Budget 68 passes smoothly, parliament votes

Budget 68 passes smoothly, House votes, forwards to Senate for consideration on 9-10 Sept. The government thanks members for approving the draft budget for 68, stressing that it will be used cost-effectively for the benefit of the people and the country. Reporters reported that after the House of Representatives meeting spent 3 days and 38 hours considering the draft of the 2025 budget bill, totaling 3,752,700 million baht, which the special committee had considered, covering all 40 sections, the meeting voted to approve the draft of the 2025 budget bill with 309 votes for, 155 against, 4 abstentions, and 1 vote not cast. The draft of the 2025 budget bill was approved by the House of Representatives. It will then be sent to the Senate for further consideration, which will be considered on 9-10 September. Mr. Suriya Juangroongruangkit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, said that as a representative of the government, he would like to thank the chairman and all honorable members for considerin g and approving the draft of the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Expenditure Act, which is an important tool to drive government policies, national strategies, and various development plans to ensure national stability, happiness for the people, fairness and inequality reduction, sustainable economic growth, and development of a public administration system that meets the needs of the people in all dimensions. Mr. Suriya said that for the comments, suggestions, proposals, including the 3 days of concerns that members have suggested throughout the meeting, the government will accept them with gratitude and will take them into consideration to improve the operations of the budget units so that the people will benefit from the budget that comes from the people's taxes and will use it in a worthwhile and most beneficial way. In addition, I would like to thank all the special committee members who have given importance and sacrificed their time to consider this budget bill to the fullest extent until it was successfully completed. The observations of the special committee, which are beneficial to the administration, the government will take them into consideration to improve the operations so that the allocation of resources is economical, efficient, and effective according to the principle of cost-effectiveness analysis, including the most beneficial to the people and the country. Mr. Suriya added that he would like to assure everyone that the approved budget will be used in accordance with the objectives set out in the plan. The government will supervise and monitor the budget spending to ensure transparency and achieve the goals set out in the policy in order to support the promotion and improvement of economic and social development and the quality of life of the people, along with preserving the environment so that the country can progress and the people can live better and have higher incomes in order to achieve the highest goals as hoped by the government and all members. Then, Mr. Pichet Chueamuangphan, the second vice president of the House of Representatives, acted as the chairman of the meeting and ordered the meeting to be closed at 9:57 p.m. Source: Thai News Agency