Workers march past Government House as part of the activities to mark National Labour Day yesterday. They demanded an increase in the minimum daily wage and a curb on basic commodity prices.

The minimum daily wage varies according to province. It is highest in Bangkok and surrounding provinces at Bt184. Upcountry, it falls to a low of Bt140. The workers have therefore demanded an increase of at least 25 per cent.

The May Day activities in Bangkok were apparently split in two. One group of about 1,000, headed by Banjong Boonrat of the Labour Congress of Thailand, joined the Labour Ministry's national Labour Day 2006 event at Sanam Luang. The other group, from the State Enterprise Relations Federation and the Thai Labour Reconciliation Committee, marched to Government House to make the workers' demands, which were agreed upon earlier.

The demands included the minimum wage hike, an amendment to the law enabling workers to vote near their workplaces, a safer working environment, full pay for injured workers during their absence for medical treatment, amendment of the Labour Act 1998 to give hired-hand workers equal rights to permanent employees, a request for smaller payments to the social security scheme and life-time medical services for elderly workers.

In response to the demands, caretaker Labour Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said the ministry's national wage panel would consider the wage hike request. However, it increased the daily wage twice last year, and this year, many factors have to be considered, such as oil prices and the inflation rate.

Other law-amendment and policy-related requests have to wait for the formation of a new parliament before anything can be considered and pushed forward, Somsak said.

The request to allow workers to vote near their offices is a matter for the Election Commission to consider, he added. Meanwhile, Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) president Santi Wilassakdanon said the minimum wage had been increased recently and if it were increased again as demanded the competitiveness of the country's industrial sector might be negatively affected.

A source at the Labour Ministry's Bangkok wage sub-committee meeting yesterday said employers' representatives disagreed with the wage hike request, claiming employers would suffer the need to shoulder increased costs if it was implemented.

The source said the great majority of wage hike proposals being made to the central wage committee by provincial wage sub-committees before May 8 are asking for increases of only Bt1 to Bt2. Meanwhile, a seminar on labour issues held by the Thai Journalists' Association and the National Health Foundation yesterday pointed out that labour problems arise from three main sources: the problematic employment system; poor ethics on the part of employers who force workers to make requests and stage long protests before granting compensation; and the inability of government officials to help workers solve their problems because of legal limitations.

In related news, Mental Health Department director-general Somchai Chakrabhand has expressed concern about the mental health of workers facing a higher cost of living because of oil price increases.

He urged employers and workers to find ways to minimise the consequences of higher oil prices in order to lessen workers' stress.