Legislative measures on Minimum Wage Determination for Labor Development in ASEAN Economics Community

Abstract

             The purpose of this research is to study the minimum wage laws of ASEAN countries comparative to the conventions and guidelines of International Labour Organization (ILO) and foreign minimum wage laws as well as seeking guideline for developing and providing labour protection in ASEAN countries.

            According to the study, it was found that the enforcement of minimum wage laws of ASEAN countries including the Kingdom of Thailand, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Kingdom of Cambodia and Republic of the Union of Myanmar, had problems of inequality and injustice against labour in terms of legislation and enforcement of the minimum wage laws. Consequently, the legal protection failed to cover a significant number of labour. Without any established organization or agency who is responsible for regulating the minimum wage rate in ASEAN member states, the ASEAN countries did not have universal standard in determination of suitable and fair minimum wage for the member countries’ labour society. It resulted in the exploitation of labour. Additionally, the problem of the enforcement of minimum wage laws of ASEAN countries obstructed labour’s suitable and fair quality of life development for their dignified life.

            Therefore, to develop the minimum wage laws in ASEAN member states, an organization or agency who is responsible for regulating the specific minimum wage rate in ASEAN must be established. With the minimum wage rate standard in ASEAN countries, it guarantees the fairness in ASEAN labour society which promotes ASEAN’s labour’s quality of life.