Macroeconomic/minimum wage hike

Chatrudee Theparat

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has confirmed the government policy to support an increase of daily minimum wage to 400 baht nationwide.

Mr Srettha said after the mobile cabinet in Phetchaburi that the government has continued its policy to support an increase of daily minimum wage to 400 baht. The Labour Ministry proposed the cabinet to acknowledge to increase daily minimum wage to 400 baht, effective this September or October.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin

Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the government maintained the government policy to support the private sector to increas

e daily minimum wage to 400 baht within this September or October.

He reported to the cabinet that a continued increase in the cost of living caused by a rising price of oil and consumer products. Those are burdens among less income earners.

The ministry will later implement possible measures to assist small and medium enterprises which are expected as a group to shoulder the burden from an increase of minimum wages.

“The ministry will soon talk to the commerce ministry over a rising price of goods, and the finance ministry on measures to assist SMEs such as tax measure and lower interest rate.”

The ministry is ready to talk to parties to have concerns such as the private sector and employers in order to seek solutions for minimum wage hike.

Mr Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce defended that the growing daily minimum wage to 400 baht will not be a significant cause for a rising price of all items of goods.

He said the ministry has authorized the Department of Internal Trade to scrutinise product prices and cost which entrepreneurs use to cite for price increase.

In a separate development, Mr Sreetha said the cabinet approved 18 projects worth 514 million baht to four provinces in lower central provinces Group 2 including Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khirikhan, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon.