Low-income earners unable to make ends meet on 300 baht minimum wage

[Soutpeel]

I still reckon it's fairly cheap in the grand scheme of things, but I'm not living on a Thai wage. I can certainly understand that the low income earners really do struggle. All of our Thai staff are on wages above the minimum wage, and get other benefits such as accommodation and meals, which certainly helps - but even then it's still tough.

I always get a chuckle from posters like this.."they get other benefits etc" You generosity astounds me. Where is the benefit when you have to live and eat at your place of work.

Why don't you pay them a sufficient amount where they can live, eat and sleep with their family and loved ones?

Easy to see why you don't live on a Thai wage.

You assume too much. I get a chuckle out of tards like you who have no idea. Most of the staff are living out of province and they are all getting a proper wage.Those that are from the area live in their own places.

What gave you done for anyone lately? Probably not a lot.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I would guess he has paid for a few bar fines and short times

[manzan]

but a minimum wage was introduced only in a very few provinces, I think only 6 of them. The rest of the country is without any minimum wage.

but the ultimate solution to exploitation of work and powerty of employed is not a minimum wage, but a socio-economic system, where human needs of all, and not profit for a few, are the objective. That means ending with capitalism. So far thailand is closer to feudalism than global capitalism

That means ending with capitalism.

Good idea, let Thailand be just like the communist Chinese who have built Shanghai up to house the millions of feudal peasants.

Communism doesn't work ask Putin and Xi Jinping.

Well capitalism isn't working so well either, we live in a world where the 85 richest own as much as the 3.5 billion poorest.

[gabruce]

I still reckon it's fairly cheap in the grand scheme of things, but I'm not living on a Thai wage. I can certainly understand that the low income earners really do struggle. All of our Thai staff are on wages above the minimum wage, and get other benefits such as accommodation and meals, which certainly helps - but even then it's still tough.

I always get a chuckle from posters like this.."they get other benefits etc" You generosity astounds me. Where is the benefit when you have to live and eat at your place of work.

Why don't you pay them a sufficient amount where they can live, eat and sleep with their family and loved ones?

Easy to see why you don't live on a Thai wage.

You assume too much. I get a chuckle out of tards like you who have no idea.

Most of the staff are living out of province and they are all getting a proper wage.Those that are from the area live in their own places. They get other stuff sucha as health insurance, additional leave, travel etc We must do something riggt cos most have been with me for at least 3 years.

What gave you done for anyone lately? Probably not a lot.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I'd say that his workers are fortunate, and still at the low end of things, and definitely far from the bottom. They get free room and board and wages that are above minimum wage. A pretty good deal relative to someone getting minimum wage and paying rent and buying food. I would hope that accommodations are decent and that the food is good, and I'm assuming it is given the tone of the comment. I am assuming that room and board is free.

[mrtoad]

I still reckon it's fairly cheap in the grand scheme of things, but I'm not living on a Thai wage. I can certainly understand that the low income earners really do struggle. All of our Thai staff are on wages above the minimum wage, and get other benefits such as accommodation and meals, which certainly helps - but even then it's still tough.

I always get a chuckle from posters like this.."they get other benefits etc" You generosity astounds me. Where is the benefit when you have to live and eat at your place of work.

Why don't you pay them a sufficient amount where they can live, eat and sleep with their family and loved ones?

Easy to see why you don't live on a Thai wage.

You assume too much. I get a chuckle out of tards like you who have no idea. Most of the staff are living out of province and they are all getting a proper wage.Those that are from the area live in their own places.

What gave you done for anyone lately? Probably not a lot.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I would guess he has paid for a few bar fines and short times

Yeah probably his idea of philanthropy.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mrtoad]

I still reckon it's fairly cheap in the grand scheme of things, but I'm not living on a Thai wage. I can certainly understand that the low income earners really do struggle. All of our Thai staff are on wages above the minimum wage, and get other benefits such as accommodation and meals, which certainly helps - but even then it's still tough.

I always get a chuckle from posters like this.."they get other benefits etc" You generosity astounds me. Where is the benefit when you have to live and eat at your place of work.

Why don't you pay them a sufficient amount where they can live, eat and sleep with their family and loved ones?

Easy to see why you don't live on a Thai wage.

You assume too much. I get a chuckle out of tards like you who have no idea.

Most of the staff are living out of province and they are all getting a proper wage.Those that are from the area live in their own places. They get other stuff sucha as health insurance, additional leave, travel etc We must do something riggt cos most have been with me for at least 3 years.

What gave you done for anyone lately? Probably not a lot.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I'd say that his workers are fortunate, and still at the low end of things, and definitely far from the bottom. They get free room and board and wages that are above minimum wage. A pretty good deal relative to someone getting minimum wage and paying rent and buying food. I would hope that accommodations are decent and that the food is good, and I'm assuming it is given the tone of the comment. I am assuming that room and board is free.

Rooms and meals are free, no deductions. 3 meals a day if they want them even on days off. Rooms are properly furnished. We aint perfect but the staff are happy.Health insurance, proper work hours. End of year bonus etc

Other Thai staff in senior positions are getting wages that their responsibilities and qualifications warrant. Certainly more than some of the Westerners posting here.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited July 11, 2014 by mrtoad

[gabruce]

but a minimum wage was introduced only in a very few provinces, I think only 6 of them. The rest of the country is without any minimum wage.

but the ultimate solution to exploitation of work and powerty of employed is not a minimum wage, but a socio-economic system, where human needs of all, and not profit for a few, are the objective. That means ending with capitalism. So far thailand is closer to feudalism than global capitalism

That means ending with capitalism.

Good idea, let Thailand be just like the communist Chinese who have built Shanghai up to house the millions of feudal peasants.

Communism doesn't work ask Putin and Xi Jinping.

Well capitalism isn't working so well either, we live in a world where the 85 richest own as much as the 3.5 billion poorest.

Well that wouldn't exactly be capitalism, it's more like feudalism. I think that capitalism is the best mechanism we have yet, and I also don't know how to solve the problem of the majority of capital ending up in the hands of only a few over time. I would note that we haven't seen either socialism or communism work at all, so it seems the capitalism is still the lesser of evils. Maybe mandatory confiscation of 99% of assets once some makes it into the top 0.1%

[moe666]

Everyone was crying for a weaker baht.

Well they got it, and everything went up in price. Inflation. its a bitch

it's a little more complex than that - the strength weakness of the baht does not drive inflation - it is a product of measure taken to curb inflation - measures will likely have the effect of driving inflation and the baht down which is exactly what is needed

Virtually every drop of fuel in Thailand is imported and priced in USD.

A cheaper baht feeds directly into the cost of everything because you can't make or move anything without oil, gas and elextricity.

Just go an ask even the most labour intensive factory what went up the most last year. His boiler, his electricity or some other input.

I guess you missed those oil wells in the Gulf of Thailand

[Suriya4]

To make Thai people happy, junta should reverse this policy, so Thais should get about 170 baht as minimum wages. Once again, thaksin policy have failed.

[Eric Loh]

whatsupdoc.

I guess the reason that the cost of living is higher is to a large extent due to the steep rise in minimum wage. If so, raising the minimum wage further might not have the desired effect.

The main reason there was a rise in the minimum wage level was so as people could live as opposed to exist.

No doubt you are comfortably living on an average Thai wage in your ivory tower?

It didn't work though did it, any rise in wages must be coupled with a rise in productivity otherwise it doesn't work,prices just rise to compensate.

I don't understand, you propose that there not be minimum wages required? Do you think business will raise wages in fairness to the profits they earn? Not my understanding of history. I love the writer, Charles Dickens, but I don't want to see a return to England in the 1850's before government intervention to address the unmet needs in society.

We have a tight labour market and whether the government 300 B wage increase or wage will eventually rise is a moot point. We seen labour unrests in Indonesia and China over wage raise and governments were behind the curve and companies forced to increase wages after days of losses.

Workers are better informed and have unions now to advise. Business that profit and not raise wage or benefits in tandem will have a very fluid labour force. I have example of a friend who bought a luxury car while workers have no wage increase or bonus. They notice and start the bad mouthing. What happen next is expected. Workers and even mid management walk out.

If you are in touch with hiring nowadays, you will know that 300B is now on a low end. Workers for construction are now demanding up to 500 B in Pattaya and Bangkok and skill workers are still hard to find. I have hired workers at 300 B for my restaurant business and it is impossible to retain and they will be on lookout for better wage and they will get it next door.

The biggest inflation component is food followed by transportation. Importers have to pay more to import due to the Baht depreciation. Transport companies are raising their delivery charges due to higher oil prices, also due to Baht depreciation. Higher prices are passed down and affect all including food prices. Lots if components are in play, not only wages.

[gabruce]

I still reckon it's fairly cheap in the grand scheme of things, but I'm not living on a Thai wage. I can certainly understand that the low income earners really do struggle. All of our Thai staff are on wages above the minimum wage, and get other benefits such as accommodation and meals, which certainly helps - but even then it's still tough.

I'd say that his workers are fortunate, and still at the low end of things, and definitely far from the bottom. They get free room and board and wages that are above minimum wage. A pretty good deal relative to someone getting minimum wage and paying rent and buying food. I would hope that accommodations are decent and that the food is good, and I'm assuming it is given the tone of the comment. I am assuming that room and board is free.

Rooms and meals are free, no deductions. 3 meals a day if they want them even on days off. Rooms are properly furnished. We aint perfect but the staff are happy.Health insurance, proper work hours. End of year bonus etc

Other Thai staff in senior positions are getting wages that their responsibilities and qualifications warrant. Certainly more than some of the Westerners posting here.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I'm wondering if I could get my girlfriend a job there?

Now, if I could stay there for free (family member), I'll definitely encourage here.

More seriously, kudos to you. I think you are doing a fine job here, and congratulations on running a successful business and providing good employment.

[Pralaad]

whatsupdoc.

I guess the reason that the cost of living is higher is to a large extent due to the steep rise in minimum wage. If so, raising the minimum wage further might not have the desired effect.

The main reason there was a rise in the minimum wage level was so as people could live as opposed to exist.

No doubt you are comfortably living on an average Thai wage in your ivory tower?

May be you could name a country where people on minimum wage lived as oppose to existing.

Minimum wage workers are in the same boat worldwide, it is called minimum wage for a reason

Furthermore, factories pay almost double, if you work for any multinational factory your earnings are close to 15000-18000 plus free food, plus free room.

Naturally it requires leaving your home town, turning on your brain, learning a skill and staying in the same job for longer than 3 months.

[Pralaad]

Meanwhile, back home in England, they're doing a strike, because, well, because wages are not actually paying for a reasonable way to live. Are people wrong to be against low pay ?

Is it disastrous for a nation to keep wages for people low ? So boosting these peoples' wages will harm the economy ?

If it applies to Thailand, does it also apply to England ??

(this is a comment after post #72

If factories paid higher wages, the prices of good will be higher so the factory workers are back where they started.

Perfect example is Qantas in Australia.

Some 20 years ago, all Qantas staff were really well paid, but it was not enough for them, they kept going on strikes.

Eventually Qantas shut down its maintenance in Australia putting thousands of well paid workers out of work and moving operation over seas.

Was it bad for economy? Well Qantas started to save/make more money, while thousands became states burden for a while

[peterb17]

thai people never heard of : inflation ?

oh raise everybody suddenly to 300 baht, but they tought prices would not follow ?

Can you possibly imagine living on 300 baht a day- its a struggle- the BF goes out to work- just above minimum- teaches hairdressing - students pay 40 000 for the course- they pack them in . The woman who now owns the company ( many branches- and not exactly the most difficult thing to run) boasts she has a new Bentley every year .

Compared to the profitability of many companies- the wages paid are pathetic.

Thailand is not a third world or LDC country- it should be able to pay a living wage. It's all pure greed- just how much money do you need, once you have all the material things you lust for?

[Soutpeel]

thai people never heard of : inflation ?

oh raise everybody suddenly to 300 baht, but they tought prices would not follow ?

Can you possibly imagine living on 300 baht a day- its a struggle- the BF goes out to work- just above minimum- teaches hairdressing - students pay 40 000 for the course- they pack them in . The woman who now owns the company ( many branches- and not exactly the most difficult thing to run) boasts she has a new Bentley every year .

Compared to the profitability of many companies- the wages paid are pathetic.

Thailand is not a third world or LDC country- it should be able to pay a living wage. It's all pure greed- just how much money do you need, once you have all the material things you lust for?

Define a living wage ?

[mrtoad]

I think some have to understand we dont live in an ideal world. I always have managed on what i have earned. The more i earn, the more I spend. So agree wirh what Soutpeel said about defining a living wage.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Johpa]

It didn't work though did it, any rise in wages must be coupled with a rise in productivity otherwise it doesn't work,prices just rise to compensate.

A rise in minimum wage should also perhaps lower the return on investment ever so slightly so that those who own the factories do not wallow in their wealth whilst their employees live in poverty, the modern form of feudalism. The point in raising the minimum wage has nothing to do with increasing productivity and everything to do with decreasing unsustainable inequality.

[Thai at Heart]

as I predicted 2 years ago - the minimum wage policy would fail due to inflation getting out of control - another vote buying policy of Thaksin that has proven to be destructive

I hope the Thais realise now that voting for these unworkable populist policies has backfired in their faces - promising people a 40% pay rise to get their vote

I wonder have the voters learned from this

Some very careful fiscal control needs to take place now before this completely implodes

Inflation must be held in check or this country is going to get very expensive

Droping interest rates and fuel tax would be a good start

which in turn will devalue the baht - that keeps the export business alive including tourism farming and others - the downside is that Thais wishing to travel abroad have to pay more - so what

The various schemes that PTP introduced to win votes is going to cost this country dearly but they need to do the right thing now and take it on the chin

which in turn will devalue the baht - that keeps the export business alive including tourism farming and others - the downside is that Thais wishing to travel abroad have to pay more - so what

You also forgot that it would cost more for imports, so what? it would be more expensive to live.

When the financial crisis hit the value of foreign currencies, we were getting less baht for our $ £.

But if the signs are to be believed the west is moving out of crisis, so maybe it is expected that the Baht will return to pre crisis levels. Maybe it has less to do with the situation here in Thailand. But to devalue the currency pushes costs up not down. That would not help People here.

what exactly do you think Thai people import ? Most of the stuff they eat - drive in - furnishings - electrical goods - building materials......................they are all made here, yes there are exceptions - fuel - some raw materials, do you think Thailand imports steel for the Toyota factories ? or does Toyota ?

Thailand eats it's own produce - exports a considerable amount of it which contributes to likely over 70% of GDP (that includes tourism) - Japan etc employ people and pay wages - how much do they actually contribute to the trade balance is likely negligible - they import materials and export cars - Thai workers get paid in the process - the government gets corporation tax

Meats vegetables are all going up in price, these are things that Thais buy - it's called inflation - the value of the baht contributes nothing to this except for energy which can be subsidised

Thailand is an exporter that is why the baht needs to drop

In fact yes, nearly all the steel to make the cars in thailand is imported under a deal with the Japanese government. Of the exports that Thailand has in cars for example, the local content may appear to be high, but of course, steel is all imported. Also there is huge transfer pricing involved in the whole process. 70% exports sounds nice, but how much of this is stuff that is imported into the country, assembled and then re-exported.

The inputs for fertilisers are all largely imported and tied to the price of crude oil, so a devaluation pushes up the price of fertiliser. Fuel for tractors, fuel for food processing, chiiling, boilers all need fuel.

Thailand definitely does not NEED a devaluation. Thailand needs investment infrastructure to reduce reliance on trucks to move commodities, and to move to rail thus saving MONEY in the logistics. then they need investment in high quality equipment to reduce fuel consumptikon in the manufacture of food and the such. THis is called PRODCUTIVITY GAIN.

A country cannot devalue itself into wealth. A devaluation of the baht is not a straight line result that exports get cheaper and imports get costlier. Imports are used to facilitate exports.

[Pralaad]

thai people never heard of : inflation ?

oh raise everybody suddenly to 300 baht, but they tought prices would not follow ?

Can you possibly imagine living on 300 baht a day- its a struggle- the BF goes out to work- just above minimum- teaches hairdressing - students pay 40 000 for the course- they pack them in . The woman who now owns the company ( many branches- and not exactly the most difficult thing to run) boasts she has a new Bentley every year .

Compared to the profitability of many companies- the wages paid are pathetic.

Thailand is not a third world or LDC country- it should be able to pay a living wage. It's all pure greed- just how much money do you need, once you have all the material things you lust for?

You have ran the company? you know what is difficult or not?

Why is it that all blue collar workers assume they are the ones doing all the work, while boss does nothing???

[Soutpeel]

I think some have to understand we dont live in an ideal world. I always have managed on what i have earned. The more i earn, the more I spend. So agree wirh what Soutpeel said about defining a living wage.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yeap for example someone with very little money could set up a TGAU manufacturing facility, and due to very high demand among Thailand's foreigners and locals make a very successful business out of it, but as the profits/income increases so will the persons spending...the more someone has, the more they want

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Why is it that all blue collar workers assume they are the ones doing all the work, while boss does nothing???

It's about equatable division of profits.

When a country sets a minimum wage, it should also set a maximum wage.

In the past I suggested maximum wage was set at 20x minimum wage.

That would allow the boss and the workers fair wages.

[mrtoad]

I beliwve one poster here tonytiger already is making a lot of money manufacturing TGAUs. Its a niche market that he has clawed his way into.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Soutpeel]

Why is it that all blue collar workers assume they are the ones doing all the work, while boss does nothing???

It's about equatable division of profits.

When a country sets a minimum wage, it should also set a maximum wage.

In the past I suggested maximum wage was set at 20x minimum wage.

That would allow the boss and the workers fair wages.

Thank you Josef Stalin

[bigbamboo]

Didn't Khun T mention that when the wages (eventually) went up prices would too? I guess that wouldn't have been too popular

Well at least they now know why Korn was an internationally respected economist and Kittirat was a liar.

[mrtoad]

Why is it that all blue collar workers assume they are the ones doing all the work, while boss does nothing???

It's about equatable division of profits.

When a country sets a minimum wage, it should also set a maximum wage.

In the past I suggested maximum wage was set at 20x minimum wage.

That would allow the boss and the workers fair wages.

Dix that not get tried in the past?

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Soutpeel]

I beliwve one poster here tonytiger already is making a lot of money manufacturing TGAUs. Its a niche market that he has clawed his way into.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Is that right ?... OK I stand corrected, I thought that the TGAU market was a hole that was looking to filled in Thailand, so maybe not a good example, seeing as tonytiger has already got his fingers in there

[Pralaad]

Why is it that all blue collar workers assume they are the ones doing all the work, while boss does nothing???

It's about equatable division of profits.

When a country sets a minimum wage, it should also set a maximum wage.

In the past I suggested maximum wage was set at 20x minimum wage.

That would allow the boss and the workers fair wages.

You are paid what you are worth.

It is much much much much harder to find brilliant GM to run the company as oppose to finding a factory worker, who could be replaced even by machinery in the near future.

Just as you can manufacture some fantastic product, but without it being sold product is worthless.

You can also manufacture crappy product, but with brilliant marketing and management it sells.

[Emster23]

I suggest you read some stuff from J Stiglitz, nobel winner in economics, about effects of raising minimum wages (he thinks they are positive as it increases demand) etc. Was it Switzerland voted in min wage of around $25/hour? They seem to be doing alright. http://www.cnbc.com/id/101425129

[3NUMBAS]

of course the likes of Suthep and co want to keep them on 300 bahts so he can laugh all the way to the bank by utilising cheap labour

[mrtoad]

I beliwve one poster here tonytiger already is making a lot of money manufacturing TGAUs. Its a niche market that he has clawed his way into.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Is that right ?... OK I stand corrected, I thought that the TGAU market was a hole that was looking to filled in Thailand, so maybe not a good example, seeing as tonytiger has already got his fingers in there

I may be mistaken, there may be room for a few more producers. I think he got TGA approval last week, which is good for him as he tries to funnel the market into Thailand. I think his factiry is all geered up

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited July 11, 2014 by mrtoad

[NeverSure]

Everyone was crying for a weaker baht.

Well they got it, and everything went up in price. Inflation. its a bitch

it's a little more complex than that - the strength weakness of the baht does not drive inflation - it is a product of measure taken to curb inflation - measures will likely have the effect of driving inflation and the baht down which is exactly what is needed

Virtually every drop of fuel in Thailand is imported and priced in USD.

A cheaper baht feeds directly into the cost of everything because you can't make or move anything without oil, gas and elextricity.

Just go an ask even the most labour intensive factory what went up the most last year. His boiler, his electricity or some other input.

Actually it's not true that Thailand imports all of it's oil. Thailand uses a little less than a 1,000 Barrels per day of which Thailand produces

about 1/3 of that.

Thai produced oil doesn't affect the price in Thailand just as Canadian and US produced oil doesn't affect the price there.

Oil is a global commodity and market forces will cause it to move to where the price is best. It's the same as if countries were bidding for oil. If oil were suddenly worth twice as much in India as it is in Thailand, Thai oil would flow to India and Thailand would have to import all of its oil at world market prices.

Unless Thailand was communist and took over all Thai oil production by force, it couldn't control the price of its oil. Even if it did that, it would still be eating a large loss by selling to Thais at below market price, absolutely subsidising it. This is just one of the things which always breaks communism.