Govt in disarray over 'further delay' to FY2020 budget

By The Nation

 

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak

 

A possible further delay to the passage of the budget bill for fiscal 2020 into law has sent the government into a panic mode, in fear of severe economic impact.

 

The government has prepared a contingency plan should the budget bill face further delay due to legal issues, says officials.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak on Thursday(January 23) admitted that the government did not know when the Bt3.2-trillion budget bill will become law and how much longer budget disbursement will be delayed after it has already been delayed for four months.

 

His comment came after House speaker Chuan Leekpai submitted a request to the Constitutional Court, seeking its ruling on the verification of the bill after two Bhumjaithai MPs (Chalong Toedweerapong and Natee Ratchakitprakarn) were accused of casting their vote without being present during the voting process.

 

The bill's passage was first delayed amid the political impasse after the general election in March, from its annual implementation in October. The government then expected it to be passed into law in February this year. The Thai fiscal year starts in October and ends in September.

 

If the budget is put off again, it would delay public spending as a series of procedures have to be completed before budget disbursement could take place, Somkid said.  

 

“The government may have just four months left for public investments, it could derail much of the planned projects. Such problem should have not occurred,” Somkid said in reference to the legal hurdle.

 

When asked if the government would resort to issuing an emergency decree to jump start public spending, Somkid said it should not do so as the case had been forwarded to the Constitutional Court.

 

Meanwhile, Director of Budget Bureau Dechapiwat Na Songkhla, said the government might run out of cash by March. 

 

In the event of a delay to the passage of a budget bill, the government is allowed by law to spend in advance 50 per cent of the amount set in the bill. 

 

In the past four months of delay, October to January, the government had  spent Bt1 trillion, leaving it a balance of just Bt500 billion in the absence of the FY2020 budget.  

 

The amount may be enough to cover government expenditure until March before the coffers of state agencies dry up, he warned.

 

The Budget Bureau will ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the Cabinet to consider raising advance spending to 75 per cent of the total amount under the 2020-budget bill, he said, adding that it would allow the administration to carry on until May and avoid a potential government shutdown.   

 

To lessen impact from the delay, the government plans to accelerate capital spending of Bt 223.3 billion and current spending items such as state officials' salary of Bt776.7 billion by the end of March, he added.

 

Stock investors were also unsettled by the latest development, leading to share sales and a drop in the SET index.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30380977

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-24

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Another day another drama !

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Govt in disarray over 'further delay' to FY2020 budget

And the coalition only have themselves to blame. 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The government has prepared a contingency plan should the budget bill face further delay due to legal issues, says officials.

I kinda like the idea of a pre-junta orientated government being tied up in legal tape. BUT, I fear a fresh new junta to get out of it ! 

Oh no,the trough is empty!

3 hours ago, webfact said:

His comment came after House speaker Chuan Leekpai submitted a request to the Constitutional Court, seeking its ruling on the verification of the bill after two Bhumjaithai MPs (Chalong Toedweerapong and Natee Ratchakitprakarn) were accused of casting their vote without being present during the voting process.

And their punishment is...………......…...…...……...…………….?

Put your budget in,  put your budget out, fiddle with the numbers that's what it's all about! Or is it: OK army boys.  Seeing there's no one to shot at let's have a turn at playing government.  OK Prayut lets do that,  what's the rules of the game? .......rules??? 

Failed government.

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

And the coalition only have themselves to blame. 

Yes just shows they are all stupid, last time it were PTP MP's that cheated voting like this now its their own minions. They are all the same huge comments on the other side always but doing exactly the same. 

 

They just hate to follow rules, thinking the rules only apply to the other side. 

There will be further disarray when they find out someones had the budget away anyway ????

20 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes just shows they are all stupid, last time it were PTP MP's that cheated voting like this now its their own minions. They are all the same huge comments on the other side always but doing exactly the same. 

 

They just hate to follow rules, thinking the rules only apply to the other side. 

I don't much care about what happened in the past. I've got over that. I'm more concerned about what's happening right now. Which is worse because these people cheated and rigged an election, and they appointed their own people to the EC and CC. 

7 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

I don't much care about what happened in the past. I've got over that. I'm more concerned about what's happening right now. Which is worse because these people cheated and rigged an election, and they appointed their own people to the EC and CC. 

I am not over it unlike you it just shows me that they are all the same. Whoever is in power abuses it PTP did it now this mob does exactly the same. 

 

I don't get how it is worse as the action of voting for an other is exactly the same. Its an exact copy of what happened in the past and shows that they are all crooks. I don't really care how they got in power they show that they are no better then those before them. Having support of people does not give anyone the right to break the law like your implying. I guess that is different where you come from. 

 

Again only future forward seems to be different. 

1 minute ago, robblok said:

I am not over it unlike you it just shows me that they are all the same. Whoever is in power abuses it PTP did it now this mob does exactly the same. 

 

I don't get how it is worse as the action of voting for an other is exactly the same. Its an exact copy of what happened in the past and shows that they are all crooks. I don't really care how they got in power they show that they are no better then those before them. Having support of people does not give anyone the right to break the law like your implying. I guess that is different where you come from. 

 

Again only future forward seems to be different. 

Yes, we know you're not over it. You remind us of it in nearly every post to do with the junta and your whole childish logic of, "But they did it too!". I don't care. It's over and we have a new government now. That's what I'm focused on. 

 

And quit with the whole 'hate the junta so must like Thaksin' nonsense. That's what the trolls on the Bkk Post do. I do not like the Junta and I do not like Thaksin. I don't talk about Thaksin because he's not here. I talk about the junta and all the corrupt and illegal activities that the coup was supposed to put an end to. 

Sounds like the Government are missing Article 44. No such problems with absolute power.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

A possible further delay to the passage of the budget bill for fiscal 2020 into law has sent the government into a panic mode, in fear of severe economic impact.

Wheels are falling off the wagon.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“The government may have just four months left for public investments, it could derail much of the planned projects. Such problem should have not occurred,” Somkid said in reference to the legal hurdle.

I think this is the plan. Derail the overzealous spending. 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

When asked if the government would resort to issuing an emergency decree to jump start public spending, Somkid said it should not do so as the case had been forwarded to the Constitutional Court

Yeah, good for this. And the fast turn around to get decision or will it be prolonged as long as the
Thanathorn and FFP case? And the outcome? Only one can surmise

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

In the event of a delay to the passage of a budget bill, the government is allowed by law to spend in advance 50 per cent of the amount set in the bill. 

So in other words never mind all is good. But it is a ripple in the Government's Face ability to govern as they probably see it.. 

3 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Another day another drama !

and another coup??

8 hours ago, webfact said:

When asked if the government would resort to issuing an emergency decree to jump start public spending, Somkid said it should not do so as the case had been forwarded to the Constitutional Court

Since when has a simple technicality impeded this government?

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The Budget Bureau will ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the Cabinet to consider raising advance spending to 75 per cent of the total amount under the 2020-budget bill,

Why not go the whole hog of 100%? Go on! Forget about the constitution, the law, Parliament and give yourself another free ticket. You deserve it! You've done such a fantastic job so far. Don't let the legality of phantom voters deter you. Remember: there are trillions of baht to get your hands on. Go for it!

This guy has that permanent aerodynamic wind-tunnel look to his face.

 

Odd looking guy.

5 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Yes, we know you're not over it. You remind us of it in nearly every post to do with the junta and your whole childish logic of, "But they did it too!". I don't care. It's over and we have a new government now. That's what I'm focused on. 

 

And quit with the whole 'hate the junta so must like Thaksin' nonsense. That's what the trolls on the Bkk Post do. I do not like the Junta and I do not like Thaksin. I don't talk about Thaksin because he's not here. I talk about the junta and all the corrupt and illegal activities that the coup was supposed to put an end to. 

No childish logic mate just shows the total disregard that ALL (except future forward) Thai politicians have for rules and regulations. Shows why the Thais are so divided and care not too much about politics as they know as i do that whoever is in power does whatever they want. 

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

No childish logic mate just shows the total disregard that ALL (except future forward) Thai politicians have for rules and regulations. Shows why the Thais are so divided and care not too much about politics as they know as i do that whoever is in power does whatever they want. 

And the 'doing whatever they want' has hit an all time low. It was never this bad. 

Constitutional court is the new 44.  If the regime want something but it's against the law, send a request to the court and they will say go ahead. 

 

Have groups with diffrent opinions and ideologies threathing your power? Send them to the court and they will remove the threat. 

5 hours ago, rkidlad said:

And the 'doing whatever they want' has hit an all time low. It was never this bad. 

????

17 hours ago, webfact said:

before the coffers of state agencies dry up,

I doubt the coffers of state agencies are the coffers people should be concerned about.