House passes B3.3tn budget bill

>>The House of Representatives passed the first reading of a 3.3-trillion-baht budget bill for the fiscal year 2021 on Friday night.

After a three-day debate, the bill passed with 273 votes in favour, 200 against and three abstentions.

Delivering a closing statement at the end of the debate, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the bill will serve as an important tool in “laying out the foundations for national progress and solving the country’s problems”.

“The bill is also aimed at looking after low-income people and farmers, developing human resources and distributing income and benefits directly to people,” the prime minister said, adding the government is willing to take suggestions from all sides so it can preside over a balanced national development initiative.

The House appointed a 72-member vetting committee to scrutinise the bill within 30 days. The committee will start its work on Wednesday.

Among the committee members is Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the former leader of the Future Forward Party (FFP), an opposition party that was dissolved in February by the Constitutional Court.

The FFP has since morphed into the Move Forward Party.

Mr Thanathorn said he will scrutinise the bill and give recommendations on the government’s budget spending.

Regarding criticism of his appointment as a committee member despite him being stripped of his MP status and banned from politics, Mr Thanathorn said the ban does not mean his rights as a citizen were also removed. The FFP was disbanded over a 191.2-million-baht loan it took from Mr Thanathorn.