New minimum wages for Thailand will be announced in December, but the rates will be less than 400 baht per day, Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Monday.

He said that the new wages will vary from one province to another, depending on the economic situation and cost of living in each.

Since October 1st, 2022, there have been nine minimum wage rates in the 77 provinces. The highest are 354 baht/day in Phuket, Rayong and Chon Buri and 353 baht/day in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon. In the rest of the country, the minimum wage ranges from 338 baht to 345 baht.

Phiphat claimed that a survey, conducted by labour officials, of worker opinions pertaining to minimum wages shows that a number of employees neither want minimum wages to be increased, for fear that they may lose their jobs, nor do they want to move to other provinces, where wages are higher, because of the travel expenses and higher rents.

The labour minister said that he expects to see new minimum wages for the rest of the country, currently being worked out by wage committees in each province, to be available for the Central Wage Committee by November 17th, so that they can be finalised in December for submission to the cabinet for approval and announced in the Royal Gazette by the New Year.

Charlee Loisoong, a labour representative member of the Thai Labour Reconciliation Committee, proposed, however, a uniform wage of 492 baht/day for the whole country.

The Pheu Thai party announced, during this year’s election campaign, that it would increase the minimum wage to 600 baht per day within four years.