BANGKOK, 28 June 2015 (NNT) – President of the Employers Confederation of Thailand (ECOT) Anantachai Kunanantakul has backed an increase in minimum wage but suggested the wage should vary based on cost of living index, economic condition in each province and business environment in each sector.
He stressed the National Wage Committee (NWC) should not impose the same flat rate, such as at 360 baht, throughout the country as required by labor networks because the wage could hurt the whole payment system. They should let the rate to float according to the market mechanism.
“The Provincial Minimum Wage Subcommittees should be empowered to propose the minimum wage which is suitable for labour situation in their respective provinces. And the National Wage Committee (NWC) should make the final decision,” he said.
Responding to a scholars’ comment that skilled labour was still paid at a rate lower than their skills, Anantachai said this resulted from lack of participation of employers and employees in the Labour Ministry’s meeting to lay down national criteria of skilled labour. He thus called upon the Ministry to promote such participation in the future.
