Thailand plans to increase the daily minimum wage to 400 baht next year, Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Friday.
“It will be a new year present,” he said.
The increase was postponed from October, but the national wage committee — comprising representatives from employers, labour and the government — will meet again in December at the latest, Mr Phiphat said.
The increase in the minimum wage, from the current range of 330 baht to 370 baht per day depending on the province, was part of the ruling Pheu Thai Party’s campaign platform. The party has pledged to increase it further to 600 baht by 2027.
The planned increase will affect businesses with more than 200 workers.
Business groups have spoken out against the planned increase and say a nationwide flat rate is impractical given the differences in economic conditions in different provinces.
Mr Phiphat said earlier that studies had shown the change would result in employers paying about 73 baht more per employee on a daily basis.
The impact would be huge, he acknowledged.
Mr Phiphat said his ministry would work on increasing minimum wages among smaller employers later, based on reports by provincial wage committees.
The government had hoped to enact the new wage on Oct 1 but the wage committee, which is independent, struggled to achieve a quorum for its meetings. At one meeting, none of the business representatives showed up, without giving a reason.