MPs' pay rise expected to raise tempers

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MPs' pay rise expected to raise tempers

Published: 18/11/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Widespread public criticism is expected of the cabinet's approval in principle for a proposal to raise the salaries and allowances of MPs and senators.

PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey, who oversees state media, conceded the approval of the pay and welfare increases could come under heavy fire and the government needed to explain the reasons to the public.

Lawmakers, particularly MPs, have been lambasted for causing several parliamentary sessions to be brought to a halt over the past few weeks due to the lack of a quorum.

Deputy government spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said the salary hikes will benefit the house speaker and his deputies, the senate speaker and his deputies, the opposition leader, house members, senators and members of parliamentary committees.

The salaries of house members and senators will rise from 63,000 baht to 67,790 baht and their monthly allowances from 41,000 baht to 42,330 baht.

The parliament president's remuneration will be equal to that of the prime minister - a salary of 71,990 baht with allowances worth 50,000 baht.

Besides, the meeting allowance of parliamentary committee members will rise from 1,000 baht to 1,200 baht a meeting and that of parliamentary subcommittee members will go up from 500 baht to 800 baht a meeting. In addition, the cabinet ordered the Finance Ministry to consider increases in MPs' welfare, health insurance and travel expenses.

About the author

: Writer: Pradit Ruangdit; Position: Reporter

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This Gusted

Discussion 25 : 18/11/2009 at 06:22 PM25
mj, discussion 23, I acknowledge that CEOs usually have other sources of income. Yet, politicians who claim that there is no room for any increase of the minimum wage should be banned from politics for life for raising their own >100k/m income.

What is happening here is not surprising, but it is appalling.

And I strongly oppose the belief that there is a relationship between the salary level and the level of corruption unless you say that this relationship is directly proportional.
John

Discussion 24 : 18/11/2009 at 05:36 PM24
Politicians are the same everywhere just look at the money grabbing going on in the UK. The Thais are only trying to keep up with the rest of the world.
mj

Discussion 23 : 18/11/2009 at 05:26 PM23
@ This Gusted (#22): You cannot compare politicians to CEO. CEO can reduce their salary to $1 b/c they hold a large volume of company's share/stock. By reducing their salary to $1, it shows they believe in the company's performance, and they'll make money from the rise of share/ stock price. It make sense.

For politicians, we should increase their salary even more so that they'll less incline to corrupt. It is obvious 60,000 to 70,000 is nothing compare to what you can make outside of politics. I agree with [Outside Looking In] (#20), it's the corruption that needs to stop. don't give them trouble about this tiny salary rise.
This Gusted

Discussion 22 : 18/11/2009 at 03:33 PM22
Some CEOs - admittedly: not in Thailand - have reduced their salary for 2009 to 1 dollar or euro.

Some politicians might as well follow the example.
Pointman #2

Discussion 21 : 18/11/2009 at 02:44 PM21
Greed for wealth and money, is spreading like a wildfire out of control. Presnetly, oil price increases are based on greed. Wall-Street spreads greed faster than the Swine-flu virus. Politicans all over the world, are driven by greed. Hospitals are involved in greed. I would say my country the USA, is having the worst greed problem in history. How do you kill a disease like greed, that is as bad as cancer with no cure? A major disaster that puts everyone back into the stone age is the only thing that will cure the problem.
Outside Looking In

Discussion 20 : 18/11/2009 at 01:08 PM20
I'm guessing that almost every expat reading this or writing in makes more than the amount the politicians will now be getting paid (on paper). The big money comes in the form of kickbacks etc, and that is what needs to stop. If the paycheck is ridiculously low, then the only people that will want the job will be the people who know how to milk the system, which probably explains a lot about the past and present Thai politics.
tom

Discussion 19 : 18/11/2009 at 12:53 PM19
Self-serving people ALWAYS serve themselves first.

And politicians always lead the charge.

Nothing new here.

Move along.
ThaiToo

Discussion 18 : 18/11/2009 at 12:16 PM18
Excuse me, but weren't these the very same people that said recently that the economy was contracting and prices were actually going down? If this is true then you should be looking at a cut in pay.

Every time I hear prices are going down I always write in and ask, "on what", "Where do you shop at" and of course I get no reply. When will this government be honest with the people?

The next thought that comes to mind is this pay raise is a pittance. Why would you bother at this time to even ask? When you consider the wine you get as a gratuity, the medical perks, flights and hotels, you should hang your collective heads in shame! This raise wouldn't pay for one of your lunches that you don't pay for anyway. Greed, simply greed.
Tu Wit

Discussion 17 : 18/11/2009 at 12:05 PM17
Mast cabinet members are in effect PM's. So in essence they gave themselves a pay raise. The only thing this government has one is raise taxes, indebted our children for generations to come, and give themselves a raise while at the same time rejecting a rise in minimum wage. I hope the next election is soon!! lol
WHY NOT

Discussion 16 : 18/11/2009 at 11:50 AM16
By all means, give them the raise they deserve but don't think for a moment that it is a deterrence to corruption.

Say we pay Thaksin ten folds the monthly salary he got as a Prime Minister, do you honestly believe that he would not corrupt ? Let us get real. Thaksin and the likes will always be what they are..... you fill in the blank.....