Provincial sub-committees given the task of adjusting minimum daily wage rates have proposed annual raises of between two to 10 baht this year, said permanent secretary for the Labour Ministry Jarin Jakkaphark Wednesday.
The proposal is awaiting further deliberation by the central academic screening sub-committee, and the planned hikes are expected to be forwarded to a tripartite committee composed of employees, employers, and the government next month.
The new rates are expected to come into effect on April 1 as usual, said Mr Jarin.
He also dismissed rumours that a nationwide minimum wage rate of 360 baht will be imposed, saying such a move is "impossible" due to the differing rates of economic growth between provinces.
Meanwhile, more than 200 employees of Gamakatsu International Co in Klong Luang district of Pathum Thani continued their week-long protest against the company's decision to suspend operations.
The suspension -- allowed under Section 22 of the 1975 Labour Relations Act -- followed a dispute between the company and its labour union over its request for better pay and benefits, said union president Anongnat Khonchan.
After eight rounds of negotiations ended in a stalemate, the employee's union decided to call a general strike beginning on Feb 14, she said.
The next day, the company decided to suspend operations until the union agrees to retract all of its demands.
Ms Anongnat said the dispute began on Oct 9 last year, when the union submitted a seven-point request. It called for a 100% pay raise for every employee, an increase in meal allowances from 40 baht to 50 baht per day, and monthly living allowances of 1,600 baht per employee, up from the previous rate of 1,400 baht.
Separately, the Labour Ministry's committee responsible for migrant workers and human trafficking is seeking the cabinet's approval to waive the 2,000-baht re-entry fee for legitimate migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, who plan to temporarily leave Thailand to visit their families over the Songkran holiday period in April.