TOKYO/YANGON/HANOI -- Minimum wages in Southeast Asia are rising sharply as governments strive to please their publics, but the trend could slow foreign investment as the region loses its edge as a low-cost production hub.
In Cambodia, where the textile industry accounts for 60% of exports, Japanese wig maker Artnature sold a factory last year to a Hong Kong business, just three years after setting it up. Rising labor costs were a factor in the decision.
