In 2025, Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) had a policy on pay scale equity that includes a commitment to the measurement and elimination of gender pay gaps. This commitment is set out in the Srinakharinwirot University Announcement on the Policy on Pay Scale Equity and the Measurement and Elimination of Gender Pay Gaps, which was signed by the President, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cholvit Jearajit, and announced on 31 March B.E. 2568 (A.D. 2025), so the policy was created within the period 2022–2026. The policy works alongside the University’s established pay framework under Chapter 5 of the Srinakharinwirot University Regulation on Personnel Administration B.E. 2559 (2016), its salary structure and starting salary rates, and its performance-based pay system. Together, these make sure that staff pay is set by position, qualifications and performance, with the same rules applied to all staff regardless of gender.

Policy on Pay Scale Equity and the Measurement and Elimination of Gender Pay Gaps

In this policy, the University commits to pay scale equity and fairness for personnel of all genders, prohibits discrimination in remuneration based on sex, gender identity or gender expression, and undertakes to measure and analyse gender pay gaps regularly, take corrective measures, and eliminate any unjustified or discriminatory differences in pay. The policy is built on the principle of equal pay for work of equal value. It applies to every faculty, college, office and institute, and to all categories of personnel directly employed by the University, including academic staff, administrative and support staff, and permanent and temporary employees, and it covers salary and wage setting, recruitment and appointment, pay adjustments, performance evaluation, promotion, professional development and employment benefits.

Pay must reflect qualifications, knowledge, skills, experience, responsibilities, job complexity and performance, and the policy states clearly that sex or gender shall not be used as a factor in determining remuneration. Differences in pay are acceptable only when they are based on legitimate factors such as experience, qualifications or responsibilities that can be verified and do not amount to direct or indirect gender discrimination, and budget constraints cannot be used to justify gender-based discrimination. The policy also states that pregnancy, maternity leave or family responsibilities shall not be grounds for discrimination in pay or career advancement.

To put this commitment into practice, Section 5 requires the units responsible for human resource management, together with finance units, to measure and analyse gender pay gaps at least once a year. The analysis uses pay data disaggregated by gender and takes account of employment category, position, job level and job characteristics, so that like is compared with like. At a minimum it reports average and median pay by gender, pay differences between genders within comparable positions or job levels, and differences linked to promotion, salary adjustments and benefits, and it examines factors such as length of service and career progression to separate differences that can be explained from those that may result from discrimination. Where unjustified gaps are found, the responsible units investigate the causes and propose corrective measures to University executives, such as reviewing salary structures, improving the criteria for starting salaries and pay adjustments, and correcting pay within the University’s legal authority, with responsible units and timelines set and progress monitored. The University prepares a gender pay gap analysis report at least once a year, gives personnel channels to raise complaints or request a pay review with protection against retaliation, publishes the policy and aggregated results on its official website without revealing personal data, and reviews the policy at least every three years.

Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JJ9jIxLk7WTFUdbNYeZnEG-JLe7nfNtl/view

Key Framework for Governing Staff Pay and Remuneration

The gender pay gap policy builds on a pay system that already follows set rules. Srinakharinwirot University is committed to transparent and fair human resource management and has established criteria and guidelines on employment, employment contracts, pay and remuneration, performance evaluation and pay increases, so that staff remuneration follows set criteria and reflects each person’s duties, responsibilities, position and performance. These guidelines are set out in Chapter 5 of the Srinakharinwirot University Regulation on Personnel Administration B.E. 2559 (2016), which is the key framework for ensuring that the University’s pay and remuneration system is standardised and fair.

Chapter 5 covers all 5 components named in its title. Clause 25 requires that employment, position classification, workload and staff qualifications follow the “Position Standards, Pay Rates and Remuneration” set by the Personnel Administration Committee, providing an equitable pay structure based on position. Clauses 27(1)–(2) set out the 2 types of employment contract (employment until retirement, and employment for a fixed term or until completion of work). Clause 34 requires performance evaluation at least twice a year, with results directly linked to employment conditions and pay increases, and Clause 35 sets the criteria for annual pay increases, which apply equally to all university employees under the same conditions. The first image below is the Thai original, and the second is an English translation prepared for this submission (unofficial translation); the Thai original is the complete and legally authoritative version.

Salary Structure and Starting Salary Rates

Srinakharinwirot University has established a salary structure and starting salary rates for each category of staff, with criteria and pay rates aligned with the nature of the work, qualifications and position level, to ensure that remuneration is standardised, transparent and fair. Because starting pay is fixed by qualification and staff category, staff with the same qualification in the same category start on the same rate.

The table of starting salary rates for university employees and university contract employees, based on the Srinakharinwirot University Announcement on the Schedule of Starting Salary Rates for University Employees and University Contract Employees, No. 1/2564, dated 12 January 2021. The highlighted rows show starting salaries for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, which match the figures in the salary structure table above.

Performance-Based Pay Increases

Pay increases after appointment also follow common criteria. The University has established a performance evaluation system and criteria, which are announced to all staff. Evaluation guidelines are applied consistently across the University, while the format and methods used in each unit reflect the actual performance of each staff member, ensuring fairness in evaluation and supporting staff morale. The University uses a Performance-Based Pay (PBP) system, under which pay increases and rewards are determined by performance evaluation results, with the aim of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of university employees.

Evaluation Scores and Pay Increases