New minimum wages to come into force by New Year

New minimum wages for Thailand will be announced in December, but the rates will be less than 400 baht per day, Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Monday.

He said that the new wages will vary from one province to another, depending on the economic situation and cost of living in each.

Since October 1st, 2022, there have been nine minimum wage rates in the 77 provinces. The highest are 354 baht/day in Phuket, Rayong and Chon Buri and 353 baht/day in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon. In the rest of the country, the minimum wage ranges from 338 baht to 345 baht.

Phiphat claimed that a survey, conducted by labour officials, of worker opinions pertaining to minimum wages shows that a number of employees neither want minimum wages to be increased, for fear that they may lose their jobs, nor do they want to move to other provinces,…