PUBLISHED: 27 Mar 2025 at 05: 03
NEWSPAPER SECTION: News
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the minister of labor, has promised a 400-baht wage increase by May 1 along with support plans for small and medium-sized ( SME) businesses.
People’s Party ( PP ) MP Sirikanya Tansakul criticized the government for failing to implement the 400-baht wage policy that the premier had earlier promised during the debate on Tuesday. The MP claimed that” that promise was merely a lie to the electorate for democratic gain.”
Since the beginning of the Paetongtarn presidency, there have been 11 % more business shutdowns, according to Ms. Sirikanya, compared to 4 % of new business opportunities. When the primary minister and the government were in charge of the payment budget, several workers were laid off with little to no pay.
The permanent secretary for labor, who presides the pay commission, did meet before the Songkran event on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming ways for a national income revision in time for May 1st, Labour Day. Mr. Phiphat responded on Wednesday. He claimed that pay increases had already been implemented in Koh Samui, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chachoengsao, and Phuket.
The labor minister said that 5.8 million workers and 500,000 employers in the SME business, which is the backbone of the economy, could be affected by wage changes. He claimed that a flat base salary could lead to the resignation of some 1.9 million SME employees, or 30 % of them.
According to Mr. Phiphat, the government’s 3 % rise destination will also be taken into account, leading to various wage increases in some industries that might help to lessen the impact on the economy. The minister even touched on the issue of foreign staff, focusing on Foreign citizens who might have been working illegally in Thailand. He claimed that the condition has been repressing foreign nominees to encourage local workers ‘ jobs, particularly in the Eastern Economic Corridor region.