Some 45,000 district, commune and village officials are expected to receive a 50 percent salary increase as of next month.

According to a sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen in October and seen by The Post on Monday, commune officials will be paid up to 120,000 riels [about US$30] per month as of January, and village officials will receive up to 50,000 riels [about $12] per month.

Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said yesterday that the increase was in line with the Kingdom’s rising economy and would help improve the living standards of officials.

Som Sakhon, chief of Koy Trabek commune in Svay Rieng province’s Svay Rieng town, welcomed the pay rise, noting that currently officials “have so much work and get a little bit of salary”.

“The salary is not suitable to [how much] we work,” he said.

Prak Sophany, executive director of the Cambodian Civil Society Partnership, an NGO involved in promoting local governance, said low salaries were a common complaint among officials.

“Even though the 50 percent increase is little, it is positive,” she said, adding that it would encourage officials to work harder.