Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has defended the government's decision to increase the monthly salary of more than 700 officials supporting the work of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), saying they have to shoulder more responsibility.
The cabinet on Tuesday approved a two-tier salary increase for 721 officials assigned to work with the NCPO. They will also be entitled to a monthly remuneration of 3% of their salary. The raise takes effect in retrospective to the beginning of 2017 fiscal year which was in October 2016.
Gen Prayut said the officials have to work for the NCPO as their second job, and that benefits must be given to them as they have to work more.
Benefits that they received from their agencies have dwindled because they came to work with the NCPO and therefore they need to be entitled to these, the prime minister said.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said such benefits are common for officials who are assigned to work and only a small percentage of those working for the NCPO are entitled to such benefits.
Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkammnerd said this is not the first time benefits have been provided.
The NCPO has more than 20,000 officials, including those who work in their agencies and those assigned to work for the NCPO on special missions, and the latter would not to entitled to pay rises by their organisations, he said.
It has to be accepted that the officials assigned to work for the NCPO have to work hard with few chances of taking a rest, even during the long holidays, Lt Gen Sansern said.
Only 3% of 20,000 officials attached to the NCPO will be entitled to the benefits and these 721 beneficiaries are the low-ranking ones, he added.