Civil servants will see their salaries raised again from January as part of incremental annual pay increases scheduled through 2018, the government announced yesterday.

Next year’s raise will mean about 200,000 civil servants will have their basic salaries increased by 12 per cent from the current 550,000 riel (about $138). By 2018, the minimum monthly wage is slated to reach 1 million riel ($250).

In a letter dated September 22, Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Porn Moniroth said that in addition to the basic salary increase, civil servants who currently qualify for additional salary “bonuses” will see these payments increased.

“Civil servants who earn additional payments at the minimum rate of 150,000 riel will have their bonuses increased to 250,000 riel,” the letter reads.

Pich Bun Thin, minister of public functions, said: “This is one of a series of raises from the government since 2013, which will affect all civil servants until 2018 until the minimum salary is 1 million riel.”

Of about 200,000 registered civil servants, 120,000 were teachers or others employed in the education sector, he added.

Salary increases were also announced for provincial councillors, commune and village officials.

Council chairs will, from April, receive monthly salaries of more than 1 million riel, with commune chiefs earning 750,000 riel, village chiefs banking 200,000 and village council members earning 140,000 riel.

The implementation of the $250 minimum wage was intended to dissuade civil servants from seeking private sector work to supplement low public sector wages.