The lower house today started the second reading of the proposed 2023 government budget, following a review that led to a 7.6 billion baht cut.
To better support the post-pandemic recovery, a total of 7.6 billion baht has been reallocated from the originally proposed budget. At the assembly of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Minister of Finance Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, who serves as the head of the examining committee, said the committee prioritizes concrete outcomes the general public can receive from the disbursement of this budget, in line with national strategy, government policies, and the government’s targeted poverty elimination approach.
For this reason, the reallocated budget will go to agencies such as the Farmer’s Reconstruction and Development Fund, the Department of Rice, the Office of the Attorney General, the Court of Justice, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Election Commission, and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center.
Several MPs decided to maintain their opposing views to Article 4 of the bill, calling for further reallocation of unnecessary budgets into the central budget, to handle the potential spending increase and future fluctuations.
The second and third readings of the 2023 budget are scheduled for 3 days, from 17 to 19 August. The bill, after passing the third reading, will be sent to the Senate for consideration within 20 days.
