are usually required to work every day.

I bet he's voting for the 10,000 hand-out if a certain party gets in.

Prayuts given him sod-all over the last 8 years.

[AhFarangJa]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Asked about the upcoming general election, Nopporn said most political parties are making big promises – including a sharp hike in daily minimum wages.

What he has to realise is that they are all politicians. There are two undeniable traits of a politician no matter where in the World you are, Firstly, if their lips are moving then they are lying, and secondly they are only in it for what they can get out of the system.

[xtrnuno41]

Yes, there will be people struggling, as Ukraine war carries on.

Thailand has also the problems, though later. However covid also made a crack

But before covid there was already a bad situation. I remember, government had 4 positions (in a city) to fill and the city got 2000 applications.

 

IF they have work now with that same government, they break up, resign and leave to have easy way of live. As they dont like to do the work. Back to mom and dad? That is amazing again.

If you are working for government, being an officer, you move all over the country. 4 years on a spot and then move. There are couples, married people, they almost never see each other. One could be working in Loei and the other one working in Rayong.

Many older ones are totally fed up, step out and have  pension. In years to come many will leave. Of course government isnt anticipating, changing (yha for worse) and the new ones? They arent that motivated to do the work. Of course not all. Being an officer, you also have to attend the weirdest events.

You dont get paid for it and free time is gone. Overwork? Not getting paid.

I dont know if that is government or military, for now they are the same.

Amazing Thailand.  

[RichardColeman]

8 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Many places are very over staffed, presumably because the daily rate is so low having too many workers is not a problem.  If the minimum wage is raised beyond a certain level, there are bound to be a lot of layoffs.  I hope people are considering that when they think about who to vote for.

I was actually trying to explain that to my wife yesterday, that if Thailand raised the daily wage to the same as the UK , then their staff would drop atleast 70%. I tried explaining that in the toy department in Central where they have 10 staff , in the UK there would probably be about 3. It may sound sad but maybe the best thing Thailand has going for it for employment is a LOW daily wage. You put wages up it either comes from 2 things - prices going up or staff cuts.  Certainly the minute that the recycling becomes too expensive for people to make money on it - as in collecting bottles and plastic for selling (we all see them) - then the refuse in Thailand is going to explode !

[RocketDog]

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

What he has to realise is that they are all politicians. There are two undeniable traits of a politician no matter where in the World you are, Firstly, if their lips are moving then they are lying, and secondly they are only in it for what they can get out of the system.

As often said : those who lust for power are the ones who deserve it the least.  

[GameMaster]

44 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

You put wages up it either comes from 2 things - prices going up or staff cuts.

Or subsidies.

[GameMaster]

Nopporn auto portrait, a few months after election.
Title:"Cucked, yet again"

 

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Many places are very over staffed, presumably because the daily rate is so low having too many workers is not a problem.  If the minimum wage is raised beyond a certain level, there are bound to be a lot of layoffs.  I hope people are considering that when they think about who to vote for.

I believe that the intent of the good population will be easily misled and fooled regarding regardless of who they vote for and hang their hope on.......change for the betterment will be slow if not false. 

 

The political machines exist for their own grand perpetuation and has little to do with expansion of the commons. 

This is the sad reality that is found everywhere. 

[zzaa09]

34 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

As often said : those who lust for power are the ones who deserve it the least.  

Indeed. 

The honorary and romantic ideals of public service are lost on most. 

[Muhendis]

10 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

I hope people are considering that when they think about who to vote for.

Be realistic.

 

People will vote for the highest handout.

[thailand49]

Yea, don't hold your breath for that promise to come true there are many grown up still waiting for their tablets?  ????

[StayinThailand2much]

Why don't they look for a better-paid job? With the unemployment rate, reportedly, below

1% (!), there should be plenty of vacancies...

[connda]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Asked about the upcoming general election, Nopporn said most political parties are making big promises – including a sharp hike in daily minimum wages.

There is no such thing as a "free lunch."  The parties will rain down public money (it's not out of their pockets) after which massive inflation hits which will decimate most Thai workers.  Think it's tough now?
Wait for 20% inflation and all those 10K, 30K, minimum wage hikes will be eaten within a year.  The only ones making out like bandits - politicians and billionaires. 

[wombat]

21 hours ago, Crossy said:

 ???? 

 

 all election manifestos should be made legally binding

 

[wombat]

6 hours ago, connda said:

There is no such thing as a "free lunch."  The parties will rain down public money (it's not out of their pockets) after which massive inflation hits which will decimate most Thai workers.  Think it's tough now?
Wait for 20% inflation and all those 10K, 30K, minimum wage hikes will be eaten within a year.  The only ones making out like bandits - politicians and billionaires. 

Who said round eye politics taught them nothing?