BANGKOK, Aug 6 — An 8 per cent salary rise for government officials will cost the state about an additional Bt20-30 billion per year.
Rungson Sriworasat, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Finance, said that in response to the National Council for Peace and Order’s intention to increase government salaries, an initial study found that the salary rise would cover all government officials including retirees.
They would receive different rates of increments and the rise would center on low-ranking officials. Also, the cost-of-living allowance would increase from Bt1,500 to 2,000 per month. The state would have to pay Bt20-30 billion more each year and the rise should begin next April, Mr Rungson said.
He said increments would be different for groups of officials but the highest rate would be 8 per cent.
Comptroller-General Manas Jamveha said if all officials received an 8 per cent rise, that would cost the state an extra burden of Bt40 billion annually and the NCPO would have to consider the issue carefully.
He advised that salary increases for low-ranking officials should be limited at some groups of them. He also pointed out that the pensions of retirees who had received less than Bt9,000 per month had recently increased to Bt9,000.
