INFRASTRUCTURE
Govt ready to defend borrowing bill

BANGKOK: -- The government is putting all efforts to defend the Bt2 trillion bill, with the abrupt decision to postpone the mobile Cabinet meeting.

The government has decided to postpone the mobile Cabinet meeting in Lop Buri during September 19-20, said spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi.

He said that many agencies - the National Economic and Social Development Board, the Budget Bureau and the Finance Ministry - are scheduled to present more information at the second-round debate on the Bt2 trillion borrowing bill during the same period.

PM’s Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn also informed the Cabinet today that the debate should be concluded in two days.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was quoted as saying that the borrowing bill is crucial for the country’s infrastructure development. As such, all agencies should be ready to answer all questions.

Yesterday, the government resolved to maintain the trip to Lop Buri. Varathep, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong and Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt were assigned to defend the bill.

Democrat spokesman Chavanon Intharakomalsut said on Tuesday that two days would not be enough for the deliberation of the bill, given the large sum of money involved.

He said over 100 Democrat MPs have planned to present their arguments why the bill should not be passed into law.

"It’s a major issue as in Thailand’s history, there has been no such huge borrowing. The government is yet to answer why it has to seek off-budget borrowing," he said.

-- The Nation 2013-09-17

Defend ot not PTP has the votes to pass the bill and that will happen. Debating it is just a necessary evil to them that they have to go through.

How can you defend putting generations of Thais into debt?

How can you defend your record on previous spending?

Awful

Hopefully Thais smarten up come next election

How can you defend putting generations of Thais into debt?

How can you defend your record on previous spending?

Awful

Hopefully Thais smarten up come next election

By then it could be too late as Thailand sinks further into the despotic pit.

Thailand another year older and deeper in debit,while the rest

of the World is trying to cut public spending, to try and balance

the books,Thailand is just doing the opposite, well they do like

to be different.

This is not a good idea in my opinion,it does not make sense,

but then a lot of things here don't, anyone know where this

money is coming from, we know where 30 % will go!

regards Worgeordie

For me as a foreigner it's a good decision to borrow money. The more money they borrow the better.

Why?

Easy, it will weaken the Thai Baht.

Wonder if Yinggy will actually attend any of the parliamentary sessions on this. Probably not - she knows its a foregone conclusion. The money is needed to meet all the payments and provide some "grease" in the system.

Hope they dont put the price of beer up again to pay back the loans

How can you defend putting generations of Thais into debt?

How can you defend your record on previous spending?

Awful

Hopefully Thais smarten up come next election

How can you defend putting generations of Thais into debt? ..........You can't.

How can you defend your record on previous spending?...................You can't.

Awful.............................................................................................................Agreed.

Hopefully Thais smarten up come next election....................................They won't.

The loan has got to go through.

Too many piggies are awaiting their taste of the financial pig swill that will and already is resulting from this massive debt bondage programme.

The biggest bucket of swill isn't going into the communal trough it's going straight to the trough of the puppet master and his litter.

They will be nice little porkers whilst the people of Thailand are going to be the runts of the litter.

Well with the recent events on train derailments I would think they would have to scrap the bill and draw up a new one using sensible ideas.

No one is going to loan them money for extending the shoddy infrastructure they have until Thailand can prove they are capable of a good infrastructure system and keep up the maintenance on it. Just a reasonable plan will take them at the bare minimum 6 months 1year to draw up usable plans.

Probably a month to find a competent engineering company capable of inspecting the system and determining what is needed to just bring the present one up to useable safe standards.