Government ‘committed’ to B400 minimum wage

Minister also makes a pledge to assist employees who are impacted by business shutdown.

Labourers work at a construction site in Khon Kaen. (Photo: Chakkrapan Natanri)
Workers at a construction site in Khon Kaen. ( Photo: Chakkrapan Natanri )

The employment scheme of the Pheu Thai-led government, especially the plan to raise the regular minimum wage to 400 baht nationwide, remains intact, according to caretaker Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

On Thursday, Mr. Phiphat assured me that the wage increase, which will target particular professions and certain areas, will start effective on October 1, with additional details set to be announced shortly.

Before releasing the specific information of the raise, he claimed, the national income commission, which is led by the Ministry of Labour’s permanent secretary, will meet half.

” The new pay rate will be disclosed this month, but it will just apply to specific groups of workers and companies”, he said.

” The government is committed to carrying on the previous government’s policy, and the labour ministry has already submitted its proposal]for inclusion in the government’s policy statement ] (# )”.

A key vote guarantee from the Pheu Thai Party was raising the regular minimum wage. It made a pledge last year to raise the minimum wage to 400 ringgit in its first year in energy and to 600 rmb by 2027.

The present least income is between 330 and 370 ringgit depending on the state.

The federal income commission — with representatives from government, businesses and workers organizations — approved a 400-baht daily income on March 26, but with limitations.

The new charge took result in pieces of 10 counties on April 13, including Phuket, Koh Samui in Surat Thani, Pattaya in Chon Buri, Chiang Mai City in Chiang Mai, and Pathumwan and Watthana towns in Bangkok. It applied to tourism-related firms and four-star establishments with at least 50 people.

Additionally, Mr. Phiphat pledged to assist people who have been affected by business closures and to pay them the appropriate wages.

According to data from the Department of Industrial Works, 667 businesses were shut along and 1, 260 were opened between January and July of this year. The price of stock openings was close to the five-year common, he said.

After comparing the data from shut companies to those from newly opened ones, there was a rise in expenditure of 167.6 billion ringgit and an increase in work of 25, 663 individuals.

However, Thaweesan Wichaiwong, chairman of the Khon Kaen Industry Council, said the Federation of Thai Industries is opposed to a global, across-the-board income of 400 ringgit.

He argued that the increase may be adjusted in light of provincial inflation indices and economic conditions, as small businesses may suffer as a result, having to bear extra costs.

Finally, he said, the extra expenses may be passed on to customers, and some producers may travel to countries with lower employment costs.