Migrant workers in Thailand are protesting the minimum wage increase

As Thailand's aging population grows and its young population shrinks, labor-intensive industries have long relied on migrant workers from neighboring countries to operate. But labor activists say that migrant workers who are important to Thailand are not being paid the minimum wage set by the Thai government and are being exploited.

The Thai government has raised the minimum wage twice this year and is likely to do so again soon. But many Thai businessmen say that this minimum wage does not cover migrant workers and have not raised it. Essentially, the argument is that the minimum wage should not be increased because migrant workers will send home whatever income they earn.

The minimum wage is the minimum income that a person needs to live

According to the Thai Ministry of Labor, the minimum wage is 370 baht per day, which is equivalent to about 10 US dollars. However, depending on the region and the type of job, the minimum wage requirements differ from place to place. Currently, there are approximately two million Burmese workers in Thailand, and about 70 percent of the entire labor market in Thailand are Burmese migrant workers.

In Myanmar, after the military coup in 2021, there have been conflicts and attacks, and the country's economy has been completely destroyed. Therefore, for Burmese workers, they will consider themselves lucky to be able to come to work in Thailand and send money back home. This problem is especially big in areas along the Thai-Myanmar border like Mae Sot.

These areas are garment factories, The plantations are exploiting the migrant workers who came from Myanmar and forcing them to work cheaply. In industries that do not have official statistics such as agriculture, they are forced to pay only 36 baht a day, which is about one dollar.

A 29-year-old Burmese citizen, Mazin Oo Oo, who works as a seamstress in a handbag factory in Mae Sot, the Thai-Myanmar border, has been working for 10 years for 200 baht a day, less than the official minimum wage set by the Thai government.

He said that even though he is not earning the minimum wage, he continues to work and sends money back to his family back in Myanmar. Mazin Oo Oo said that he is more worried about rising commodity prices due to inflation in Myanmar than getting the minimum wage in Thailand.

"I'm struggling now. "Even though the Thai government has increased the basic salary, if prices continue to rise on the Myanmar side, we will not feel the benefit of the salary increase," he told RFA.

“I want to support my parents. my brother If the sisters do not get a good education, they will end up as laborers. I am making sacrifices to prevent this from happening," he said.

Labor activists say that many Burmese workers in Thailand do not receive the minimum wage. There are also a large number of undocumented workers in Thailand, so it is not easy to know exactly how many workers are working below the minimum wage.

Koreeyor Manuchae, negotiator of the Migrant Worker Planning Group, said that the lack of legal enforcement is the main problem regarding the fact that the Thai government has increased the minimum wage.

For undocumented workers who came to Thailand illegally, labor activists say that if they complain to the authorities that they are being treated unfairly, they fear being arrested and sent back to Myanmar.

Even documented legal workers know that if they report abuse, they will be investigated for a long time. During this inspection, they are afraid that they will be fired and the employer will harass them. Some workers who complained of unfair treatment and were able to get to the court stage had to wait years for a verdict.

"The workers don't want to reach the stage of settling in court. "It takes six months to a year for the court to issue a verdict, and sometimes it takes more than a year," said Koreeyor, a labor activist.

Last January, Thailand raised wages nationwide, and last April, the Thai parliament announced another increase. According to the decision, four-star hotels with more than 50 employees in tourist areas must pay employees a minimum wage of 400 baht per day.

Last May, the civilian government that emerged after last year's election announced that it would expand the minimum wage of 400 baht a day across the board.

In order for this minimum wage increase decision to be approved, the employer, The tripartite committee, which includes workers and labor officials, will discuss and negotiate. Among these, the migrant workers who bear most of Thailand's labor responsibilities are not allowed to form trade unions (unions), so they cannot participate in these negotiations.

Thai businessmen and industry associations are also calling for migrant workers not to be included in the minimum wage increase. Raising the minimum wage for migrant workers would hit small and medium-sized businesses the most, they said. In addition, they reason that the migrant workers will send home the higher wages, so even if wages are raised, the Thai side will not benefit.

Chaiyan Charoenchokethavee, director general of the Confederation of Thai Business Employers, said frankly that there is no reason to raise the minimum wage for migrant workers.

"If the minimum wage is raised, not only will Thai businesses be affected, but migrant workers will not spend this money in Thailand, so it will not benefit Thailand either. This is against the government's policy," he said.

Last June, the minimum wage was increased by vehicle assembly factories, The Federation of Thai Industries, FTI, has called for high-tech industries such as electronics factories and telecommunications factories to be restricted to only a few skilled workers.