National minimum wage increase

BANGKOK: The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MLSW) has announced a nationwide increase in the minimum wage of three baht per day. The increase, announced by Pol Gen Pracha Promnork of the MLSW, is effective retroactively to January 1, 2001. The increase raises Phuket’s minimum wage, which is among the highest in the country, from 162 baht to 165 baht per day. The minimum wage for each province is based on the cost of living. Other provinces with the same wage rate as Phuket are Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakhan and Samut Sakhon. Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phang Nga, Ranong and Saraburi now have a minimum wage of 143 baht per day. The minimum wage in the remaining 63 provinces is 133 baht per day.