The cabinet yesterday approved hikes to the daily minimum wage and the new rates will take effect next month.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, the acting prime minister, said the country's new daily minimum wage was in line with the resolution of the national wage committee.
The tripartite committee agreed on hikes of 5.02% on average last month, with nine clusters of provinces getting nine different rates.
The highest daily rate of 354 baht has been approved for Chon Buri, Rayong and Phuket while the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, as well as Nan and Udon Thani, will see the lowest rate of 328 baht.
Workers in Bangkok and its surrounding provinces will get 353 baht, representing the biggest rise of 22 baht from 331 baht at present. The smallest increase of eight baht will be implemented in Nan and Udon Thani. However, the rates approved yesterday were a far cry from the wages labour groups were demanding. Ahead of Labour Day on May 1, the groups called for a new rate of 492 baht across the country.
Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said yesterday it was high time the daily minimum wages were raised after the last hikes were approved in January 2020. He said the average increase of 5.02% was acceptable to business operators who understood people's economic hardship and believed the hikes would be a win-win for both sides.
As for interest rate increases to reflect soaring inflation, Mr Suchart said the Finance Ministry would address this concern to help cushion its impact, particularly on people most vulnerable to the rising cost of living. The Energy Ministry with roll-out relief measures to cope with high fuel prices, he added.
He said the ministry has asked the Social Security Office to consider further cuts in contributions to the Social Security Fund (SSF) to ease the financial burden for employers for a few months. He insisted cuts in monthly contributions to the SSF would not destabilise the fund's pension scheme.