Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin has affirmed that the minimum daily wage will increase this year, although the increase will not be significant in order to protect businesses still reeling from the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Suchart, the increase will be determined by a national tripartite wage committee, which will also consider the rising cost of living.
“Wage adjustments must be made as the economy recovers, but many businesses are still recovering from temporary closures during the pandemic,” he said.
The minimum daily wage was evaluated one year after the 2012 floods, but the rate remained unchanged between 2014 and 2015. It was last raised in January 2020, when it went from 313 to 336 baht.
The current minimum wage varies from province to province. Chon Buri and Phuket have the highest daily rates at 336 baht, while Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala have the lowest rates at 331 baht per day.
Suchart stated that, if approved, the new minimum daily wage will go into effect on January 1, 2023.
He also said the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Thailand would also provide opportunities for Thai workers, before praising the employment prospect for new graduates.
Mr Suchart also refuted claims that the government has failed in it’s promise to provide skill development in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Suchart stated that “More than 6,000 people took part in the ministry’s skill enhancement schemes last year and about 80% got jobs”.