Minimum Wage in Thailand.

[Admin]

Employers' representatives still blocking wage hike
The Nation 2011-09-15

Employers' representatives at the Central Wage Committee yesterday objected to the plan of raising the daily minimum wage to Bt300 in seven provinces from January, leading to a resolution to set up a working panel to study the plan first.

"Employers, especially those in the textile, service and security guard businesses, do not make enough to pay each worker Bt300 daily," Attayut Leeyawanich said in his capacity as employers' representative.

The Central Wage Committee is a tripartite unit, comprising representatives from employers, employees and government agencies.

The government has been pushing for this significant hike in the daily minimum wage because this was one of the pledges the Pheu Thai Party made while campaigning for votes.

However, due to an outcry from employers, the government recently floated the idea of raising the minimum wage in seven provinces first. However, the employers are still not happy.

"Political interference should not take place here. We should let the tripartite committee function independently," Attayut said.

He pointed out that the committee was considering several factors in determining how much the minimum daily wage should be. "We are considering factors like the cost of living, employers' ability to pay and the current economic conditions," he said.

According to Attayut, employers will agree to gradually raise the minimum daily wage over four years. However, if the government wants the hike to be put in place immediately, the government must provide subsidies, not offer impractical measures like lowering monthly contributions to the social-security fund.

"Even tax measures are not good enough," he opined.

Suradej Chumanee, who represents employees, said the Labour Ministry's permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong had instructed all parties to find a way of raising the daily minimum wage to Bt300 in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Phuket.

The minimum daily wage in Bangkok and nearby provinces is currently Bt215, and is Bt221 in Phuket.

Suradej said that if employers' representatives continued blocking the wage hike, employees' representatives would demand a 40-per-cent raise across the country.

Labour Ministry's academic adviser Ammorn Chawalit said the Central Wage Committee would convene again early net month.

[Admin]

PM quizzed on Bt300 wage
The Nation 2011-09-16

During Parliament yesterday, Yala Democrat MP Prasert Pongsuwanasiri asked about the Bt300 daily minimum wage - to which Labour Minister Phadermchai Sasomsap replied the government had actually promised voters that "labourers will get Bt300."

In his question to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Prasert said the Pheu Thai Party used the word "minimum wage" during the election campaign and later changed it to "income" - as "minimum wage" was net payment for work while "income" could include work payments and other welfare. He wondered when the government would deliver the Bt300 wage.

Prasert said the voterwooing campaign promised to increase the minimum wage to Bt300 nationwide right away, but only seven pilot provinces have so far received it such as Phuket with a rise from Bt221 per day to Bt310.

Phadermchai, answering on the premier's behalf, said the government had campaigned by promising only "labourers will get Bt300." The hike in income to Bt300 must wait for the consent from tri parties and undergo the annual budgeting for fiscal year 2012, combined with the individual income tax reduction from 30 per cent to 23 per cent next year and 20 per cent soon. He said it would take 3-4 years before all provinces received the Bt300 income per day.

[Admin]

8 provinces agree to lift minimum wage to B300

Committee says it will look at proposals today
Published: 4/10/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News
 
Wage committees of eight provinces have agreed to increase the minimum daily pay to 300 baht in line with the government's policy.

They are Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Phuket, Buri Ram, Mukdahan and Nakhon Ratchasima.

Nakhon Ratchasima has come up with two options _ 300 baht for large enterprises and 256 baht for small and medium enterprises.

 
Padermchai: Plans to help businesses cope
The wage rise proposals are expected to be considered by the central wage committee today.

Buri Ram has proposed the highest wage rate from 166 baht to 300 baht or 83.7%, followed by Mukdahan which has proposed lifting the wage from 165 to 300 baht or 81.8%, Labour Minister Padermchai Sasomsap said.

There are 52 provinces, out of a total of 77, which have agreed with the proposal to boost the minimum wage by 40% or more from the current levels in their respective provinces whereas minimum wage rates in 23 provinces will be raised by between 30% and 35%, Mr Padermchai said.

However, no conclusion had been reached on the proper wage rates in Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon.

As for Samut Songkhram, the provincial wage committee had come up with two options _ a 40% wage rise or a gradual increase to 300 baht over a three-year period.

The wage committee comprises government, employer and labour representatives.

Permanent secretary for labour Somkiat Chayasriwong who chairs the central wage committee, said the ministry aims to raise the daily minimum wage in all provinces to 300 baht by next year.

Mr Somkiat said the central wage committee will consider adjusting the wages according to the differing circumstances of each province, such as the cost of living, inflation, the economic environment and the commercial sector's ability to bear the cost in each province.Mr Padermchai said that the government will take measures to help small- and medium sized enterprises which would be affected by the 300-baht minimum wage hike.

He said the Finance Ministry will waive a tax on earnings from sales of old machinery, provide financial assistance to the affected business operators and will cut corporate taxes next year from 30% to 23%, among other measures.

Manas Kosol, chairman of the Confederation of Thai Labour, said that labour movements will hold a rally on Friday to call on the government to ensure better pay and welfare for workers. Representatives of the workers will also meet Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to hand a letter in support of the government's 300-baht minimum wage hike policy across the country.

The rise was one of the Pheu Thai Party's major policies during this year's election campaign, but implementing it has proved to be a thorny issue.

[isanbirder]

This only applies to workers on an official payroll (government or a company which has audited accounts).  I wonder what will happen to the daily wage of casual labour... like many of the villagers we live among.

[nookiebear]

This only applies to workers on an official payroll (government or a company which has audited accounts).  I wonder what will happen to the daily wage of casual labour... like many of the villagers we live among.

Nothing ,,,,,,,,,but it will create a bigger class divide ,,,,,,,,,it will also cause a bigger rise in crime than the one the current climate is causing

[sugardaddyken]

This only applies to workers on an official payroll (government or a company which has audited accounts).  I wonder what will happen to the daily wage of casual labour... like many of the villagers we live among.

Nothing ,,,,,,,,,but it will create a bigger class divide ,,,,,,,,,it will also cause a bigger rise in crime than the one the current climate is causing

I think Drugs and Gambling is the biggest problem that has cause a rise in crime rate,not giving worker a few extra Baht in their pockets. That along with constant adverts on the TV saying "if you don't have this your life is incomplete". Like lots of Countries around the world now,where to poor are rising up demanding a better life ( even though they are not prepared to get off their backsides to achieve it.so it seems to me  )..lets hope Thailand doesn't go down that route and that this Government can start to heal the rift in the big divide in the population here 

[urleft]

want to bet that unemployment goes up in those provinces?  Especially with the lowest paid people.

Coming Soon:   Self service gas at Thailand Gas Station near you.

[Admin]

Stalemate in wage panel over Bt300 daily wage
THANONGSAK MUENNOO
The Nation 2011-10-06

The Central Wage Tripartite Committee yesterday failed to reach a decision as to when the flat Bt300 minimum daily wage should go into effect after employees' representatives refused to accept employers' demand for a four-year delay.

The panel will discuss the issue again on October 17.

After the four-hour meeting, Labour Ministry permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong said employers wanted to wait for four years before increasing the daily wage rate to Bt300 and also wanted concrete measures and guarantees from the government.

The government has been under pressure to deliver on its campaign promise, with the workforce demanding that the Bt300 rate be implemented immediately in Bangkok and its vicinity, by January 1 in other large provinces and the rest of the country in the next two years.

Somkiat said he hoped the October 17 meeting would be final, though he did not want to force the result through voting, because "a voting-enabled win would not be accepted by all parties concerned".

Atthayuth Leeyawanich, a panel member representing employers, said that under the Labour Protection Act wages could not be adjusted freely, but had to depend on inflation, cost of living and production cost.

"The 40-per-cent average increase [based on the flat Bt300 rate] does not go according to law," he said, adding that he doubted if the Bt300 would be constitutional.

"Although the Act does not stipulate liabilities for violation, I wonder if the panel's decision would go against the Constitution," he said.

Labour leader Wilaiwan sae-Tia had earlier submitted an open letter to the ministry saying the Bt300 wage should be implemented by January 1 or the government would face legal action for failing to keep its election promise.

She added that some 3,000 labourers and members of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) would gather outside Government House to submit this request to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, she added.

Labour Minister Pol General Phadermchai Sasomsap, who met Wilaiwan and fellow workers, said the flat Bt300 rate would most probably not be implemented by January 1 as the process of many related incentives, including corporate tax reduction, had yet to be completed.

[urleft]

Just heard that the 7-11 large gas station just north of Buriram at Ban Yang upped their wages to 300 baht.

[Admin]

40% minimum wage rise approved
Published: 17/10/2011 at 02:42 PM
Bangkok Post: Online news:
 
The Central Wage Committee on Monday passed a resolution approving a proposal to raise the daily minimum wage by 40 per cent for every province, effective from Jan 1 next year, labour permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong said.

Mr Somkiat, who chairs the Central Wage Committee which comprises representatives of the governnment, employers and employees, said the proposal was made by the representatives of the government and employees.

The tripartite committee based its decision on information from the provincial wage committees and a technical subcommittee which scrutinised it, he said.

As a result, as of Jan 1, 2012 the daily minimum wage in Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Phuket, and Pathum Thani will go up to 300 baht.

The minimum wages in other provinces will go up by 39.5-40 per cent over the present rates which apply there.  They will be further increased to 300 baht from Jan 1, 2013.  This means from Jan 1, 2013 the daily minimum wage for every province nationwide will be 300 baht.

After that the 300 baht daily minimum wage will continue in force until 2015.  However, this is subject to change  depending on future economic conditions.

Today's resolution of the Central Wage Committee will be forwarded to the cabinet for consideration, Mr Somkiat said.

Mr Somkiat said the Finance Ministry has agreed to allow about 300,000 small and medium enterprises to take the difference from raising the daily minimum wage from the present rates to 300 baht to claim a tax reduction by 1.5 times of it from the Labour Ministry.