Wage Hike Will Begin In Only 7 Thai Provinces

[Buchholz]

"[The masses] have never thirsted after truth. They demand illusions, and cannot do without them. They constantly give what is unreal precedence over what is real; they are almost as strongly influenced by what is untrue as by what is true. They have an evident tendency to not distinguish between the two."

-Sigmund Freud

Most Appropriate Quote of the Day.

[sfbandung]

"[The masses] have never thirsted after truth. They demand illusions, and cannot do without them. They constantly give what is unreal precedence over what is real; they are almost as strongly influenced by what is untrue as by what is true. They have an evident tendency to not distinguish between the two."

-Sigmund Freud

Most Appropriate Quote of the Day.

Absolutely. I believe the psychologists call it "love of wonder".

Leaving aside what's fair, increasing the cost of labour by 50% (I know, not everyone is on minimum wage) was always a big call.

[osiboy]

I was wondering, did Pheu Thai ever define the number of hours in one work day? Different people work different numbers of hours per day, so when they say "300 THB per day", exactly how many hours is that? One day is technically equivalent to 24 hours.

Why would you want to bring some kind of logic into it T.I.T.

her indoors told me she read somewhere it was for a 10 hr day , after that OT should be payed...... so some thais do read !:jap:

[KKK]

current wage rate in those provinces is now quite close to Bt300, so employers should not be too bothered.

In Phuket it is Bt221 and in the other provinces Bt215.

Just where does 221 or 215 become quite close to 300?

221 to 300 = 35.75% increase

215 to 300 = 39.53% increase

Tell any employer that a 35 to 39% increase in their wage bill is something they shouldn't be bothered about...answer BS a great big pile of BS. But, then again, if you're making 5000% profit maybe it is insignificant.

To me when a polititian makes an election campaign promise to win votes he/she is making a contract with the electorate. Failure to honor that promise is breach of contract and the electorate should sue the polititian.

[KKK]

I was wondering, did Pheu Thai ever define the number of hours in one work day? Different people work different numbers of hours per day, so when they say "300 THB per day", exactly how many hours is that? One day is technically equivalent to 24 hours.

Why would you want to bring some kind of logic into it T.I.T.

her indoors told me she read somewhere it was for a 10 hr day , after that OT should be payed...... so some thais do read !:jap:

I think you'll find that a Thai working week consists of 6 x 8 hour days = 48hrs/week....

[ExpatOilWorker]

They picked 7 out of more than 70 provinces that just happened to have daily incomes already approaching a whopping 300 b/day. And thats in 2012. Isan will get nothing out of this wage promise. Yingluck will probably be gone before they get a rise. Billionaire isnt she ?

Going down very badly in Issan, All the sacrifices all the trips to protest in BKK, all the cheering has nearly died away now that the Family has used them to gain control.

The hopes of these lost souls in Issan loyal to the end ==END UP GETTING sod all..........

The powers that be now have what they wanted all along--POWER to achieve that and how do they care---NO

Hang on there. Why would you as foreigner be interested in a salary increase in Isaan? Overnight EVERYTHING from noodle soup, car wash to the construction crew building your house will be 40% more expensive. Don't you think the stronger baht has done damage enough to the purchasing power of foreigners?

[Buchholz]

Thanks for the specifics on the math. I was wondering what that sort of jump came out to be.

I imagine minimum wage earners in provinces, other than the 7 and especially those in the Northeast/North, will be thoroughly perturbed by it and justifiably so. Someone else getting a 40% jump in salary for the same work they are doing can generate a lot of resentment, frustration, and anger.

.

[whybother]

Thanks for the specifics on the math. I was wondering what that sort of jump came out to be.

I imagine minimum wage earners in provinces, other than the 7 and especially those in the Northeast/North, will be thoroughly perturbed by it and justifiably so. Someone else getting a 40% jump in salary for the same work they are doing can generate a lot of resentment, frustration, and anger.

There's going to be movement of people from the other provinces to the much higher paid locations, too. Which will mean potential labour shortages in the lower paid areas, and potentially over supply in the higher paid areas.

[SICHONSTEVE]

What else did you expect? You elect clowns - you get red noses

They are clowns!!! Is that why everybody is laughing at them now???

The fun has yet to start, they have only just come into town. Just wait until the show begins and then they will have us in raptures!!!! I'm so excited about being able to watch the show that I have just wet myself and have stomach ache because I have been laughing so much at their comical antics to date .

Edited September 2, 2011 by SICHONSTEVE

[brianb1944]

Relative to the above reminds, however, that she has 30 days after taking office to produce her completed asset declaration statement, so it'll be interesting to see exactly what she specifically says is her worth.

She'll also have to produce the same documentation for her husband and her son.

30 days is fast approaching.

.

I am sure the Dems are keeping an eye on that one, as well as doing their own digging.

[brianb1944]

I would have thought Chiang-mai would be on the list!?

No need, same with Issan, loyal fully indoctrinated Reds. Time to woo the Democrat voters in the Democrat strongholds.

[brianb1944]

"[The masses] have never thirsted after truth. They demand illusions, and cannot do without them. They constantly give what is unreal precedence over what is real; they are almost as strongly influenced by what is untrue as by what is true. They have an evident tendency to not distinguish between the two."

-Sigmund Freud

How very apt, thailand to a Tee.

[brianb1944]

I was wondering, did Pheu Thai ever define the number of hours in one work day? Different people work different numbers of hours per day, so when they say "300 THB per day", exactly how many hours is that? One day is technically equivalent to 24 hours.

Why would you want to bring some kind of logic into it T.I.T.

her indoors told me she read somewhere it was for a 10 hr day , after that OT should be payed...... so some thais do read !:jap:

I think you'll find that a Thai working week consists of 6 x 8 hour days = 48hrs/week....

Most Thais I know tend to work a 12 to 16 hour day, and only some have a day off per week.

[brianb1944]

current wage rate in those provinces is now quite close to Bt300, so employers should not be too bothered.

In Phuket it is Bt221 and in the other provinces Bt215.

Just where does 221 or 215 become quite close to 300?

221 to 300 = 35.75% increase

215 to 300 = 39.53% increase

Tell any employer that a 35 to 39% increase in their wage bill is something they shouldn't be bothered about...answer BS a great big pile of BS. But, then again, if you're making 5000% profit maybe it is insignificant.

To me when a polititian makes an election campaign promise to win votes he/she is making a contract with the electorate. Failure to honor that promise is breach of contract and the electorate should sue the polititian.

Its a lot closer than the 120 baht per day rice workers get in Surin area. I suspect that many employers will continue to ignore any legislative requirements re wages and conditions. As they do in most countries.

[Buchholz]

Relative to the above reminds, however, that she has 30 days after taking office to produce her completed asset declaration statement, so it'll be interesting to see exactly what she specifically says is her worth.

She'll also have to produce the same documentation for her husband and her son.

30 days is fast approaching.

.

I am sure the Dems are keeping an eye on that one, as well as doing their own digging.

Her niece, having learned the hard way what deception can lead to, will certainly be looking in, as well...

Supreme Court Convenes for Asset Concealment Case

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions is convening for its first hearing in the case involving a former Pheu Thai MP accused of concealing her assets and liabilities from the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The defendant claims that the anti-corruption panel is biased against her.

Former Pheu Thai MP and daughter of former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, Chinnicha Wongsawat, traveled to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions for her first hearing after the National Anti-Corruption Commission, or NACC, petitioned for her disqualification and ban from politics for five years.

The NACC accused Chinnicha of concealing assets and liabilities, as well as failing to declare her debt in the documents she submitted to the NACC.

The NACC earlier filed a petition asking that Chinnicha be disqualified and banned from politics earlier this year after she allegedly concealed her asset and liabilities from the NACC, particularly the 100 million baht loan from Bannapot Damapong, a step brother of Khunying Pojaman na Pombejara, after Chinnicha assumed her House seat.

[TAWP]

To drive up the minimum wage one increases the bar a worker has to be over to get hired. Who is going to hire the guys that might be valued at 250baht if the minimum wage is set at 300B? No-one, he will be unemployed.

Our employees are way-way higher on the pay-scale - but if someone said that we had to pay a new minimum we would restructure and look for new workers that match the qualifications that the new pay-grade now indicates.

Minimum wage is a typical government intervention tool that is implemented not because it has proven positive effect with no downsides - there are many cases of the opposite - but because it buys votes.

Who cares if it is good for the people or the nation in the long run?

[osiboy]

I was wondering, did Pheu Thai ever define the number of hours in one work day? Different people work different numbers of hours per day, so when they say "300 THB per day", exactly how many hours is that? One day is technically equivalent to 24 hours.

Why would you want to bring some kind of logic into it T.I.T.

her indoors told me she read somewhere it was for a 10 hr day , after that OT should be payed...... so some thais do read !:jap:

I think you'll find that a Thai working week consists of 6 x 8 hour days = 48hrs/week....

i stand corected , but she's just told me her friend works 5 x 10 hrs for min wage , bit of "give and take" or "take it or leave it "i guess, .....personally i would take 5 x 10 so to have 2 days off.

[louse1953]

They picked 7 out of more than 70 provinces that just happened to have daily incomes already approaching a whopping 300 b/day. And thats in 2012. Isan will get nothing out of this wage promise. Yingluck will probably be gone before they get a rise. Billionaire isnt she ?

Undoubtedly, she is.

In just one solitary transaction she netted nearly that much.

When the family sold its flagship Shin Corp. to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings Pte for 73 billion baht ($2.4 billion) in 2006, Yingluck netted 985 million baht.

Bloomberg BusinessWeek - June 16, 2011

How much tax paid on that i wonder.

http://www.businessw...-investors.html

.

[NanLaew]

Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi and Phuket.

Phuket? Why Phuket?

[whybother]

Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi and Phuket.

Phuket? Why Phuket?

Because it's minimum wage is the highest in the country.

Edited September 3, 2011 by whybother

[NanLaew]

Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi and Phuket.

Phuket? Why Phuket?

Because it's minimum wage is the highest in the country.

And probably 99% employed in the tourist sector? I was thinking why not Chonburi which has the twin attractions of tourism and major manufacturing. However, racking up minimum wages in the latter would probably cause foreign investors to pause their plans due to the higher labour costs. The higher costs with the already overpaid tourist sector employee in Phuket can easily be transferred to the dumb foreign tourists and residents who chose to go there or live there.

[KKK]

Why would you want to bring some kind of logic into it T.I.T.

her indoors told me she read somewhere it was for a 10 hr day , after that OT should be payed...... so some thais do read !:jap:

I think you'll find that a Thai working week consists of 6 x 8 hour days = 48hrs/week....

Most Thais I know tend to work a 12 to 16 hour day, and only some have a day off per week.

None of that changes what the law (ROTFL) states....The PM would have to state a day as being what the law defines not some arbitary, what they choose (or forced) to work, day.

[KKK]

Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi and Phuket.

Phuket? Why Phuket?

Because it's minimum wage is the highest in the country.

Along with its cost-of-living...last time I was there (Phuket) I was appalled at how expensive it is...maybe I'm spoilt with Pattaya's over-supply of everything=cheap prices.....hey let's open up yet another girlie bar doing the same as all the others.....boring but cheap.

[Buchholz]

Labour committee warns if it's not implemented across country, it could be public deception

Considering this and the assorted "unravelings" described in the thread,

Poll Says Government Policies Are Unraveling

are ANY of the Pheu Thai Party's policies living up to what was promised?

They are all getting scaled back, modified, "put on hold", revised, or scrapped.

The "unraveling" on this issue is not going away as the Pheu Thai Party is being challenged on it.

Being held accountable is a terrible thing, eh?

.

Edited September 5, 2011 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

We'll sue if govt reneges on Bt300 minimum wage promise: unions

Labour organisations are threatening to take legal action against the government if it fails to honour the ruling party's election policy of raising the daily minimum wage to Bt300 across the country by January.

"Failure to honour the election policy is a legal offence under the 2007 law about the election of MPs," Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) Chairman Chalee Loysoong said yesterday.

He was speaking at a seminar on wage policies at the Century Park Hotel in Bangkok.

Labour organisations have stepped up pressure on the government after the Pheu Thai-led administration unveiled a plan to increase the daily minimum wage to Bt300 first in just seven provinces - Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Phuket.

Although Labour Minister Padermchai Sasomsap assured that the daily minimum wage in other provinces would significantly rise in January and soar to Bt300 in less than two years, representatives from the labour organisations were not satisfied.

Confederation of Thai Labour (CTL) Chairman Manas Kosol said all branches of superstores sold commodities at the same price and all workers, regardless of which provinces they were based in, should enjoy the Bt300 daily wage.

A statement signed by TLSC and its allies today said workers voted for the Pheu Thai Party because of its promise to raise the daily minimum wage to Bt300 across the country.

"We, therefore, call on the government to honour its election policy for the reduction of inequality and the better life of workers/employees," Chalee read from the statement.

State Enterprise Workers Relation Confederation (SERC) Secretary-General Sawit Kaewwan added that the minimum wage of Bt300 a day should be applied to farm hands and alien workers too.

"If the government can't do so, please step down," he said.

Chalee said TLSC and its allies would gather the signatures of about five million workers in initiating the lawsuit against the government if it did not raise the daily minimum wage to Bt300 in all provinces by January.

His alliance now plans to seek a meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on October 7 to ask for clarification of her government's labour policy.

Chalee said according to a survey, the cost of living had already soared above Bt300 per head per day in 16 provinces.

The survey covered 3,660 workers in 16 provinces including Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Angthong and Prachin Buri.

"Workers want a fair rate of wage. The current daily minimum wage is not sufficient for them," Chalee insisted.

He also urged the government to honour the Pheu Thai Party's policy of ensuring a starting salary of Bt15,000 for all bachelor's degree holders.

Employers have been reluctant to welcome the government's promise of a wage hike, saying the sudden increase in wages would hurt small and medium-sized businesses and lead to layoffs.

-- The Nation 2011-09-06

[Nanfarang]

There is some logic here, albeit skewed logic. The people in the 7 provinces most likely to benefit are more than likely the sons and daughters of Issan - working in hotels etc. Thus more money will/should filter back there. At the same time, given that most of the 7 provinces enjoy a significant proportion of their income from Tourism you avoid stoking the inflationary fire in the rest of the country. All well and good. However, localised inflation results in higher rents and consumer goods, thus eating up all of the benefit. But hey. it looks good and sounds good! More gruel for anyone?

[David006]

I was wondering, did Pheu Thai ever define the number of hours in one work day? Different people work different numbers of hours per day, so when they say "300 THB per day", exactly how many hours is that? One day is technically equivalent to 24 hours.

Good question!! What is the average work day or week?

My 17 yo step daughter works 12 hours a day 6 days a week in a Thai owned retail store( tourist target market)..however she is on 2-3 % commission with a monthly base salary of about 12k-13k I think.... equates to about 550bt a day and A$1:50+/hour most months...Pretty good by Thai standards for a school leaver methinks...they also provide transportation. Still a lot of hours though!...

... would not the government be powerless to stop employers increasing hours to offset wage increases since they have not specified the length of a work day??

Edited September 5, 2011 by David006

[Buchholz]

The employer representatives of the Central Wage Committee announced today that they will be asking for a 6 month delay in any minimum daily wage increase due to expenses involved with the current flooding and the shutting down of 10,000 factories.

.

[serenitynow]

The employer representatives of the Central Wage Committee announced today that they will be asking for a 6 month delay in any minimum daily wage increase due to expenses involved with the current flooding and the shutting down of 10,000 factories.

.

Since when is it the employee's responsibility on whether or not their employer can turn a profit? Pay them the 300 Bt salary or let them go if your business can't survive the cost of labor. Don't go to outside agencies to screw your labor force. Yes, they're largely uneducated, but when they aren't any longer, they'll come back to kill you, and for good reason.

[TAWP]

The employer representatives of the Central Wage Committee announced today that they will be asking for a 6 month delay in any minimum daily wage increase due to expenses involved with the current flooding and the shutting down of 10,000 factories.

Since when is it the employee's responsibility on whether or not their employer can turn a profit? Pay them the 300 Bt salary or let them go if your business can't survive the cost of labor. Don't go to outside agencies to screw your labor force. Yes, they're largely uneducated, but when they aren't any longer, they'll come back to kill you, and for good reason.

You are correct, it isn't the responsibility if the employees.

And on equal terms, it isn't the responsibility of the employer to think about how you survive or that your sick mother need an operation and it would be bad if you got laid off.

But an act of cooperation from one side can give reciprocation from the other side when needed.

Edited October 16, 2011 by TAWP