A survey by Sripatum University and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has found that business managements plan on giving lower salary increases and bonus payments this year.
Praphan Chaikit-urajai, curriculum director of the graduate programme at Sripatum University, said the surveys were made from March to May 2014. The pollsters concluded that businesses were paying 2.5 month bonuses on average this year, with the peak bonuses of 8.8 months, compared with 2.6-month average bonuses and peak 11-month bonuses last year.
The average salary rise has fallen from 5.6% last year to 5.4% this year.
Pongdet Sriwachirapradit, vice chairman of FTI's Human Capacity Building Institute, said average salaries for inexperienced employees started at 9,485 baht for those holding vocational certificates, 10,477 baht for those with higher vocational certificates, 14,148 baht for those with a bachelor degree, 20,403 baht for those with a master's degree, and 38,470 baht for those with a doctorate.
By industry, for those holding vocational certificates average salaries peak in the auto parts industry at 10,035 baht and are lowest in the gem and jewellery industry at 8,633 baht.
For those with higher vocational certificates, the highest average salary is 11,530 baht in the steel and aluminium industry and the lowest is 9,887 baht in the plastics sector.
For those with a bachelor degree, the highest average salary is 15,975 baht in the electricity and alternative energy industry and the lowest is 12,762 baht in gems and jewellery.
The highest average salary for those with a master's degree is 22,617 baht in the auto parts industry and their lowest average salary is 18,083 baht in the electricity and alternative energy sector.
Categorised by fields of study, the highest average salary for those with vocational certificates if for technicians, on 9,530 baht, and the lowest pay for such certificate holders is 9,194 baht in the field of domestic science.
For those with higher vocational certificates, the highest average salary is 10,581 baht in the agricultural science area, and the lowest is 10,330 baht in the domestic science field.
Among those with a bachelor degree, the highest average salary is 16,492 baht in engineering and the lowest is 13,037 baht in domestic science.