Private sector optimistic with minimum wages adjustment

 

BANGKOK, 15 November 2016 (NNT) – The private sector is optimistic that businesses will be able to adjust themselves with the minimum wage hike in 2017, aiming to adjust wages according to workers' skills and wage structure, according to the chamber of commerce. 

Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) Vice Chairman Poj Aramwattananont has said the TCC supports the minimum wage adjustment plan, as only specific areas would be affected, as Thailand has not changed its minimum wage in 4 years. 

He has said the new plan, which would raise the minimum wage by 5-10 baht next year will be manageable among businesses, unlike the previous hike putting wages nationwide at 300 baht, greatly affecting the private sector. 

The TCC vice chairman has said the private sector is willing to support the wage adjustment according to employees’ skills, a special wage rate in special economic zones, and the promotion for all workplaces to have its own wage structure instead of relying on annual wage adjustment. 

TCC Vice Chairman Surong Bulakul has said the new wages will be effective from 1 January 2017 onwards, stating the new wage reflects current economic conditions and that business owners will be able to manage higher costs without raising the price of products and services.

He said TCC representatives have requested the Ministry of Labour to train workers for industries using advanced technology, where demands for workers are stable despite the sluggish global economy.

 

-- nnt 2016-11-15

In a nutshell the "revised" minimum wage protocols mean that employers, with no interference from the state, will decide what they pay their employees above the present rate.

 

And that it will be based on the local cost of living. 

 

Hence workers will be paid a "sufficiency".

 

Nice.

 

Edited November 15, 20169 yr by Enoon

The private sector will be "aiming to adjust wages according to workers skills and wage structure". So says the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

So where does productivity fit in?

In those employment sectors that are visible to the public it is noticeable over the last number of years that productivity has seriously diminished due to staff constantly playing with hand held devices. Thus more staff are needed to do the same amount of work to maintain the same productivity. Thus because of the need for these extra staff each worker has to take a lower share of the wages allocation. If any wage adjustment was based on productivity it would surely be downward.

On the other hand if staff are being paid a pittance one can hardly blame them for spending most of their working time staring at their phone. 

Yet again, even if they were being paid handsomely it is doubtful if it would alter the number of hours they spend in zombie like trances playing with their phones while on the job.