'No Reason To Delay Bt300 Wage Hike': Thai Labour Ministry

[webfact]

LABOUR

'No reason to delay Bt300 wage hike'

The Nation

The launch of the flat Bt300 minimum daily wage "should not" be postponed from January 1 due to the flooding, as a postflood business and economic recovery is anticipated, Labour Ministry permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong said yesterday.

"A survey of the labour and business sectors is underway. Those businesses that are still affected and cannot recover quickly can request assistance from the government," he said, without elaborating on the "assistance".

Somkiat said it would take five months to evaluate the postflood labour supply situation.

While he did not explicitly say that the Bt300 minimum wage would take effect without conditions on January 1, he said there had not been any change to the existing agreement mandating that the pay rise take effect on that date.

The ministry has taken steps to help floodaffected workers, including a plan to fill 130,000 job vacancies and arranging 10day skillstraining sessions paying a Bt120 daily allowance. It was expected to see 15,000 applicants but could accommodate another 20,000.

Shortterm, 20day contracts paying Bt150 a day to around 23,000 workers had also been arranged, he added.

The House committee on social welfare yesterday held a joint meeting with Labour Minister Phadermchai Sasomsap to discuss measures to help floodaffected workers and minimise the chance of massive layoffs. Phadermchai said a fund will be set up soon to help employers pay Bt2,000 to workers for three months.

Fewer workers had been laid off than expected - 4,500 - from 15 companies in three provinces including hardhit Ayutthaya, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-11-18

[rotary]

This should make lots of short term work for truck drivers hauling factory equipment to port for shipment to to another country with cheaper labour. I agree the workers deserve B300 a day but facts are factories will move for cheaper labour. A sad fact of life.

[Buchholz]

The launch of the flat Bt300 minimum daily wage "should not" be postponed from January 1 due to the flooding, as a postflood business and economic recovery is anticipated, Labour Ministry permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong said yesterday.

"A survey of the labour and business sectors is underway. Those businesses that are still affected and cannot recover quickly can request assistance from the government," he said, without elaborating on the "assistance".

Somkiat said it would take five months to evaluate the postflood labour supply situation.

Pure Gobbledygook as the initial delay was from Jan. 1 to Apr. 1.

With Somkiat saying now it would take five months to evaluate whether the delay should take place, it puts it right back to April 1.

Yeah, he's fighting real hard to get the laborers their increase.

Also missing in his comments is that for 70 out of the 77 provinces, the delay is not until April.... it's delayed until 2013.

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Edited November 18, 2011 by Buchholz

[mads]

Just bought an extension cord the other day. A Thai brand but made in China.....

[sparebox2]

This is the tme when the poor victims is in need or cash.

[hellodolly]

Now let me get this rite.

He is saying that having to pay more money to the workers will not affect a company's ability to recover from the damage caused by the flood.

The government will help them out. Is the government planning on paying all the cost of repares and replacement's for them.

It still means that the businesses have to come up with the money now they can not wait for tax breaks to come into effect.

[FOODLOVER]

Anyone balance the check book yet?

[peterdk]

Shortterm, 20day contracts paying Bt150 a day to around 23,000 workers had also been arranged, he added.

So thats good isnt it ?

He wants to implement 300 baht / day but is only willing to pay half.

There must be some twisted logic in that somewhere, but I fail to see it.

I was taught, to lead through example......

[easybullet3]

.... 20 day contracts paying Bt150 a day to around 23,000 workers had also been arranged, he added

Contradiction?

Why are they only giving half of the 300 Baht for work? is the government exempt from the scheme? - (i know the law doesn't come into effect till next year, but it looks bad that they are offering HALF of what they say they want everybody else to pay!)

also: Are they trying hard to put an end to Thai Exports? Surely production prices will rise (to accommodate for this wage-rise).. . What about all these Japanese and foreign huge factories? it wont be long before they all move to india.

.. or is this government "trying" to do this on purpose for some reason unknown to me? is there any economic reason to do this?

-PS: I do agree that workers need some more money, but won't this 300 baht policy shoot the country's economy in the foot?

Edited November 18, 2011 by easybullet3

[Arkady]

This should make lots of short term work for truck drivers hauling factory equipment to port for shipment to to another country with cheaper labour. I agree the workers deserve B300 a day but facts are factories will move for cheaper labour. A sad fact of life.

You are right but it is more the indirect effect than the direct effect. Most of the blue chip foreign manufacturers pay over Bt300 day to labour but there is a chain effect pushing higher wages up the pipe that will definitely make some investors throw in the towel.

[Cayenne]

I am concerned about the SMEs who have been affected by the flood; did the government specifically say what kind of help they are giving to these businesses? SMEs are struggling with cash flow on a day to day basis as it is and raising the wage to 300 baht now would mean more layoffs as business owners will just have to use less people to keep their business afloat.

[whybother]

The launch of the flat Bt300 minimum daily wage "should not" be postponed from January 1 due to the flooding, as a postflood business and economic recovery is anticipated, Labour Ministry permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong said yesterday.

Cabinet postpones Bt300 minimum daily wage hike to Apr 1, 2012 /via posttoday /TANN

[siampolee]

Considering the proposed date ( April 1st 2012 ) of the upcoming proposed daily wage increase it fits well with this current administrations logic and policy implementations and the way they think of the electorate in general.

Money for the big boys, yet the little boys go to the wall. relative went to the bank to request a loan to replace two C.N.C. lathes submerged and ruined in the flooding, bank didn't want to know him even with security provided, however the bank manager did kindly recommend said relative to a . " private financier" interest rates at twice the going bank interest rates.

the propose wage increase was a folly from the start and will in my view be counter productive to Thai industry in general if implemented quickly.

Time and a place for all things, yes this is the place, but it's not the time nor will be for at least a year.

[moe666]

As with all pay raises today is never the day, wait for better conditions is always the excuse. Unfortunately employers will have to bite the bullet sooner or later.

[Mosha]

Ranong isn't on the initial list for the 300 Baht, but you try getting someone to do a casual day's work at the old rate. They all want their piece of the cake.

[Buchholz]

The launch of the flat Bt300 minimum daily wage "should not" be postponed from January 1 due to the flooding, as a postflood business and economic recovery is anticipated, Labour Ministry permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong said yesterday.

"A survey of the labour and business sectors is underway. Those businesses that are still affected and cannot recover quickly can request assistance from the government," he said, without elaborating on the "assistance".

Somkiat said it would take five months to evaluate the post-flood labour supply situation.

Pure Gobbledygook as the initial delay was from Jan. 1 to Apr. 1.

With Somkiat saying now it would take five months to evaluate whether the delay should take place, it puts it right back to April 1.

Yeah, he's fighting real hard to get the laborers their increase.

Also missing in his comments is that for 70 out of the 77 provinces, the delay is not until April.... it's delayed until 2013.

Cabinet postpones Bt300 minimum daily wage hike to Apr 1, 2012 /via posttoday /TANN

So no need now for the gobbledygook of Somkiat's 5 month-long study to determine if the delay is needed. A dramatic departure from his opinion voiced a long time ago (4 days).

The other news today is that some of the 70 other provinces have to wait until as late as 2015 for the raise. The voters in those provinces must be tickled pink at the latest development on the 2011 PTP election promise.

U-turns and backpedaling and procrastination remain supreme in the Pheu Thai government.

.

Edited November 22, 2011 by Buchholz

[AleG]

So no need now for the gobbledygook of Somkiat's 5 month-long study to determine if the delay is needed. A dramatic departure from his opinion voiced a long time ago (4 days).

The other news today is that some of the 70 other provinces have to wait until as late as 2015 for the raise. The voters in those provinces must be tickled pink at the latest development on the 2011 PTP election promise.

U-turns and backpedaling and procrastination remain supreme in the Pheu Thai government.

.

By 2015, with the inflation this government seems be heading into 300 Baht may very well be less money than they are making now.

[Buchholz]

So no need now for the gobbledygook of Somkiat's 5 month-long study to determine if the delay is needed. A dramatic departure from his opinion voiced a long time ago (4 days).

The other news today is that some of the 70 other provinces have to wait until as late as 2015 for the raise. The voters in those provinces must be tickled pink at the latest development on the 2011 PTP election promise.

U-turns and backpedaling and procrastination remain supreme in the Pheu Thai government.

By 2015, with the inflation this government seems be heading into 300 Baht may very well be less money than they are making now.

Shhhhhhh

the Yingluck government doesn't want workers to realize that

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