Undeserved pay rise for lawmakers

Published: 9/09/2010 at 01:17 PM
Online news: Opinion

The fact that the pay rise for senators and MPs was concealed in the Central Fund is enough to suggest that the government is not being honest with the people and is hiding something from them.

When the government decided some time ago that officials throughout the country deserved a five per cent pay rise, effective next April, a proposal was submitted to the cabinet for approval and the public was informed about. Even though some people might not agree with it, the process was straightforward and transparent.

However when the same government decided to give a pay rise to senators and MPs, not a word was heard from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva , any of his ministers or the other lawmakers themselves.

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Your comments

dom dunn

Discussion 19 : 10/09/2010 at 03:23 PM19
There can't be anything wrong with this payment, it was organised by "Mr Clean"
Somboon

Discussion 18 : 10/09/2010 at 09:10 AM18
As a registered Democrat, I have questioned this pay raise just about every posts I have made. Your guess about Abhisit being embarrassed is incorrect. My guess is Abhisit and the Demo Party is paying off the senators and MPs to vote for their bloated 2011 budget, which by the way gave the MPs billions of baht to spend in their constituents at their discretion. On top of that, they gave to the Army to buy useless arms which will have no parts in the future.

It is a payoff and Abhisit is no different from the previous PMs.
Somboon

Discussion 17 : 10/09/2010 at 09:10 AM17
As a registered Democrat, I have questioned this pay raise just about every posts I have made. Your guess about Abhisit being embarrassed is incorrect. My guess is Abhisit and the Demo Party is paying off the senators and MPs to vote for their bloated 2011 budget, which by the way gave the MPs billions of baht to spend in their constituents at their discretion. On top of that, they gave to the Army to buy useless arms which will have no parts in the future.

It is a payoff and Abhisit is no different from the previous PMs.
Aussie John

Discussion 16 : 10/09/2010 at 07:11 AM16
It seem highly probable that by maintaining the staus quo the masters have rewarded the servants for their crafty work.
Geoff

Discussion 15 : 10/09/2010 at 04:32 AM15
"..why the senators and MPs deserve this sneaky pay rise." Two questions: 1. Do they deserve the pay rise, 2. Why was it done in a sneaky manner?
Edward

Discussion 14 : 10/09/2010 at 03:57 AM14
Why not call a fresh election.

Stop making more changes, afterall, Democrats may not be in power, and all these mistakes has to be reversed. Such a painful process.
SPICEMAN

Discussion 13 : 10/09/2010 at 03:25 AM13
The culture of corruption runs deep into every fabric of our society. What's the different between the One Man Show under Thaksin and the Team Sport under Apisit? Corruption is corruption, stealing from taxpayers. Giving themselves pay raise while the country is struggling is shameless, but again from the people who don't know shame!
Geoff O

Discussion 12 : 10/09/2010 at 03:05 AM12
Don't tell us Mr Immunity himself , the great Jatuporno was actually given a pay rise despite the fact he rarely attends parliament and then usually only to create dissension.

Amazing Thailand.
yeahright

Discussion 11 : 09/09/2010 at 09:35 PM11
Oh you didn't know? It's because they can.
Krid

Discussion 10 : 09/09/2010 at 06:56 PM10
I find the "provincial development funds" given to each MP far more sinister.
Their existence has been denied by the Democrats, but PM Abhisit referred to them in a recent statement, when they were used to "buy" PT MPs to defect to BJT.
Of course there is no accountability as how these funds are used, that's why they were banned in the 1997 constitution that was torn up by the coup makers.
Compared with these funds MPs salaries are chump change.

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Undeserved pay rise for lawmakers | Bangkok Post: opinion