Thailand's tripartite wage committee unanimously resolved on Monday to raise the daily minimum wage next year to 400 baht in Chachoengsao, Phuket and Rayong provinces as well as Koh Samui district of Surat Thani.
Explaining the rise, Boonsong Thapchaiyut, permanent secretary for labour, said Koh Samui and Phuket deserved it because they were tourist destinations where the cost of living was high.
Chachoengsao, Chon Buri and Rayong provinces should also have the minimum wage hike to 400 baht a day because they formed the investment-oriented Eastern Economic Corridor, he said.
According to Mr Boonsong, the daily minimum wage will be 380 baht in Muang district of Chiang Mai and Hat Yai district of Songkhla and 372 baht in Bangkok and six adjacent provinces: Chachoengsao, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon.
Elsewhere, the daily minimum wage will increase by 2.0% on Jan 1.
The rise would benefit about 3.77 million workers in Thailand, Mr Boonsong said.
The tripartite wage committee consists of representatives from the government, employees and employers.
