B3.78tn budget bill passes hurdle

>>The House of Representatives has approved the government's 3.78 trillion-baht budget bill for the next fiscal year in its first reading after a marathon 41-hour debate.

- CHAIRITH YONPIAM

The bill passed with 322 votes in favour and 158 against. The House will now appoint parliamentary committees to review the bill in detail.

The committees will include MPs from all parties in proportion to their representation in the House, along with external experts. Their task will be to scrutinise the allocations for each government agency and determine whether any adjustments should be made before the bill proceeds to its second and third readings.

Sirikanya Tansakun, list-MP of the opposition People's Party, slammed the budget bill for failing to reflect fiscal discipline or prepare the country for growing global economic challenges, such as trade wars.

She questioned the transparency and efficiency of certain stimulus measures in the bill, including a 157-billion-baht economic stimulus package earmarked by the government.