By Thai Newsroom Reporters
ALL NEWLY-EMPLOYED GOVERNMENT personnel will earn a sum of 18,000 baht in startup salary per month, beginning in the middle of next year.
The Pheu Thai-led cabinet today (Nov.28) approved a raise in the government personnel’s startup salary from 15,000 baht to 18,000 baht a month to be effective after a 2024 budget bill has been turned into law around the middle of next year, confirmed National Economic & Social Development Council secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan.
However, those government personnel who may currently earn less than 18,000 baht in monthly salary will also have it automatically raised to the latest startup rate, Danucha said.
Prommin Lertsuridej, secretary-general to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, said the increased startup salary for government personnel was primarily designed to keep the public sector on par with the private sector in terms of monthly pays for their respective workforces.
The Pheu Thai-led government’s measure to increase the salary for newly-recruited government personnel closely followed a much-heralded digital wallet project designed for an estimated 50 million Thai nationals aged 16 years or over who may currently earn less than 70,000 baht in monthly income or have less than 500,000 baht in bank account.
Those entitled to the populist handout campaign can buy a maximum of 10,000 baht in merchandise in the boundaries of their home district in a six-month period from May via their digital wallet.
The Pheu Thai-led coalition government is yet to introduce legislation to borrow a sum of 500 billion baht in loan, either from domestic financial sources or foreign ones, to fund the populist handout campaign, launched during a nationwide electoral campaign earlier this year.
In the meantime, those who may earn a minimum of 70,000 baht in monthly income or have a minimum of 500,000 baht in bank account will be instead provided with an “easy e-receipt” campaign under which the well-to-do recipient can shop for a maximum of 50,000 baht in market value of merchandise in the boundaries of their home district from January 1 until February 15 and be entitled to a maximum of 10,000 baht in refund of their personal income tax.
The prime minister has earlier reassured that those Pheu Thai-initiated populist campaigns will not only promote domestic consumption and strengthen local economy on a short-term basis but boost the country’s GDP in the long run.
CAPTIONS:
Top: A representative image of an increase in startup salary for government personnel. Credit: Thai Rath
Front Page: Some Thai officials. Photo: Matichon
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