Cost-of-living allowances at some big firms

The country's second-largest cellular operator, Total Access Communication (DTAC), yesterday said it would provide a flat monthly allowance of Bt1,500 for all 5,500 employees nationwide. to help them cope with higher living expenses. The policy will take effect this month.

DTAC chief executive Sigve Brekke said the provision would cost the firm Bt8 million a month.

But he said it would be money well spent, because it could ease inflationary pressures on employees and boost staff morale, which was vital in service industries.

Recently, the board of Advanced Info Service (AIS) also approved in principle a plan to provide monthly allowances of between Bt500 and Bt1,500 to 3,000 employees whose monthly salaries were Bt20,000 or less.

AIS has about 8,000 employees.

AIS said it provided an extra monthly travel allowance of between Bt2,000 and Bt4,000 for certain sales teams three months ago, to help them cope with higher petrol prices.

A True Corp source said the company's board recently approved a salary hike of Bt500 for group employees whose monthly salaries were Bt20,000 or less. The increment took effect this month.

The group includes cellular operator True Move, pay-TV operator True Visions and Internet provider True Internet.

True Corp was founded by agro-industrial conglomerate the Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group.

CP Foods said the firm had increased salaries for all employees  between Bt1,000 and Bt3,000, effective this month.

CP All, the retailing unit of the CP Group, also increased staff salaries, but its executives were not available for comment.

The Siam Cement Group said the firm raised staff  salaries 7 per cent on average since last month, to cover what is considered the highest rate of inflation in a decade for the Kingdom.