Thai Cabinet raises cost-of-living allowance for low-ranking government officials

BANGKOK, November 18 (TNA) - The Thai Cabinet has resolved to increase the cost-of-living allowance for more than 300,000 low-ranking government officials, raising their minimum monthly income each to at least 10,000 baht, taking effect retroactively from October 1, 2014. Comptroller-General Manas Jamveha told journalists of the decision on Tuesday, as proposed by the Ministry of Finance, after the Cabinet's weekly meeting, saying those being eligible for the rise of the cost-of-living allowance include low-ranking government staffs, covering permanent and temporary employees, who finished junior high schools and did general administration jobs and military privates with their monthly salaries before the hike ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 baht. Manas stated that, as Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha wants to assist the low-ranking government officials, the Cabinet resolved to increase the allowance, funded by a total state budget of about 1.5 billion baht a month, so that their overall monthly incomes, including salaries, will reach at least 10,000 baht. Besides, the Cabinet approved a measure to ease negative impacts from Thailand's previous increase in nationwide daily minimum wage to 300 baht, in which contractors whose work with the government has been delayed because of the increased labor cost will not be fined. According to the comptroller-general, the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) also plans to propose for the Cabinet's consideration in the coming months a new salary increase for all government officials. (TNA)