Thailand to review minimum wage increase

This was announced by labour minister Suchart Chomklin during a press conference at the Government House as the cabinet considers measures to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices.

The announcement came after a recent proposal made to the government by the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) and the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC) to set the minimum wage rate at 492 baht (US$14.6) per day for workers.

A survey will be conducted from April to June to assess people’s living expenses, said the labour minister. In July, a subcommittee will review the survey results and deliberate on the minimum wage rate before submitting a recommendation to the National Wage Committee (NWC), where the proposed rate is expected to be reviewed between August and September. Once the proposed wage rate has been approved by the NWC, the Ministry of Labour will submit it to the cabinet for approval.

The National Wage Committee is made up of representatives from employers, labor unions, and government officials. The government is represented by the Ministry of Labour, while workers and employers are represented by TLSC and SERC, and the Employers’ Confederation of Thailand, respectively.

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Wage increases will be determined using International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles such as the country’s cost of living index, inflation rate, living standards, gross domestic product and socioeconomic factors, according to Pattaya Mail.