Thai leaders increase their pay

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will make 125,600 baht a month starting in April, a 5 per cent increase. -- PHOTO: AFP

BANGKOK - THAILAND'S government officials and lawmakers will receive pay raises of up to 15 per cent next year that opponents said on Wednesday were too high and undeserved.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will make 125,600 baht (S$5,500) a month starting in April, a 5 per cent increase. Raises of up to 15 per cent for lawmakers take effect after a general election that is due in 2011.

The Cabinet's approval of the increases Tuesday shined a light on the wages of high-ranking officials, which are not common knowledge in Thailand, where minimum wage averages 180 baht a day.

The government defends the raises as the first for lawmakers since 2005 and necessary to attract competent people into public service from higher paying private sector jobs.

A group of 40 senators that led opposition to the raises, however, says they are too high and the 13 billion baht package comes at the wrong time amid economic troubles and political divisions in Thailand.

'Private companies base salary increases on performance. Lawmakers and senators do not deserve to be rewarded based on their performance,' said Rosana Tositrakul, a senator who opposes the raises. 

She noted that many lawmakers don't show up at parliament, and sessions regularly collapse due to lack of quorum. -- AP