Govt urged to curb inflation

Workers will not benefit from the proposed 300-baht daily wage increase if the government fails to contain expected high inflation from rising commodity prices, a labour leader said yesterday.

The government must efficiently control prices of goods so its plan to increase the minimum wage to 300 baht would truly benefit workers, Wilaiwan sae Tia, deputy chairwoman of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, said.

If commodity prices were pushed up to uncontrollable levels, wage increases would be meaningless for workers, she told a seminar on the wage rise organised by Rangsit University.

The labour leader urged the Pheu Thai-led government to increase the minimum wage nationwide unconditionally and come up with measures to offset negative effects of the wage hike.

"Business operators normally pass the buck to consumers by increasing prices of goods by citing rising production costs. The government must control rising goods prices," Ms Wilaiwan said.

The 300-baht daily minimum wage proposal was considered a Pheu Thai commitment, so the ruling party must honour its promise.

Workers have pinned their hope on the wage increase. During the election, many workers took leave to return to their home provinces to vote for Pheu Thai mainly because of its 300-baht minimum wage policy, she said.

Anusorn Tamajai, dean of Rangsit University's economics faculty, said he backed the 300-baht minimum wage increase nationwide as it would boost domestic purchasing power.

He cited a study which showed that about 42% of the domestic purchasing power came from salaries and wages