Thailand's minimum wage hike boosts Thai-Cambodian border trade

BANGKOK, March 12 (TNA) - Thailand's new daily minimum wage, at 300 baht in all areas across the country, has considerably boosted the value of Thai-Cambodian border trade and the value of the Thai baht against the Cambodian real in Chantaburi province in the East. Sombat Juengtrakul, Vice President of Chantaburi's Association of Thai-Cambodian Trade and Tourism, told journalists on Tuesday that the value of border trade in Chantaburi peaked in six years early this month, reaching almost 500 million baht or about 43 million baht daily. Sombat acknowledged the value of the Thai baht against the Cambodian real is now the strongest, from the rate of 10,000 real to over 14,000 real against 100 baht, due to rising demand for the Thai currency among Cambodian people. Sombat attributed the situation to the increase in the daily minimum daily wage to 300 baht in Thailand, which has raised income of Cambodian workers. (TNA)