“Pairoj” Permanent Secretary of Labor admits that the 400 baht minimum wage increase may not be in time for October 1st.
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“Pairoj” Permanent Secretary of Labor admits that the 400 baht minimum wage increase may not be in time for October 1st. We have to wait to find a new representative of the Bank of Thailand to join the Tripartite Board. He insists that he will work hard before retirement even though there are only 6 days left.
On September 23, 2024, Mr. Pairoj Chotikasathian, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labor, revealed about the meeting of the Wage Committee (Wage Board) to consider the minimum wage of 400 baht after the meeting had already failed twice that he had been informed by the Bank of Thailand (BOT) that Mr. Methee Supapong was no longer the representative of the BOT. Therefore, he had to wait for the BOT to confirm in writing and send a new representative. As for Mr. Methee, he had to resign because the appointment was made by the Cabinet resolution, which was by name. In order to appoint someone else, they had to resign first.
When asked whether the next step will have to wait for the name of the new person to replace Mr. Methee to be proposed to the Cabinet, Mr. Pairoj said yes, and the point is that on the day of the salary board meeting, he thought that Mr. Methee was still the BOT representative. However, when checking the government agencies that did not attend the meeting, including the BOT stating that they were not responsible for Mr. Methee’s actions, he wrote a letter to the BOT to make it in writing as evidence that Mr. Methee was no longer involved.
As for Mr. Pairoj’s working period, which is only 6 days left before retirement, will he not be able to handle this responsibility? Mr. Pairoj emphasized that he must wait for the letter from the BOT to respond. The reporter asked further, will he not be able to announce the wage increase on October 1st and will it have to be postponed? Mr. Pairoj admitted that it would not be in time for October 1st, but if Mr. Methee resigns within this week and we can find a replacement for Mr. Methee and submit it to the Cabinet, it may be announced in the Royal Gazette in time, with a possible delay of 1-2 weeks.
Mr. Pairoj also stated that after he retired from government service, it would be the duty of the tripartite permanent secretary, that is, the new permanent secretary of the Ministry of Labor. He confirmed that he would do his best and do his best. As for the question of whether he would survive, Mr. Pairoj replied that the wage issue was a sensitive matter. If he had not been in the meeting room, he would not have known that the employers had one perspective on each issue. Every employer had their reasons, and the employees had their reasons. The government sector had to coordinate and combine the ideas of both parties, including the civil service, in a form of how much the increase would be. He knew that the media was waiting for an answer.