BANGKOK, 5 August 2011 – The Pheu Thai Party is confident that its policy to increase daily minimum wage to 300 baht will be realistic, and the policy is expected to be piloted this October with government officials and state enterprise employees.
Pheu Thai Party Secretary-General and government manager Jarupong Ruangsuwan stated that his party will press ahead with the minimum wage hike policy and he is confident that the policy will be carried out within the first three months of the new government’s administration.
The secretary-general elaborated that the policy will be firstly applied to officials and employees working in public organisations this October and will be implemented in the private sector in the beginning of next year.
Mr Jarupong however said that the question on whether the policy will be piloted only in Bangkok and vicinities as well as Phuket province or will be implemented nationwide simultaneously cannot be answered now since Pheu Thai Party must discuss with the public and private sectors first.
The secretary-general expressed his party’s readiness to receive additional information supplied by all sides, including the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Chamber of Commerce, which recently announced that they would seek talks with the government within two weeks after its formation.
Mr Jarupong said the minimum wage hike policy in the private sector will be made via the tripartite consideration comprising the government, entrepreneurs and employees. He voiced his confidence that the tripartite system will be efficient to support the wage increase.
