Early rise in minimum wage expected

PHUKET CITY: Phuket’s current minimum wage of 173 baht a day could increase earlier than usual to offset inflation and the rising price of gas.

At a seminar on wages organized by the Ministry of Labour on July 8 and 9, Charupong Ruangsuwan, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said that employees have been requesting that the minimum wage be raised earlier in the year than normal in order to reflect changes in the economic climate.

“Employees have good reason to seek a higher minimum wage. We have to consider a rate that is appropriate for their standard of living and yet is within the ability of employers to pay,” K. Charupong told the seminar, held at the Club Andaman Beach Resort.

“Normally the announcement of the minimum employee wages rate is not made until the end of the year,” he explained, “but this year it should be made early because of the increase in prices of many consumer products.”

He added that the provincial sub-committees considering the matter must think carefully about how to satisfy employees and employers alike in the current economic situation.