Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has come under fire as the government plans a pay raise for local leaders in what some see as a move to woo their support ahead of the upcoming general election.
Gen Prayut has denied such claims and addressed them when he spoke at a seminar at Udon Thani Rajabhat University in Udon Thai's Muang district yesterday that focused on local administration issues.
He said the government plans a pay raise for the Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) chiefs, deputy chiefs, as well as the presidents and vice-presidents, members and secretaries of the TAO councils nationwide.
Gen Prayut also told the seminar that the Interior Ministry is taking care of the matter, and the TAO pay raise is expected to be announced in the Royal Gazette next week.
The PM denied claims that such a government-approved pay raise for the local leaders has been done in exchange for ballot-box gains in the election. "I am not seeking to woo voters because the government has considered the matter for quite a while," he said.
Gen Prayut also said the government is drawing up legislation to upgrade the TAOs to the status of municipalities in line with the principle of local administration.
"The TAO chiefs will be called mayors instead," Gen Prayut said.
The government is also considering measures to improve welfare benefits for the TAO chiefs, deputy chiefs and presidents and members of the TAO councils, he added.
Previously, deputy government spokeswoman Tipanan Sirichana said the pay raise was approved because TAO employees hadn't had a raise in over a decade.
She said TAOs had petitioned Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, seeking the raise in 2019. At the time, the minister agreed in principle to increase their pay amid rising consumer prices, she said.
The TAOs' call came after kamnans and village heads nationwide were earlier granted a pay raise, she said, adding it was only fair to give TAO employees a similar hike.
After Covid-19 hit, the pay raise plan was put on hold, she said. But after the pandemic eased, the plan was brought back for consideration during the annual TAO executives meeting in Chiang Mai on Nov 24 last year.
After the meeting, Gen Anupong asked TAO executives to provide reasons to justify the pay raise and a new pay scale, which were submitted to the ministry, she said.
Yutthaporn Issarachai, a political science lecturer at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said that such a pay raise is not illegal as the House of Representatives has yet to be dissolved.
However, Gen Prayut must distinguish between his role as a PM and that of a member of the United Thai Nation Party, he said.
"Although he said the pay raise is the government's policy, it cannot be separated from political campaigning," Mr Yutthaporn said.
"The move should not have been approved ahead of the election as it can be seen as an election pledge despite some loopholes allowing such a move," he said, adding the issue should be discussed after the election.
"It is not against the law, but it is not appropriate," he added.
Rangsiman Rome, a Move Forward Party MP, said the government was insincere in approving the TAO pay raise just before the election.