A regulation that would have increased salaries for parliamentary assistants and other political support staff has been revoked, with authorities citing the weak economy as the rationale.
The repeal was published in the Royal Gazette on Wednesday and will take effect on Oct 1.
The new rule abolishes an amendment to the parliamentary regulation governing the appointment of individuals who assist the work of parliament, the House of Representatives, the Senate, members of parliament and parliamentary committees.
House secretary-general Sirote Paetphan said the now-revoked regulation was intended to increase remuneration for parliamentary personnel.
That list includes assistants to MPs and senators, personal experts, specialist advisers, secretaries to standing committees of both the House and Senate, as well as political staff serving the parliament president, vice-presidents of both chambers and the opposition leader.
After Parliament President Sophon Zarum assumed office in March, he asked that the planned pay increases be suspended in response to the economic situation.
Mr Sirote said the parliament president believed now was not an appropriate time to raise salaries for parliamentary support staff and instead ordered their current pay rates be maintained. A committee will study the issue further.
