NLA Unanimously Approve Drafts Of 2008 Budgetary Appropriation Act And Referendum Act

[Jai Dee]

NLA unanimously approve drafts of 2008 Budgetary Appropriation Act and Referendum Act

The meeting of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) agrees unanimously to approve the drafts of the 2008 Budgetary Appropriation Act and the Referendum Act.

The draft of the 2008 Budgetary Appropriation Act authorizes next year’s fiscal budget of 1.7 trillion baht. 73% of the budget is a regular spending, 24% is a spending for investment, and 2.8% is for loan payments. The Cabinet explained to the meeting that the budget was allocated in line with necessity and the government’s strategies.

After the meeting had approved the Act draft, it set up an ad hoc committee to amend the draft within 15 days. The committee’s first meeting on the amendment is scheduled on July 6th.

As for the draft of the Referendum Act, the meeting also unanimously approved it despite some NLA members’ concern over punishments for those who unintentionally destroy a voting ballot and the announcement of exit polls of the referendum. The meeting set up a committee of 16 NLA members to amend the Act draft within three days.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 July 2007