"Sia Champathong" opposes cancelling the salary increase for assistants to MPs and Senators, noting they hardly have time to rest. Apart from their salary, they have no benefits at all. If parliament is dissolved, they lose their jobs immediately, and labor laws do not protect them. He urges a comprehensive view, stressing that they are workers just like those in any other profession, too.
On 16 July 2026, Mr. Sia Champathong, a party-list MP from the People's Party, expressed concern over the cancellation of the salary increase for assistants to MPs and Senators. The current minimum salary of 15,000 baht does not correspond to the cost of living for those working 6-7 days a week, and no welfare benefits are provided. This followed Mr. Sophon Sarum, Speaker of Parliament, signing an order to cancel the parliamentary regulation on salary adjustments for assistants to MPs and Senators, and establishing an independent committee to study the number of assistants and their benefits within 90 days.
Mr. Sia stated the facts: MPs and Senators can appoint up to 8 assistants, divided into three main positions:
1. Personal expert to the MP: 1 person with a salary of 24,000 baht.
2. Personal specialist to the MP: 2 persons with a salary of 15,000 baht each.
3. Operational assistants to the MP: 5 persons with a salary of 15,000 baht each.
The base salary for assistants to MPs and Senators was last adjusted in 2012, according to the parliamentary regulation on appointing persons to perform duties beneficial to parliamentary operations (amendment no. 2) B.E. 2555 (2012), which means it has been over 14 years.
At the 3/2568 meeting of the Parliamentary Officials Committee of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives on 28 March 2025, the meeting considered and approved the parliamentary regulation on appointing persons to perform duties beneficial to parliamentary work (amendment no. 4) B.E. 2568 (2025). Former Speaker Wan Muhamad Nor Mata signed off to increase the salaries of assistants to MPs and Senators to:
1. Personal expert to MP or Senator: 1 person with a salary of 28,800 baht.
2. Personal specialist to MP or Senator: 2 persons with a salary of 18,000 baht each.
3. Operational assistants to MP or Senator: 5 persons with a salary of 18,000 baht each.
"Many are aware, as am I, that previously an MP debated and proposed to the Speaker of Parliament to reduce some benefits, such as food allowances, citing high per-person costs. There was also a proposal to reduce the number of assistants from 8 to only 3, arguing that costs were high without benefits.
As a Member of the House of Representatives and Parliament, I am deeply concerned about this issue, especially upon learning that Speaker Sophon Sarum accepted this proposal by cancelling the scheduled salary increase for assistants to MPs and Senators originally set for October 2026," said Mr. Sia.
Mr. Sia said that currently, personal experts, specialists, and operational assistants to MPs and Senators work almost without rest, 6-7 days a week. Besides their salary, they receive no welfare, no social security, no medical expense coverage or illness assistance, and are not protected under labor laws. Their job security is nonexistent; when parliament is dissolved, they immediately lose their jobs, and MPs or Senators can replace their assistants at will.
Salaries of only tens of thousands of baht are insufficient for living, especially as the cost of living rises across the board. They have to eat, pay bills, support families, parents, and children just like any other workers. What reason is there to deny them "time to work, rest, and live" like everyone else in the world?
For me, I have a team that helps monitor cabinet administration, conducts research and gathers information for drafting motions for parliamentary consideration. Another team handles communication, presenting meeting results and legislative work, as well as communicating labor issues I bring to parliamentary consideration for public awareness.
Additionally, there is a field team that collects laborers' issues, coordinates complaints, assists laborers whose rights have been violated to pursue legal action, and monitors local problem-solving. For constituency MPs, teams also study local problems, identify root causes, coordinate complaints, assist citizens, and bring proposals into parliamentary processes to promote concrete problem-solving.
"I understand the Speaker's concern about the current economic crisis, but it seems the issue has not been fully viewed from the perspective of the 'workers.' Assistants to MPs and Senators are workers like those in any other profession. Not adjusting their compensation to match the current economy and cost of living only worsens the plight of those waiting in hope for a salary increase that would boost morale and quality of life."
"I urge the Speaker and relevant parties to consider this matter carefully. I do not want assistants to MPs and Senators to be seen as individuals with sufficient social capital or resources to support themselves without relying on parliamentary compensation. If that is the case, those who genuinely want to work in politics — ordinary people, children of laborers, or those wishing to be a voice for the public but lacking means — may be unable to sustain parliamentary work. Meanwhile, those seeking to exploit political positions may have more opportunities to replace genuinely committed legislative support staff working for the people."
