Thai cabinet cut their pay

Thai cabinet cut their pay

BANGKOK (DPA): The Thai cabinet pushed through a 20 percent cut in monthly salaries for government ministers and legislators as an austerity measure, a senior minister said yesterday.

"We have decided to cut the salaries for ministers, their assistants and all government members of parliament," said Thai Interior Minister Sanan Kachaornprasart. The cabinet has not yet decided whether it will cut salaries for opposition MPs.

The salary cuts, which will be implemented for one year starting on Dec. 1, 1997, are expected to save the government several million baht a month.

Thailand has cut its budget for the fiscal year 1997 and 1998 three times in recent months to meet the tough requirements placed on a US$17.2 billion rescue package brokered by the International Monetary Fund in August.