BANGKOK: Thailand will increase its minimum wage in January, prime minister Srettha Thavisin said on Tuesday confirming a previous deal, while the government plans to further raise it in March.
A wage committee, comprised of government, employers and employee representatives, had previously agreed to increase the daily minimum wage by 2.37%, effective in January, but Srettha deemed the hike too low.
Srettha’s ruling Pheu Thai party campaigned on populist platform with a key plank of raising the daily minimum wage to 400 baht.
“Another investigation covering local wage rates and professional groups will conclude in March … (to determine) areas and groups that can increase wages,” Labour Minister Phipat Ratchakitprakarn told reporters.
The current minimum wage is 328-354 baht (US$9.49 – US$10.24) varying between different parts of the country with the committee agreeing to raise the pay threshold range to 330 baht to 370 baht.