‘Mega projects’ fail to take shape

BANGKOK: -- The government’s ambitious mega investment projects received a setback yesterday when the committee responsible for state investment admitted that it had failed to reach a conclusion on government ‘mega projects’ for next year.

Mr. Suparut Kawatkul, Permanent Secretary for Finance and head of the government’s mega project committee, admitted that the original budget estimate of Bt159 billion for the investment projects could change after the Bureau of the Budget had deliberated the details of the various schemes.

Nonetheless, he stressed that the mega projects committee would closely supervise investment funding to ensure that it did not push Thailand’s current account deficit above 2 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

Should it appear as if some projects were edging the current account balance over this limit, investment in these projects might be put on hold, he said, adding that the most important projects would be given priority.

According to Bank of Thailand (BOT) Governor Pridiyathorn Devakula, the exact levels of funding for each project have not yet been decided although government agencies have been told to keep within the original budget ceiling.

A source from the Ministry of Finance revealed to TNA reporter yesterday that under the government’s original mega project plans, 38.5 percent of the funding was to be drawn from the national budget, 14.5 percent from state enterprise income, 36.9 percent from domestic and foreign borrowing, and 10.1 percent from other sources.

--TNA 2005-06-08

If they can't make up their minds, here's a few ideas:

close the open sewers

close the open drains

bury the electric cables underground

bury the telephone cables underground

That should use up the budget for the next ten years. I'll think of something else then.

...but how are the noodle stalls supposed to get their power then...??

...but how are the noodle stalls supposed to get their power then...??

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...and where to pour their left-overs?

...but how are the noodle stalls supposed to get their power then...??

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...and where to pour their left-overs?

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You are right!!! The gov't should fund a mega project to dig up MORE holes in the streets and sidewalks to allow MORE noodle stalls......Thailand could become the noodle stall hub of asia!!!!!!!