Vietnamese president gets US$240 monthly salary

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Despite a recent pay rise, President Tran Duc Luong's salary is only 3.77 million dong (US$240; euro183) a month, a state-controlled newspaper reported Tuesday.

Communist Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, the most powerful man in the country, is paid the same as the president, while Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An are paid 152,000 dong (US$10; euro7.60) less, Thanh Nien (Young Newspaper) said.

It was the first time the salaries of Vietnam's leaders have been revealed to the public.

The newspaper also reported that elite politburo members are paid 3.393 million dong (US$216; euro165), while ministers earn from 2.813 million dong to 2.987 million dong (US$180 to US$190; euro137 to euro145) a month.

Four-star generals earn 3.016 million dong (US$192; euro146), it said.

An official from the labor ministry said the government increased the monthly salary for civil servants by an average of 31.5 percent effective from Oct. 1 last year to offset Vietnam's 9.5 percent inflation rate.

Vietnam's minimum monthly salary is 290,000 dong (US$18; euro13.74).

Despite robust economic growth of more than 7 percent in recent years, Vietnam remains one of the poorest countries in the world with GDP per capita of about US$550 (euro420). - AP


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...mese&sec=latest

That's obviously properganda by the Vietnamese government to show that Vietnam is a good country where the leaders don't take much more money than the civilians and thus make it seem like they aren't greedy.

are u sure about that Mr. Vietnam?

that's good
I think every president of a country should just take symbolistic salary

LOL I WISH the president only took that much money. But Vietnam is a communist country and is one of the most corrupted in the world according to some chart I read.

The government officials embezzle money from the treasury.

I really hope one day the President becomes more humble and really makes that much money, so more money can go to the people instead.

Everybody in Vietnam knows that. They're frigging rich.

Hihi, take symbolic salary then take bribes with both hands and stuff it up their asses.
With $240/month, how come they all have huge houses and swiss bank accounts? it makes you wonder...

LOL 240 a month. Even the common guys on the street know they're corrupted

Vietnam is a communist country remember these officials need to show that they abide by the communist rule that everyone is equal, so of course they're not gonna say how rich they are.

i can tell that he is indeed right Mr. Chinaman

Hehe, though salary in Vietnam is so low, but do you know how much a car costs in Vietnam???? Approximately 80.000 USD with a Toyota car. And Vietnamese r willing to pay the number of money to buy a car with that price. And do you know how many hours Vietnam worker do a day?? 8 hours, but the actually they work with very leisure time. There is no pressure in the work. Everyone go out for fun much time than other country... In general, people in Vietnam have a leisure life. He he....

definitely for a toyota supra but not a camry hahaha !!

You gotta be kidding me, $240 US my @$$.

I've seen this guy, who is rumoured to be the son of a viet official. He drives around in a Porche Boxter, and im pretty sure he spends more than $240 a night.

its called corruption, i have an uncle whose a doctor in danang and he only makes 50 usd a month. third world countries are always full of corrupption no matter what point of view you look at it

Yeah camry is like 40,000 g's? just double the cars price with the 100% sales tax and that's how much the car is.

My sister who goes to Worcester Acedemy, for one year the cost for grade 8 is $17,300USD. There is a small politician in Vietnam who has sent a couple kids at the same time! But the kids are 7 day students 33,000USD a year each! That's like 66,000USD he's blowing!That's a small time dude and he's making enough dough to send his kid to a school like this. That's just an example compared to what those top guys can take in.

haha... y are our governments so corrupt... jeez...

a real role model is the prime minister of the bahamas... i saw his house... it's not even as big as my house and the bahamas aint that poor of a country...

who would be stupid enough to buy a camry for $80,000

it's a good example. all leaders should be workin for free. it should be an honour more than anything else....that and the sweet cribs they live in and everything else thats usually prepared for them.

tha't lazyness...that's why vietnam still so damn backward these days..

That's how Europe is too.

they are developed countries. since China and Vietnam are developing countries, we should fight towards richness..

My monthly allowance is more than that.

Awwww...devilish still has an allowance! Thàng Nhí! *smacks head* 2

old communist saying "we pretedn to work and they pretend to pay us"

Have u ever come to Vietnam or looked at the development of Vietnam for a long time? If u not, never say such damp thing again. I think u r from China, rn't u? I feel sorry to say that China at the first time is like Vietnam now. Ur country has the freedom earlier than Vietnam, and of couse ur country develop earlier than vietnam. And I think, for the time going, vietnam'll become like China now, better I think.

Oh, I forget. I give u some pictures of Ho Chi Minh City.
http://bb.1asphost.com/hcmcity/index.htm