300 Baht Daily wage

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PeteC
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300 Baht Daily wage

Post by PeteC »

I've read recently that this is going up some paltry amount of 10 Baht or so per day. Labour organizations are screaming and rightfully so. Slavery here ended more than a century ago, but slave wages remain it appears. If you're not living under someone else's roof for free, how does a person survive on 300 per day?

1) 100 for rent
2) 100 for food
3) 100 for everything else: utilities, clothing, transport etc.

It's an impossible situation in my opinion and an example of social engineering here to keep people in their perceived place, read social status.

So many trickle down implications that are not good. For example....a small Thai food shop where costs keep increasing for supplies, utilities etc., but they can't increase the cost for a plate of food because the average Thai customer can't afford it. What happens? The place tries to cut costs in the form of turning the temp up on the frig a few degrees, buying older produce, meat, fish in the talad at less cost = people get food poisoning = medical and drug costs. So many other examples I'm sure.

Of course many of these workers have to support a wife and children as well. Totally impossible. He needs to work at least two jobs and his wife needs to do something, and people wonder why kids don't stay in school beyond Grade 6-9. Not hard to see why. Pete
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StevePIraq
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Re: 300 Baht Daily wage

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Totally agree it is all a way to keep the people on their farms producing rice which they MUST sell to a designated processor who then on sells at huge mark up.
By the way I believe the increase does not apply to all provinces, only the less fortunate ones. The current minimum wage rate will be maintained in the eight provinces of Sing Buri, Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Ranong, Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

I do not always support Thai's and their way of life but this is slave labour.

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Big Boy
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Re: 300 Baht Daily wage

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I don't like the 300 Baht daily wage, but isn't it the reason many of us have chosen Thailand? If the wages rise, so will the cost of goods and services.

I dislike the low wage, but I've just said goodbye to our regular Mr Fixit. He's just done a small job for us. Parts and labour 140 Baht - I do like that side of it. He is quite pricey, and charges over the 300 Baht/Day, but he is certainly no slave, and we were both happy with the price. I never argue - he gets what he asks for. If it's a big job, I normally give him a little extra.
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Bristolian
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Re: 300 Baht Daily wage

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Big Boy wrote:I don't like the 300 Baht daily wage, but isn't it the reason many of us have chosen Thailand? If the wages rise, so will the cost of goods and services.

I dislike the low wage, but I've just said goodbye to our regular Mr Fixit. He's just done a small job for us. Parts and labour 140 Baht - I do like that side of it. He is quite pricey, and charges over the 300 Baht/Day, but he is certainly no slave, and we were both happy with the price. I never argue - he gets what he asks for. If it's a big job, I normally give him a little extra.
I'm surprised that your Mr. Fixit has such a low rate. Mine charges 600 per day for his services and 300 for any additional staff (wife and family). Excellent workers all of them with great skills... I thought I was getting a good deal.... Actually I still think that I am and wouldn't change. I can call them anytime and they will come. They have become very good friends over the years.
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Big Boy
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Re: 300 Baht Daily wage

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No, he has been for a very small job. He actually charges slightly more than your man.
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PeteC
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Re: 300 Baht Daily wage

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Yes, independent contractors can make a decent wage based upon the scope of their customer base and initiative. It's the factory line workers, mall and store workers, food processors etc. that seem to be stuck in the rut, and they significantly outnumber everyone else.

Let's not forget that the corruption problems with the MIB and gov officials in general all came about because of low wages. I honestly think that decades ago it was policy to tell them to make what they could on the side as the gov didn't have the revenue base to pay them a decent wage that would have prevented corruption. The genie is now out of the box and it seems impossible, or no willpower, to put him back in. Pete :cheers:
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Re: 300 Baht Daily wage

Post by hhfarang »

I had a full time gardener for which I paid 7000 baht per month, which works out to just a bit more than 300 baht per work day (about 314). We were both happy with the arrangement. I don't think many people would have paid her that much for gardening work.
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