Companies try to help staff to cope

Santi Vilassakdonont, president of Saha Group, a consumer products giant, said pay rises were not possible because the firm had already increased salaries by an average of 6 per cent at the start of this year.

However, the firm had come up with other measures to help employees - such as selling the group's products to staff at cheaper than market price.

"We will probably consider a special salary adjustment for staff in the middle of this year, again because of rising inflation," Santi said, adding that each of the subsidiary companies under Saha Group is empowered to consider its own salary policy.

For companies in industrial estates like Map Ta Phut in Rayong province, there has been so far no announcement of salary adjustments to cover the higher cost of living.

A source from BLCP Power said salaries and wages in the Map Ta Phut area are usually higher. In addition, most companies have already raised their staff salaries recently so workers shouldn't be hurt much by the rising prices of consumer goods, he said.

However, Veradech Somboonvechakarn, managing director of VPP Progressive, a leading exporter of coffee beans, said his company is considering giving an extra allowance to workers.

"For full-time workers, the additional payment will be effective in June," he said, adding allowances will be to the tune of hundreds of baht per person per month.

Sun Spark Beverage general manager Nathapoan Supatana said salaries were raised by 10-15 per cent earlier this year.

"So far, we've increased salaries again for those with good performances, but we couldn't adjust wages across the board because the firm is not yet making a profit," he said.

Sirikul Kriengkai is human resource system manager of Advanced Info Service (AIS) which employs about 8,000 people. He said the company's salary base was recently increased by 6 per cent.

The firm, which reported net profit of Bt16 billion for 2007, has an allowance for staff whose monthly salaries are lower than Bt15,000.