Junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has rejected a request by labor activists to increase the country’s daily minimum wage from THB300 to THB360.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the committee of the National Economic Development yesterday, the prime minister rejected the proposed increase, saying pay should be determined by the skills of each individual worker, and that it should be assessed by the Ministry of Labor.
“Let me ask you, how many labor workers are there in this country? If we increase the minimum wage, how much more do we need [to spend]? Please understand,” Prayuth said. “I’m doing this every day because I feel sympathetic for them, but every matter now needs a strong system. We can’t just change a rule within a weak system and spend money randomly.”
Citing a survey of the average daily expenses of laborers, Wilaiwan Sae Tia, President of the Thai Labour Reconciliation Committee, said recently the minimum wage should be increased to THB360, pointing out that workers in some provinces do not have the option to bargain their wage because there are no labour unions in those provinces.
She also warned that the labour group could take organized action if their request was rejected, Thai PBS and Bangkokbiznews reported.
Photo: State media
