THB400 minimum wage to start Oct 1 as scheduled: Phiphat

The government is sticking to its original timeline of increasing minimum wages nationwide to 400 baht per day on October 1, for selected industries, Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan told Parliament on Friday.

He insisted that the government will not interfere with the resolution of the Tripartite National Wage Committee, which decides the rates of minimum wages in each province.

“The ministry will discuss this issue with the Labour permanent secretary, who chairs the committee, after their next two meetings on September 17 and 24,” he said.

The committee has 15 members, with three five-member teams representing the government, employers and employees respectively.

Phiphat said that although the issue of minimum wages was not included in the government’s policy statement announced to Parliament earlier this week, he will recognise the most appropriate time for implementation.

The minister said industries that are not included in the first wave of adjustment to 400 baht per day on October 1 will receive adjustments in the second wave, expected to be announced on January 1 next year.

However, this is pending the approval of provincial wage committees, he said.

Phiphat added that his ministry is submitting a draft act to promote and protect self-employed workers, with details covering worker registration, wage structure, labour protection and legal investigation, as well as a fund to provide loans to employees in this group.

It is expected that the act will provide standardised practice and protection for emerging independent careers, such as delivery staff for online food and product platforms, also known as “riders”.

While the new law is yet to be enacted, Phiphat said riders who work under employers will be protected under the Labour Protection Act, while those not under any employers can submit complaints against platform operators to the Digital Economy and Society Ministry.