Special allowance approved

Low-level state workers to get about B600 more

CHATRUDEE THEPARAT & PENCHAN CHAROENSUTIPHAN

The cabinet yesterday approved a special monthly allowance of an average 500-600 baht, or a 6% increase, to help low-ranking government employees make ends meet, effective retroactively from May 1 this year. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said the special cost-of-living allowance will benefit about 300,000 low-ranking officials below C5 level _ covering employees in the civil service, police, soldiers, staff in the education sector and other permanent employees.

An official whose monthly income including the allowance is 7,700 baht would receive a new total income of 8,200 baht, for instance.

According to Mr Surapong, the allowance would cost the government about 340 million baht.

He said approval for the increment came as a result of the rise in the cost of living over the past four months of this year (January to April) of 3.8% from the same period last year.

However, the benefit would not cover temporary staff because their salaries were handled by each state agency.

According to Mr Surapong, the government is also now preparing to study the possibility of increasing the wages of state officials who work for public services.

Previously in March, the cabinet approved a 4% salary increase for state enterprise employees.

Meanwhile, labour activists are gearing up for a campaign to push for a daily minimum wage of 233 baht following the pay hike in the public sector.

Wilaiwan sae Tia, president of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, said around 30 labour organisations will be pushing the Labour Ministry to raise the wage to a flat rate of 233 baht.

''The government has raised allowances for state officials by 6% and that is a good thing. It should also raise the wages of employees and help them make ends meet,'' she said.

Ms Wilaiwan said if the government was serious about upgrading the quality of living of employees, it must agree to the 233 baht rate.

Early this month the tripartite wage committee agreed to raise daily minimum wages across the country by between two and 11 baht in each province from June 1 onward.

Sawit Kaewwan, secretary-general of the State Enterprise Workers' Relations Confederation, said the two to 11 baht wage hikes do not reflect the costs that workers have to bear.

He pointed out that prices of essential goods such as rice, eggs, cooking oil, and cooking gas have surged by 70-80% so far.''As a matter of fact, the figure of 233 baht was the result of the 2005 survey. In last year's study the suggested figure was 268 baht,'' he said.

Mr Sawit said the labour network is studying workers' cost of living and expects to present its report on May 18.

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