CrazyExpat Posted December 16, 2010 Report Share Posted December 16, 2010 BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's government officials and lawmakers will receive pay raises of up to 15 percent next year that opponents said Wednesday were too high and undeserved. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will make 125,600 baht ($4,200) a month starting in April, a 5 percent increase. Raises of up to 15 percent for lawmakers take effect after a general election that is due in 2011. The Cabinet's approval of the increases Tuesday shined a light on the wages of high-ranking officials, which are not common knowledge in Thailand, where minimum wage averages 180 baht ($6) a day. The government defends the raises as the first for lawmakers since 2005 and necessary to attract competent people into public service from higher paying private sector jobs. A group of 40 senators that led opposition to the raises, however, says they are too high and the 13 billion baht ($433 million) package comes at the wrong time amid economic troubles and political divisions in Thailand. "Private companies base salary increases on performance. Lawmakers and senators do not deserve to be rewarded based on their performance," said Rosana Tositrakul, a senator who opposes the raises. She noted that many lawmakers don't show up at parliament, and sessions regularly collapse due to lack of quorum. She also blamed the political elite for doing little to solve the violent political chaos that wracked Thailand earlier this year. Anti-government protests that were put down by the military claimed more than 90 lives and arson attacks on shopping malls and other buildings caused millions of dollars in damage. Lawmakers' raises of up to 15 percent will give the house speaker a salary equivalent to the prime minister's and the average parliamentarian a monthly wage of 114,000 baht ($3,790) a month. Public officials also get numerous built-in bonuses that often exceed salaries. For full article: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-15/thai-leaders-increase-their-pay-get-public-outcry.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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