By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES today (Jan.5) cast an overwhelming approval in principle for the 2024 budget bill.
After three long days of floor debate on the budget bill, 311 MPs cast yea votes for the bill whilst 177 others cast nay votes.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pledged to put varied policies of the Pheu Thai-led coalition government to work to maintain and promote optimum national and public interests with the 3.48 trillion baht budget, which accounts for a 9.3% increase from last fiscal year and a 693 billion baht budget deficit.
Nevertheless, Move Forward leader/Opposition leader Chaithawat Tulathon charged that the 2024 budget bill was largely designed in such “scattered, routinely” fashion that it is not much different from that lodged by a previous government for last fiscal year.
An ad hoc 72-person Budget Committee was set up to scrutinize and revise the budget bill with the number of committee members from parties being in proportion to that of their respective MPs.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page:Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is all smiles after the 2024 budget bill was approved in the House of Representatives this evening, Jan. 5, 2024. Photos: Thai Rath
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