Poll: 1/3 Of Employers May Lay Off Workers Due To Thai Govt's Minimum Wage Hike

[phl]

Am I the only one to think that workers do not deserve any salary hike in this country ?

Shouldn't they show more interest and responsability in their work before expecting any salary increase ?

Have you considered how you would feel working for 150/200 baht a day? I'm surprised that Thai people on minimum wage bother to do anything and I'm not surprised that they try and do the least possible! Perhaps a hike in salary might make for a person to work harder? Of course some decent training wouldn't go amiss either!

No offense but it seems that you don't know so much Thai at work...

I could pay them 10 times more in my company but they still wouldn't do anything more and just suddenly disappear as they always do !

Not always true. I employ a bunch of Thais and they all do a pretty good job and get paid well over the minimum wage. A few would be exceptional employees even in the West.

You are correct it is not always true, however when it comes to businesses which involve "lower level/ less educated" it is true in too many times.

I also do agree paying double or 10 times does not change the work ethics or productivity, promising bonuses or whatever else you can think of, has also failed in my experience anyway.

At one staged i believed employing older people would solve the problem, sadly it did not, they did even less, expecting the young ones to cover their butts and also tried stealing(i guess thinking that with their experience, i would not notice)

[h90]

Am I the only one to think that workers do not deserve any salary hike in this country ?

Shouldn't they show more interest and responsability in their work before expecting any salary increase ?

Have you considered how you would feel working for 150/200 baht a day? I'm surprised that Thai people on minimum wage bother to do anything and I'm not surprised that they try and do the least possible! Perhaps a hike in salary might make for a person to work harder? Of course some decent training wouldn't go amiss either!

No offense but it seems that you don't know so much Thai at work...

I could pay them 10 times more in my company but they still wouldn't do anything more and just suddenly disappear as they always do !

Not always true. I employ a bunch of Thais and they all do a pretty good job and get paid well over the minimum wage. A few would be exceptional employees even in the West.

They are not effected by the increase.

These who do a poor job are effected.....

[belg]

thai economics... do not try to make any sense of it... so laying of workers and eventually replacing the labour by machines is the way to go for the nation ???

more unemployment = more crime, more drugs, more desperation

[thenervoussurgeon]

When we had a buisness in the uk ,and the minimum wage came in ,a hell of a lot of our govt and councill work came to an end as we had to hike prices to pay the extra ,we lost one hell of a lot of our unskilled staff as we could not pay them the extra ,we never got the contracts back and most went on the social security ,here in Thailand many firms employ people on low wages ,large stores ect ,they will just cut the number of staff.

[LucidLucifer]

Am I the only one to think that workers do not deserve any salary hike in this country ?

Shouldn't they show more interest and responsability in their work before expecting any salary increase ?

Have you considered how you would feel working for 150/200 baht a day? I'm surprised that Thai people on minimum wage bother to do anything and I'm not surprised that they try and do the least possible! Perhaps a hike in salary might make for a person to work harder? Of course some decent training wouldn't go amiss either!

Hear, hear

Pay peanuts, and you get monkeys.......Saying that, pay big bananas and you'll still get monkeys, but they may be prepared to do more to earn their baht.

Personally I can just see the big firms making their workers do even longer hours to make up for the extra that they are paying them.

Add into that inflation. As the wages go up, costs go up and therefore prices go up.

The average Somchai in the street will be no better off. Sad really.

[heiwa]

Why does Thailand bother having a government at all? They already have the local informal mafia - why do they need a state sponsored one?

Edited May 1, 2012 by heiwa

[heiwa]

One positive is there will be a need to employ more policemen helping unemployment statistics due to the millions about to be laid of having to resort to crime to make a living - Well done Yingluck - good to see you following in your brothers footsteps - at this rate you are going to be as wanted in Thailand as much as your brother - if I was you I would get a Dubai passport as a Plan B.

[LucidLucifer]

Why does Thailand bother having a government at all? They already have the local informal mafia - why do they need a state sponsored one?

It gives the army something to do. If there was no government, they'd be nobody to launch a coup against.

Edited May 1, 2012 by LucidLucifer

[heiwa]

Why does Thailand bother having a government at all? They already have the local informal mafia - why do they need a state sponsored one?

It gives the army something to do. If there was no government, they'd be nobody to launch a coup against.

Splendid reply 555

[KeyserSoze01]

e wage hike will impact the competitiveness of Thai entrepreneurs in the long run, especially those whose businesses rely mainly on the labor workforce.

BS.

Let's see what happens when the government of your country imposes a 50% wage increase across the board. I will wager that layoffs will be the first order of business, no matter where in the world you are.

[heiwa]

e wage hike will impact the competitiveness of Thai entrepreneurs in the long run, especially those whose businesses rely mainly on the labor workforce.

BS.

Let's see what happens when the government of your country imposes a 50% wage increase across the board. I will wager that layoffs will be the first order of business, no matter where in the world you are.

From what I see in Thailand 70% percent of employers are superfluous at least in retail - I have heard shops are forced to employ so many workers dependent on floor area - the reason for the collapse of Carrefour. I guess this would not be the same with factories.

[culicine]

e wage hike will impact the competitiveness of Thai entrepreneurs in the long run, especially those whose businesses rely mainly on the labor workforce.

BS.

Let's see what happens when the government of your country imposes a 50% wage increase across the board. I will wager that layoffs will be the first order of business, no matter where in the world you are.

I would have thought that market forces should drive salaries, not politicians with their populist policies ! Salaries are so low because most Thais won't work for such salaries, while Burmese / Cambodian / Laotians will jump at the chance. As mentioned, increasing salaries will result in layoffs and drive prices up of goods. So your average Somchai in the street will be no better or worse off.

[KeyserSoze01]

Part of what makes Thailand attractive to foreign investment is the low wages paid to employees. If the government removes that incentive for doing business in Thailand, investors will search for the next country with excess population and high unemployment rates. There is a reason that billions of USD are flowing into the Philippines.

[heiwa]

My girl used to live on 100 baht a day 2 years ago, which included buses and all meals only. Don't know where they are getting this 300 baht figure from. A couple living together in a 3,000 baht apartment pulling in 8,000 baht each. I know its not a fortune but you can live on this if you don't party too much - and you won't become a fat beer belly slob because of it. How well can you live on with no salary - well that depends how well you can handle a gun or a knife or scrounge out of a rubbish bin.

Edited May 1, 2012 by heiwa

[erre191]

Am I the only one to think that workers do not deserve any salary hike in this country ?

Shouldn't they show more interest and responsability in their work before expecting any salary increase ?

Absolutely not! But this won't happen until it starts in the family and school. Many small and big companies closing down. And everybody complaining that prices are going up for just about everything and more to come.

[LucidLucifer]

My girl used to live on 100 baht a day 2 years ago, which included buses and all meals only. Don't know where they are getting this 300 baht figure from. A couple living together in a 3,000 baht apartment pulling in 8,000 baht each. I know its not a fortune but you can live on this if you don't party too much - and you won't become a fat beer belly slob because of it. How well can you live on with no salary - well that depends how well you can handle a gun or a knife or scrounge out of a rubbish bin.

Throw a couple of kids into the mix, and a few thousand baht sent back to the aged parents upcountry every month, and soon things become trickier.

[Skywalker69]

My girl used to live on 100 baht a day 2 years ago, which included buses and all meals only. Don't know where they are getting this 300 baht figure from. A couple living together in a 3,000 baht apartment pulling in 8,000 baht each. I know its not a fortune but you can live on this if you don't party too much - and you won't become a fat beer belly slob because of it. How well can you live on with no salary - well that depends how well you can handle a gun or a knife or scrounge out of a rubbish bin.

You have to include money for beer, lao kaow, gambling, lottery, cigarette ´s also.

Edited May 1, 2012 by Skywalker69

[heiwa]

Robbery will be the new growth industry for employment - newcomers to this profession will get every help from the police from my readings of what it takes to get someone arrested. Sounds similar to what the Indonesians say - if someone steals your chicken if you go to the police to report it you will lose a cow. Appears every group has their own private mafia. Now I know why the Thais smile so much - just to be in the clear must be a wonderful relief.

[heiwa]

My girl used to live on 100 baht a day 2 years ago, which included buses and all meals only. Don't know where they are getting this 300 baht figure from. A couple living together in a 3,000 baht apartment pulling in 8,000 baht each. I know its not a fortune but you can live on this if you don't party too much - and you won't become a fat beer belly slob because of it. How well can you live on with no salary - well that depends how well you can handle a gun or a knife or scrounge out of a rubbish bin.

You have to include money for beer, lao kaow, gambling, lottery, cigarette ´s also.

Guess I got lucky they never asked me to buy Lao Kaow

[surangw]

or 1/3 of employers will hire more workers off the books.

[Ulysses G.]

You are correct it is not always true, however when it comes to businesses which involve "lower level/ less educated" it is true in too many times.

I do not disagree with the concept that many Thais are not the best employees, but mine have never attended university and they do a good job. I pay them more because they earned it and deserve it, not because I have to, but I admit that I have been very lucky to get good employees when I started who referred their friends that they had worked with before.

[Tatsujin]

The Government would be better off reducing the costs of living first of all.

I note on the Thai news this morning that many, many business owners are complaining about the wage hike, which is making them uncompetitive now. A lot say they are planning to replace the manual labour with automated machinery where possible which will mean rather than doubling someone's salary, they'll end up without a job at all.

Edited May 2, 2012 by Tatsujin

[Crushdepth]

or 1/3 of employers will hire more workers off the books.

Burmese workers, who dare not complain.

[sparebox2]

Will the minimum wage rise also apply to foreign workers, such as those from Burma /Laos etc?

Or from, Europe, Japan or America?

[sparebox2]

The Government would be better off reducing the costs of living first of all.

I note on the Thai news this morning that many, many business owners are complaining about the wage hike, which is making them uncompetitive now. A lot say they are planning to replace the manual labour with automated machinery where possible which will mean rather than doubling someone's salary, they'll end up without a job at all.

I hate machine. Human can do a much cheaper and better job.

I still think Nike should use human to sit there all day applying glue to their shoes and get high.

Or intel should use human to do all the soldering and get lead.

[BullDogs]

I work for a company that pays his Thai wife's relatives over 600 Baht a day for years now and their the one's that are always sick don't show up for work and when they do show up for work they don't do jack !! and they know they will never get fired !! and that pisses all the other good hard working staff off to see this pushed in their face every day !!

[Unkomoncents]

I work for a company that pays his Thai wife's relatives over 600 Baht a day for years now and their the one's that are always sick don't show up for work and when they do show up for work they don't do jack !! and they know they will never get fired !! and that pisses all the other good hard working staff off to see this pushed in their face every day !!

And you're surprised?! You would be angered by much, MUCH more than that. Stick around for a couple of years. 600 Baht is nothing. I've been waiting to discover Chalerm's function for more than a year now.

[noitom]

Thailand is dire. It's not the 300 baht per hour. That is a scapegoat. Thailand knows that the world is in economic crisis. Europe is in shambles and in recession. Even Germany has slowed substantially. Japan is still floundering and struggling with other social economic issues. China is slowing down and desperate to create new jobs. Yet Thais are in denial that their export driven economy with low unskilled labor being paid bare wages can blame this on the 300 baht minimum.

Thailand has done virtually nothing in decades to transition to more of a domestic economy, engage with the entire population, and to upgrade the education, knowledge, and skills of its people. The only Thai industry that holds promise for stable growth is sex tourism, the old standby reliable consistent trade.Fewer tourists with fewer discretionary euros, dollars, yen, won and renminbi will find it worth while to travel to a high cost center like Thailand for sex. There are no peripheral benefits for travelers to come here anymore. Prices are high, higher than the US in most cases for imported foods from Europe and Japan. Shopping is no longer a novelty as most goods found in shopping areas run the risk of being defected knockoffs.

Thailand is at a dire point. Let's see what they do. They'll thrash about blaming the minimum wage, and each other depending on their party, but no one will bite the bullet and stand up for the truth and the right thing to do for the nation as a whole. Thailand has few friends willing to trust it. Thailand has double crossed most of its partners or ignored most of its relationships with other countries. It thrashes about flipping and flopping between the US and Iran, it sues Germany repeatedly, it ignores the assistance of the Dutch on flood management. The French rarely use Thailand as a travel destination. The Japanese are retreating from unmanaged manufacturing relationships and flood control. Thailand is dire.

[louse1953]

Am I the only one to think that workers do not deserve any salary hike in this country ?

Shouldn't they show more interest and responsability in their work before expecting any salary increase ?

Pay peanuts you tight arse and what do you expect.I pay a little above award and extras and get excellent results.

[louse1953]

Many of the employors are probably looking at the excess/extra employees they have kept on in the past as a quick fix to salary increase. The little family owned shops may be ok but many of the larger stores seem to hire enough to have 2 sales people per customer and 1 picking pimples at their counter.

The forthought on the proposed wage increase may not have included several parts of a reliable/profitable business equation. Until there are real numbers on gross income, expenses, net profit, etc and the people making proposals for change of any of the contributing factors, a lot of ignorance is being displayed. The ignorance factor is probably the only thing that can be reliably approached.

Right, we have good 20 % more staff than we need. Spare for staff fluctation, the usual Thai style (mother sick, brother in jail, grandpa dead etc etc) and to have muscle for emergencies.

Surely we reduce that to 10 % and kick the other to be more efficient.

Do you come from a perfect family,fit,live forever.My mum was recently sick and then died.I took time off work AND got payed.Do you pay your staff if they're off work.If the west can afford these cost why can't Thailand.