The Labour Ministry is confident it will achieve the government's goal of raising the country's daily minimum wage to 600 baht by 2027.
Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn yesterday provided an update on this year's second minimum wage rise to 400 baht per day, saying the rise will come into effect on April 13 starting with employees working at upscale hotels and resorts in 10 provinces: Bangkok, Krabi, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phangnga, Phuket, Rayong, Songkhla and Surat Thani.
He emphasised that the proceedings towards the rise must be carried out step by step to allow all sectors to prepare for its effects as well as assured that his ministry will keep increasing the daily minimum pay until it reaches 600 baht in 2027 as per the government's policy.
"What I meant by that is that we must try to make it happen sector by sector and occupation by occupation for the sake of entrepreneurs' stability and survivability," Mr Pipat said.
Earlier on Thursday, the labour minister raised the matter during the general debate, explaining that if the government enforced the same wage rise throughout the country all at once, at least three to four million workers hired by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) would lose their jobs.
According to Mr Pipat, 12.82 million workers, accounting for 71% of the country's employment, are currently working at SMEs in the country.
Therefore, if the 400-baht daily minimum wage were to be imposed in all parts of the country at the same time, then up to 40% of the country's SMEs would be at risk of closing down, and a total of five million employees would be affected, he said.
He also explained the reason behind the wage rise for employees of hotels with four or more stars in 10 provinces, saying the tourism sector is important to the country's employment and economy.
Meanwhile, Hat Yai Songkhla Hotels Association president Sitthiphong Sitthiphatprapha said the wage hike is an injustice to Songkhla because the highest price for a hotel room in this province is 2,000 baht, while the prices in provinces like Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok are much higher.
Another problem that has arisen in Songkhla is the lack of clear criteria for determining whether a hotel can be considered four-star, he said.
