The minimum daily wage will be raised by the end of next month, but the new rate won’t reach the 400 baht promised by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin previously, Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said on Monday.

The wage hike is intended as a New Year gift for daily wage earners, while the promised 400-baht new minimum daily wage rate will be introduced around the end of 2024 in some provinces, said the minister.

All provinces are required to finish proposing a new minimum daily wage rate by Nov 17 and forward their proposal to a wage committee, which should decide on the proposals by early December, he said.

The approved new wage rates will then be next forwarded to the cabinet for endorsement, he said.

In a survey last year, 31 provinces said they didn’t want to raise their minimum daily wage for fear of the impact on businesses leading to job cuts, he said.

In the end, the minimum daily wage was raised in all 77 provinces to between 328 and 354 baht.

Rayong, Chon Buri and Phuket have the highest daily minimum wage rate of 354 baht, followed by 353 baht in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, said Mr Pipat.