Workers threaten to camp near Government House if demand not met

A labour leader says workers may "stay on for a few days" near Government House if the government does not guarantee their demand for a Bt9 increase in the minimum daily wage today.

Udomsak Bupphanimitr, a lead organiser of the May Day rally at the Royal Plaza, says the Tripartite Wage Committee should have reached a conclusion to approve the Bt9 increase in its meeting on Tuesday.

He complains that PM Samak Sundaravej refused to preside over the opening of the rally. He says Samak shows a clear lack of interest in labourers' hardships.

Good news

Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong is telling labourers there will be "good news" tomorrow, when the wage panel meets again. The Tuesday meeting did not have a quorum, because only one member on the employers' side attended.

"The raise could be larger than Bt9," she says.

Labour Ministry permanent secretary Juthathawat Inthara-suksri, who chairs the tripartite panel, says he thinks an increase is likely and could range between Bt5 and Bt9.

A panel source says 22 pay-scale ranks - from Bt144 to Bt194 a days - will be readjusted to three to five levels.

Labour groups

There are around 20,000 labourers gathering and alms giving and religious ceremonies are being held. The opening ceremony will be presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan.

Two separate labour groups will gather near Democracy Monument and will submit their own demands at Government House.

Atthayuth Leeyawanich, a member representing employers on the panel, says all members are busy and informed the panel of their absence in advance.