The government’s policy for an increase in the national minimum wage, to 400 baht a day, has hit another snag yesterday, as the tripartite wage committee meeting today was short of the two-thirds of its members to make a quorum and had to be postponed.
Labour Permanent Secretary Pairoj Chotikasatien said that six of ten committee members, four representing the government and two representing employees, did not attend.
He claimed that their absence was not politically motivated, because they had notified the chair in advance of their intended absences, which were due to sickness and engagement in other business.
He said the committee members who did turn up agreed to reschedule the meeting for September 24th, adding that it will be further postponed if there is another lack of a quorum.
He expressed concern that, should the rescheduled meeting on September 24 not materialise, the cabinet will not be able to consider the minimum wage or announce a new minimum wage on October 1, as promised.
The new 400-baht national minimum wage would apply to workplaces at which there are 200 employees or more. About one million migrant and four million Thai workers would benefit from such a wage adjustment.
