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29 May 2023

Thai Economy

Bolstering labor productivity at a faster rate than the increase in minimum wage rate may be an appropriate approach (Business Brief No.4005 Full Ed.)

คะแนนเฉลี่ย

        Raising the minimum wage rates will help bolster purchasing power of employees amid the rising cost of living. However, it will hurt labor-intensive businesses as they will incur additional operating costs, particularly those whose higher proportion of labor expenses is based on the minimum wage rates.
        If the minimum wage rates increase by approximately 30 percent and other labor expenses that are not based on the minimum wage rates increase as usual, for instance, by 5 percent, labor costs within the private sector will increase by roughly 16 percent on average. The agricultural, hotel, food service, construction and service businesses, including individuals hiring housekeepers, will incur additional labor costs by 18-28 percent because the higher proportion of wages in such businesses is based on the minimum wage rates. However, the net impact of higher labor expenses on their profitability will rest with their ability to manage income and costs, which may vary among businesses and enterprises.   
        Labor problems are structural issues that are complex. They will likely persist even after the government raises the minimum wage rates, particularly when Thailand becomes an aged society. These issues along with changes in labor skills in alignment with business dynamism and the development of advanced technologies have led KResearch to take a view that bolstering labor productivity at a faster rate than the increase in the minimum wage rates may be an appropriate approach to help the business sector stay afloat and become sustainably competitive. If the government is the key advocate of the minimum wage rise, it should help shoulder expenses related to the increase in labor productivity while also implementing measures to help fragile businesses overcome these challenges, as well.    

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