New minimum wage deadline maintained

  The policy is set to start on January 1 2013, while the minimum wage in 7 provinces including Phuket and Bangkok has been already raised to Bt300 since April 1.
 Padermchai said after the discussion with business operators that it is impossible to delay the policy until 2015. He said that this policy would draw back Thai workers who are now chasing for higher pays overseas.
 According to the ministry, Thailand now relies heavily on foreign workers, who are numbered about 3 million.
 He further revealed that the ministry would propose to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, during her visit on Monday, that corporate tax rate is cut by 7 percentage points for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with earnings between Bt1-Bt3 million, from 25 per cent at present. The corporate tax rate for SMEs with earnings of Bt100,000-Bt1 million should also be cut from 15 per cent to 8 per cent.
 Another meeting with business operators is scheduled for May.