minimum wage

  • Thailand News

    Thailand government plans to raise minimum wage to 400 baht

    Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn unveiled yesterday that the Government of Thailand has assembled a series of fresh employment benefits set to be introduced on May 1, International Workers’ Day. The most notable of these is a proposal to elevate the minimum wage to 400 baht across the nation. The new minimum wage rate of 400 baht has already received the…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand plans to extend minimum wage increases to more regions

    Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced yesterday that the government intends to extend minimum wage increases to additional regions and business sectors. This follows the wage increase approved for specific parts of 10 provinces set to take effect from April 13. The 62 year old Thai prime minister further commented that regular Cabinet meetings will be conducted to ascertain which regions…

  • Business News

    Thai hotel industry resists proposed minimum wage hike

    The tourism industry has voiced its concerns over the recent approval by the tripartite wage committee to increase the minimum wage to 400 baht for four-star hotels in 10 key tourism cities, beginning with the Songkran holiday. Hoteliers argue that the implementation of the wage hike is unjust as the recovery from the pandemic has been uneven across the targeted…

  • Thailand News

    Thai labour unions criticise new daily minimum wage

    The Thai Labour Solidarity Confederation (TLSC) and State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SEWRC) expressed disapproval of the new daily minimum wage of 400 baht approved by the tripartite wage committee. The wage increase is only applicable to some areas in 10 provinces, initiating a wave of criticism from the labour unions, who argue that this decision is unjust. According to…

  • Thailand News

    Minimum wage rises to 400 baht in 10 Thai provinces

    The minimum wage in selected areas of 10 Thai provinces is set to rise to 400 baht per day, as decreed by the tripartite wage committee yesterday. This new wage increase, which comes into effect on April 13, will apply to tourism-related businesses and four-star hotels with a staff of 50 or more. Pairoj Chotikasathien, the committee’s chairman and permanent…

  • Thailand News

    Wage increase: EconThai’s projections for minimum daily wage

    An anticipated meeting of the tripartite wage committee later this month is expected to sanction a second increase in the minimum daily wage for this year. However, the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (EconThai) suggests the approved hike is unlikely to take the wage to the 400 baht mark. According to Thanit Sorat, the vice-chair of EconThai, the…

  • Thailand News

    10 regions of Thailand to use new minimum wage calculation

    The tripartite Wage Committee has given the green light, by a close vote of 7 to 5, to a new method for setting minimum wages. Ten key regions, including the bustling metropolis of Bangkok, are set to pioneer this transformative change from April onwards. The freshly endorsed formula marks a paradigm shift, incorporating elements such as labour productivity, contribution to…

  • Business News

    Thai businesses fear cost surge due to minimum wage hike

    Businesses in Thailand are bracing for a potential increase in operating costs, following the government’s proposition to raise the daily minimum wage to 400 baht (US$11) within the year. The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has expressed its concern over the implications of this wage hike, particularly on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are currently grappling with elevated interest…

  • Thailand News

    Potential rise in minimum wage to 400 baht in select provinces

    The anticipated increase in the daily minimum wage to 400 baht in select provinces is set for review by the tripartite wage committee in April, according to Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. The committee’s chairman, Pairoj Chotikasathien, assigned a subcommittee to reassess the wage calculation formula and explore the potential for wage hikes in certain provinces and professions. The findings from…

  • Business News

    Thai SMEs threatened by proposed minimum wage hike and high loan rates

    The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) warned that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could be significantly affected by the proposed daily minimum wage hike and high loan interest rates. This comes as the government persists in its efforts to increase wages. Towards the end of 2023, a resolution was reached by the tripartite wage committee, composed of representatives from the…

  • Thailand News

    Thai PM pushes for minimum wage raise

    Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin declared yesterday that Thailand must abandon its reliance on low labour costs to entice foreign investments, pushing for a raise in the country’s minimum wage. Addressing a panel discussion titled Learning from ASEAN at the World Economic Forum in Davos, PM Srettha emphasised a paradigm shift in priorities. “Low labour cost should not be the attracting…

  • Thailand News

    Thai Labour Ministry considers raising minimum wage as Songkran gift

    The Labour Ministry, headed by Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, is considering raising the minimum wage for certain professions as a Songkran festival gift. The announcement is expected to take place within a year, covering the entire country. Additionally, the Cabinet is looking into providing a full monthly salary for maternity leave of 98 days. This was discussed at a meeting of the…

  • Thailand News

    Thai government unveils minimum wage hike for 2024

    The Thai Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, unveiled a hike in the nation’s minimum wage after a cabinet meeting on December 26. The daily wage is set to rise between 2 and 16 baht (US$0.058-0.47), an increase that could impact many of Thailand’s workers. The adjustment, which signifies a 2.37% rise in wages within 2024, is part of a broader effort…

  • Business News

    Government confirms plans to increase daily minimum wage in January

    The government has confirmed plans to raise the daily minimum wage in January, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. This is in line with an earlier agreement made by the tripartite wage committee, composed of government, employer and employee representatives. However, the Prime Minister, who also serves as the finance minister, has considered the agreed 2.37% increase insufficient. Prime Minister…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand’s tripartite committee to reconsider new minimum daily wage

    A pivotal meeting is set to take place on Tuesday, led by the tripartite committee on minimum daily wages in Thailand. The discussion is centred around the possibility of revising the new daily wage rate that was established on December 8. This comes in the wake of comments made by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin criticising the newly determined rate as…

  • Thailand News

    Nida Poll reveals Thai public opinion on civil servant salary and minimum wage increase

    The public opinion poll centre, Nida Poll, from the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), unveiled the results of a survey conducted between December 13 and December 15 among Thai citizens aged 18 and above. The study, spanning all regions, educational backgrounds, occupations, and incomes, involved a total of 1,310 samples and focused on the topic of civil servant salary…

  • Business News

    Minimum wage hikes unlikely to impact Thai goods pricing significantly

    The Commerce Ministry’s planning unit has weighed in on the ongoing debate regarding the impact of minimum wage increases on domestic goods and services, suggesting that such hikes are unlikely to significantly influence the pricing landscape. Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, the director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO), has argued that a rise in the daily minimum wage by an…

  • Thailand News

    Thai labour minister takes wages for a spin: Cabinet gears up for minimum wage review

    Thai Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn announced that the Cabinet will be looking into a review of the new daily minimum wage rates. This comes after several business organisations urged the government to uphold the decision made by a tripartite wage committee regarding the increase in wages. Phiphat disclosed that he has no authority to review the rates approved by the…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand’s minimum wage increase sparks controversy and calls for revision

    The contentious decision to marginally increase the daily minimum wage in Thailand spurred the Ministry of Labour into seeking discussions with the tripartite committee, which approved the hike. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin critiqued the decision as insignificant, stating that the 2 to 16 baht rise approved last Friday was insufficient. The tripartite committee, also referred to as the wage board,…

  • Thailand News

    Thai prime minister criticises marginal increase in minimum wage

    Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin of Thailand has voiced his disagreement with the decision of the tripartite wage committee to marginally increase the daily minimum wage rate by 2 to 16 baht across the country. Expressing this during a government project inspection in Kanchanaburi, he criticised the low raise and promised to seek a revision. Srettha pointed out that the government…

  • Thailand News

    Tripartite committee set to discuss new daily minimum wage rates

    The tripartite committee, which consists of representatives from the ministry, employers, and employees, is set to deliberate on the new daily minimum wage rates across various provinces. The meeting, confirmed by Pairoj Chotikasathien, the permanent secretary for labour, is scheduled for today, December 8. According to the data finalized by a sub-committee under the main wage committee on November 27,…

  • Thailand News

    Thai labour committee proposes flat rate minimum wage increase to 492 baht

    Workers’ representative and adviser to the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC), Chalee Loysoong, has called for a nationwide flat rate minimum wage increase to 492 baht. Arguing that this will bolster purchasing power, he suggests it as a more sustainable strategy than the government’s proposed one-time 10,000 baht cash handout scheme, particularly when factoring in the multiplier effect. Chalee reassured…

  • Business News

    Thai Labour Minister pledges tailored minimum wage hike

    Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has committed to increasing the minimum wage to a suitable level in the upcoming year. However, a standard daily rate of 400 baht will not be uniformly applied across all sectors. Some industries, like tourism, currently exceed this proposed baseline. The ministry, in conjunction with employers and employee representatives such as the Federation of Thai Industries and…

  • Business News

    Wage increase: Thai businesses wary of proposed 400 baht hike

    The business sector expressed concerns over the possible negative effects of the proposed daily minimum wage increase to 400 baht. The announcement, made by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, could lead to higher costs for consumers. Industries that rely heavily on labour, such as agriculture, food export, retail trade, and construction, would be most affected by the wage increase, according to…

  • Thailand News

    Chiang Mai University professor survives on just 118 baht per month amidst civil servant salary debate

    A Chiang Mai University professor revealed he struggled for a year on a monthly wage of just 118 baht, a situation that led to a difficult life, reports Khaosod. He had to use an old motorcycle to commute to work, and there were times when he ran out of fuel midway. The issue of splitting civil servants’ salaries into two…

  • Economy News

    Thailand’s government proposes swift minimum wage increase to 400 baht

    Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that the government will be pushing for a swift increase in the minimum daily wage to 400 baht, in a bid to assist workers grappling with rising living costs. The decision will be reached through negotiations between the government, employers, and workers to agree upon a reasonable amount. The prime minister shared the plans during…

  • Thailand News

    Thai minimum wage: Coalition parties and industry council engage in discussions

    Eight Thai political parties agreed to support a Thai minimum wage increase to 450 baht (US$13) per day and continued discussions with the Federation of Thai Industries about moving the bill forward. Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP), emphasized the excellent cooperation within the coalition government. The MFP leader informed INN News that the atmosphere during the…

  • Thailand News

    Protesters demand daily minimum wage increase, support for laid-off workers in Thailand

    Labour advocates and human rights activists gathered at Government House yesterday, demanding that the government increase the daily minimum wage to 700 baht and establish a fund to support workers who have been laid off. The protesters, led by political activists Somyot Prueksakasemsuk and Thanaporn Wichian, 28 years old, marched to Phitsanulok Mansion and Government House to present their proposals…

  • Thailand News

    Burmese workers in Bangkok protest for 600 baht minimum wage

    Burmese migrants rallied in Bangkok yesterday, on International Migrants Day, to ask the government to increase the minimum wage to 600 baht per day and care about the rights of migrant workers in Thailand. More than 100 Burmese citizens under the group name “Bright Future” gathered outside the Embassy of Myanmar near Saint Louis BTS Station at 2pm. Burmese migrants…

  • World News

    UK Tesco accused of using slave labour in Thailand

    The UK’s Tesco supermarket chain is being accused of using slave labour in Thailand. According to a Guardian investigation, Burmese workers who made jeans for Tesco Lotus in Thailand, allegedly worked 99-hour weeks. And, their received wages were allegedly too low to make the cut legally. The investigation also found that their working conditions were considered quite harsh. Tesco faces…

  • Politics News

    Former Thai PM slams govt’s miserly 5% minimum wage rise

    A day after the Thai government announced a nationwide 5% salary increase the kingdom’s former prime minister condemned it as “not enough.” The Thai Cabinet yesterday agreed to increase the minimum wage throughout the country by 5%. The highest rate is 354 baht per day in Chon Buri, Rayong, and Phuket while it is 328 baht per day in places…

  • Thailand News

    Minimum Thai wage up to 650 baht for 16 careers

    The Thai Royal Gazette has now officially announced the increase of the minimum Thai wage for workers in 16 careers, focusing on workers in construction, service and industrial industries. The wage is increased up to 650 baht per day from the former rate of about 313 – 336 baht per day. The policy was launched on June 10 and would…

  • Economy News

    Federation of Thai Industries concerned about plans for minimum wage hike

    Thailand’s Federation of Thai Industries has expressed concern about the impact a rise in the minimum wage could have on small and medium-sized businesses. The federation says if a proposal to increase the minimum wage to 492 baht goes ahead, it will have a severe impact on such firms. According to a Bangkok Post report, the FTI was responding to…

  • Economy News

    Employers in Thailand object to raising minimum wage

    In the midst of Thailand’s worst worker’s debt in 14 years, Thai employers are opposing a new proposal to increase the country’s daily minimum wage. The currrent minimum daily wages range from 313 baht to 336 baht, depending on which part of the country you’re in. In Bangkok it’s 331 baht. Earlier this week, the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee and…

  • Phuket News

    Phuket governor presents campaign to create 10,000 new minimum-wage jobs

    As Phuket struggles to pick up its disheveled tourism economy, provincial Governor Narong has a plan for recovery. In a meeting with local government agencies yesterday, Narong presented his plans on a whiteboard. He said the provincial government will work with local government organisations to create 10,000 vacancies. The vacancies, he said, would pay the minimum wage of 336 baht…

  • Economy News

    Minimum daily wage in Thailand looks set to increase to 492 baht

    The Labour Ministry is expected to approve a rise in Thailand’s daily minimum wage from 336 baht to a flat rate of 492, according to a Nation Thailand report. The sharp increase comes just 2 years after a previous hike and is expected to mainly favour labourers. It’s understood that 2 agencies representing workers in the Tripartite Wage Committee have…

  • Bangkok News

    Thailand to study whether to increase the daily minimum wage

    Thai authorities are studying whether to increase the daily minimum wage. The Labour Ministry will start a feasibility study. The State Enterprises Workers Relations Confederation has recommended 492 baht as the starting pay. Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin told reporters that the Office of the Permanent Secretary for the Labour Ministry would conduct a study to examine the minimum wage’s suitability.…