Civil Service Pay Rises Get Nod: Thailand

[webfact]

Civil service pay rises get nod

The Nation

Three-year phase-in of election promise; new rates to cost Bt5.6 bn

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet yesterday approved a new salary structure that comes with significantly higher pay for civil servants. It will take effect retroactively from January 1.

It is seen as a move to honour one of the Pheu Thai Party's election policies about ensuring that holders of bachelor's degrees earn at least Bt15,000 per month.

The government will need Bt5.6 billion to finance the new pay rates.

"The adjustment for the full-fledged new pay structure will be made over a period of three years. The Cabinet has approved just the rate for the first year to begin with," said Nonthikorn Kanchanachitra, secretary-general of the Office of the Civil Service Commission. "We will have to take the impact on the private sector into account for the next step."

Nonthikorn said only those who have been in the civil service for less than 10 years will benefit from the already-approved new pay structure.

Before the approval, the salary range of vocational-certificate holders will rise from between Bt6,410 and Bt6,800 a month to between Bt7,620 and Bt8,080. The salary range for holders of higher vocational certificates will also rise from between Bt7,670 and Bt8,140 a month to between Bt9,300 and Bt9,860.

As for holders of bachelor's degrees, their salary range will soar from between and Bt9,140 and Bt9,670 a month to between Bt11,680 and Bt12,390.

The monthly pay for civil servants with master's degrees will also rise from between Bt12,600 and Bt13,360 a month to between Bt15,300 and Bt16,220. The salary range for PhD holders, meanwhile, will jump from between Bt17,010 and Bt18,040 a month to between Bt19,000 and Bt20,140.

Nonthikorn said the government would consider paying additional allowances to holders of bachelor's degrees as an appropriate response to the government policy ensuring their monthly pay of at least Bt15,000.

Hundreds of thousands of civil servants will benefit from the new pay structure. The civil service also covers the military forces and schools.

Education Ministry permanent secretary Sasitara Pichaicharnnarong said she would convene a meeting with officials to conclude the new pay rate for teachers before the end of February.

She added that the academic ranks of teachers would have to be taken into account.

Moreover, she said there were 65,000 teachers at private schools today and their salaries had been partially subsidised by the government.

"If the government will ensure all bachelor's-holding teachers at state schools get at least Bt15,000 in salary, the subsidy for private schools may have to rise," Sasitara said.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

[cgphuket]

I like that cost of living is low in Thailand, in part because of low wages, but these levels of wages for University graduates is pathetic. A Ph.D. making less than $700 USD a month? Sad in a country where so much money is thrown around.

[whybother]

I thought degree holders had already had their salaries raised to 15,000 baht. But now they have to wait until 2013? I suppose that's better than the 2015 that the minimum wage earners need to wait for their 300 baht per day nationwide.

[moe666]

How are they going to pay for this, new taxes or less corruption

[Pib]

Thailand places way too much salary emphasis on having a college degree. Don't get me wrong having higher/college education is definitely a good thing. I've got plenty of college degrees hanging on my wall...but that don't make me automatically a better performer, better worker than someone with less pretty paper hanging on the wall...but I guess in Thailand it would.

[nong38]

What about inflation proofed pensions, no mention of that!

[letitbe]

Thailand places way too much salary emphasis on having a college degree. Don't get me wrong having higher/college education is definitely a good thing. I've got plenty of college degrees hanging on my wall...but that don't make me automatically a better performer, better worker than someone with less pretty paper hanging on the wall...but I guess in Thailand it would.

Thailand places way too much salary emphasis on having a college degree. Don't get me wrong having higher/college education is definitely a good thing. I've got plenty of college degrees hanging on my wall...but that don't make me automatically a better performer, better worker than someone with less pretty paper hanging on the wall...but I guess in Thailand it would.

same world over I also have 2 degrees but these days a degree is not worth toilet paper and some of best people who worked for me had no paper qualifications at all. Near end of my working career I was not allowed to employ anyone less than upper class BSc of more. Pathetic since for 20-30 years I had people working for me who knew ten times more and were 10 times more effective than some of those with loads of degrees and paper qualifications. Im glad I no longer work with such nonsense.