Government officials minimum salary increased to 405,000 kip

(KPL) With the approval by the National Assembly, the minimum salary of government officials, from the fortcoming October onwards, will be 405,000 kip.

According to the government budget plan for the 2008-2009 financial year, the entire government expenditure is to be at most 10 trillion kip including 2.5 trillion kip for government officials salary, the largest amount among
10 expense portions of the government.
Finance Minister Somdy Douangdy said at the fifth ordinary session of the
National Assembly held on 7-27 July the increase of the government officials
salary is to ensure the living condition of Lao people, which is being
threatened by high inflation and surging oil prices.
Mr. Somdy said that the government would increase its expenditure for
government officials by 31% over that of 2007-2008 fiscal year and increase
the allowance for grassroots officials by 35.1% over the current figure.
The government aims to limit its expense during the next four months of this
fiscal year to not exceed 3.7 trillion kip. While the expense so far
accounts for 5.7 trillion kip as planned.