Bt2 trillion loan bill halted, pending court ruling

[webfact]

Bt2 trillion loan bill halted, pending court ruling
By English News



BANGKOK, Dec 12 – The Constitution Court has accepted for consideration two petitions concerning the government-sponsored bill to borrow Bt2 trillion for infrastructure development.

Pimon Thampitakpong, court spokesman, said the judges unanimously agreed to study the cases which charged lawmakers with voting for those who were absent from the parliamentary session, and the government for unlawfully submitting the bill on Bt2 trillion in loans for parliamentary deliberation.

Opponents said the bill was drafted in violation of the national budgeting procedure as stipulated in the Constitution.

Mr Pimon said the judges will have to discuss guiding principles for the ruling, ask for relevant documents, and question individuals including academics for opinions.

Chula Sukmanop, director of the Transport, Traffic Policy and Planning Office, said the government’s Bt2 trillion investment projects will be suspended; pending the Constitution Court’s judgement.

He said many transport-related projects including road construction and repair countrywide, dual track system and seaport development will be halted.

An immediate solution is to seek financial allocations from the central budget, he said, adding that some of the major projects will need an investment at up to Bt80-100 billion. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-12-12

[clockman]

That is the best news, i have heard for a long time!

[Ricardo]

Further good news, a pause for thought at least, resulting from caretaker-PM Yingluck's having called an election.

The first good news having been the final 'death', of the 'suspended' & much-disliked Amnesty-Bill.

And the second good news having been that most of the anti-government protesters went home, satisfied that they'd made their point, and there would now be a couple of months of slightly-lower tension.

[seajae]

well there goes the ptp's, redshirts and thaksins christmas bonus and of course the only way they could pay the rice farmers, great news all round

[CantSpell]

well there goes the ptp's, redshirts and thaksins christmas bonus and of course the only way they could pay the rice farmers, great news all round

Not too sure about that...

Article stipulates, some project will need to be halted (suspended) pending decision.

Project started = deposit paid.. No deposit refund = Xmas present...

Someone mentioned on those boards long ago that his company already got the green line to start some work so obviously some upfront payments have been done to "friendlies"..

Edited December 12, 2013 by CantSpell

[londonthai]

" many transport-related projects including road construction and repair countrywide, dual track system and seaport development will be halted"

mai pen rai. We have buffaloes and can breed more elephants for cross country travel. Added bonus for tourists. And we don't need any links with an outside world, international airports will be closed in due time.

constitutional court never accepts any bribes and never bends to pressure from the thailand rulers

Edited December 12, 2013 by londonthai

[tomacht8]

"Opponents said the bill was drafted in violation of the national budgeting procedure as stipulated in the Constitution."

"Mr Pimon said the judges will have to discuss guiding principles for the ruling,
ask for relevant documents, and question individuals including academics for opinions."

I think that is a good move to discuss guiding principles and to hear also academics for opinions.

Hope for all future budgeting processes they make it compulsory for all future governments, that

- the use of money for project proposals are accurately represented in detail and coherent on the last baht.

- the use of money for project proposals is described in detail for all people publicly documented and visible

- Public monthly or quarterly reports on Finance and project progresses.

- Public invitation for project proposals and at least three competitive compare offers.

- Project completion reports including all expenses with receipts.

- a strong supervisory committee composed of members is formed by all parties,
to control the entire investment process without disabilities and time delay restrictions.

The results of the process and progress checks are presented to the parliament.
The members of the supervisory body should rotate so that corruption is impossible.

PS edit

I hope that the court make also public the current planning documents from the government for the 2.2 trillion credit.
Please the papers that were to vote, or should be waved through.

When public funds are used, then the public has the right to see what the representatives of the people plan to do with the money and how it was used.

Edited December 12, 2013 by tomacht8

[chainarong]

One would hope that this 2.2th loan is halted until after the elections , this is another fine example of the PTP running rough shod in an irresponsible way over the parliament as with the Amnesty bill, the PTP would have become a spent force in the political sphere with all the mistakes it was bound to make if it had completed it's turn in government , however their short coming in the past week probably stopped them wreaking havoc and completely destroying Thailand as a economic alternative country, however they live to fight another day at election time , when another nightmare looms its ugly head.

[EyesWideOpen]

This is great news !!! Without the pot of gold this pork spending bill represents and its filling of the feeding trough,

Thaksin will have less incentive to keep buying elections .......

[rubl]

"He said many transport-related projects including road construction and repair countrywide, dual track system and seaport development will be halted."

Isn't 'road repair' a yearly budget item for the Transport Ministry? Wasn't 'dual tracking' for excisting lines planned upto 2020 or so? What's the Transport Ministry's budget for 2014 and what's included? Did items get moved to the extra budget of 2.2trillion?

BTW from November 2010

Railway upgrade plan approved projects worth Bt170 bn through 2014

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Railway-upgrade-plan-approved-projects-worth-Bt170-30142930.html

[smedly]

aren't most of these suspended projects just normal run of the mill government business - isn't this evidence that the government has run out of money and needs the 2 trillion injection to continue with it's normal financial obligations - effectively saying they cannot function without the massive loan - were has all the money gone ?

[ginjag]

aren't most of these suspended projects just normal run of the mill government business - isn't this evidence that the government has run out of money and needs the 2 trillion injection to continue with it's normal financial obligations - effectively saying they cannot function without the massive loan - were has all the money gone ?

My understanding is that monies from central government are allocated to each county ( road laying and repairs) each county then allocates monies to major towns that goes into their treasury to then be allocated to the Highways Department, for repairs mainly, major road re surfacing then is put out to tender.

This was the case in a large town in Udon district. and here is where your corruption really starts.

Like road repairs and re surfacing to my past knowledge was taken out of the general coffers at government level. Anything really major like rebuilding a railway system is then another story, most prob private sector investment, or banks involved etc.

[Colabamumbai]

No money honey. Soon Thais will wait till 65 to collect their pensions.

[Muhendis]

well there goes the ptp's, redshirts and thaksins christmas bonus and of course the only way they could pay the rice farmers, great news all round

Hang on a minute. I'm a rice farmer.......

Hopefully the extra Bt500 pp coming in from the tourist arrivals will pay for my pledged crop this year.

[Muhendis]

"He said many transport-related projects including road construction and repair countrywide, dual track system and seaport development will be halted."

The major part of the Bt2tr was to pay for a new train set for the Chinese to travel to Singapore through Thailand. Road maintenance comes from a different budget. I suspect that a sizeable proportion of the train set will be paid for with an appropriate trough subsidy from Beijing.

The constitution court is undoubtedly aware also of the opinion of the IMF on this matter.

[boomerangutang]

The title is wrong. It's not 2 trillion, it's 2.2 trillion. And that's just to get started. There will be cost over-runs, delays, and even the gov't admits that roughly 1/3 of all gov't contract money goes in to nefarious peoples' pockets. Add to that; roughly 3 trillion in % if, and THAT'S A BIG IF, it's paid off on time in 50 to 60 years. A more realistic title would be Bt.6 trillion loan bill.....

A bill from a government which buys $17,000 little black plastic boxes which do nothing, and also $13,000 clocks which.... well, they tell time. I wouldn't trust anyone in the PT government to buy a collar for my dog. I'd probably have to take out a Bt.150k loan, and the collar would be embroidered with 60 pounds of plastic rhinestones.

[PeterSmiles]

The first good news having been the final 'death', of the 'suspended' & much-disliked Amnesty-Bill.

I must have missed that announcement. Do you have a link to the news report ?

[Mudcrab]

does this mean Chalerms beheading is also halted?? Bugger

[Mudcrab]

well there goes the ptp's, redshirts and thaksins christmas bonus and of course the only way they could pay the rice farmers, great news all round

Hang on a minute. I'm a rice farmer.......

Hopefully the extra Bt500 pp coming in from the tourist arrivals will pay for my pledged crop this year.

A rice farmer..interesting . How so? You are a Thai citizen? If not.....keep it quiet.

[Muhendis]

well there goes the ptp's, redshirts and thaksins christmas bonus and of course the only way they could pay the rice farmers, great news all round

Hang on a minute. I'm a rice farmer.......

Hopefully the extra Bt500 pp coming in from the tourist arrivals will pay for my pledged crop this year.

A rice farmer..interesting . How so? You are a Thai citizen? If not.....keep it quiet.

I'm also as honest as the next Thai...

[ratcatcher]

does this mean Chalerms beheading is also halted?? Bugger

Why?, do you have an axe to grind?

[Roadman]

The first good news having been the final 'death', of the 'suspended' & much-disliked Amnesty-Bill.

I must have missed that announcement. Do you have a link to the news report ?

I can understand the need to ask that as in spite of Thaksin's puppet saying it was off the table and accordingly dead we all know that her word is worthless, so good question. My understanding is that it officially died as soon as she resigned the Pheu Thai government.

[PeterSmiles]

The first good news having been the final 'death', of the 'suspended' & much-disliked Amnesty-Bill.

I must have missed that announcement. Do you have a link to the news report ?

I can understand the need to ask that as in spite of Thaksin's puppet saying it was off the table and accordingly dead we all know that her word is worthless, so good question. My understanding is that it officially died as soon as she resigned the Pheu Thai government.

She hasn't resigned, she has dissolved the house, as far as I understand 2 different things.

I recall there was confusion about that when she dissolved the house if that would automatically invalidate the bill.

[Roadman]

The first good news having been the final 'death', of the 'suspended' & much-disliked Amnesty-Bill.

I must have missed that announcement. Do you have a link to the news report ?

I can understand the need to ask that as in spite of Thaksin's puppet saying it was off the table and accordingly dead we all know that her word is worthless, so good question. My understanding is that it officially died as soon as she resigned the Pheu Thai government.

She hasn't resigned, she has dissolved the house, as far as I understand 2 different things.

I recall there was confusion about that when she dissolved the house if that would automatically invalidate the bill.

Correct it is dissolved. I can recall discussion on all the different options only a few weeks ago. Cannot recall which item it was in. I will go back for a look as it is of interest.

[Basil B]

Wonder who has that sort of money? may be PM decides to keep it in the family, hate to think what the interest payments work out at?

[Roadman]

The first good news having been the final 'death', of the 'suspended' & much-disliked Amnesty-Bill.

I must have missed that announcement. Do you have a link to the news report ?

I can understand the need to ask that as in spite of Thaksin's puppet saying it was off the table and accordingly dead we all know that her word is worthless, so good question. My understanding is that it officially died as soon as she resigned the Pheu Thai government.

She hasn't resigned, she has dissolved the house, as far as I understand 2 different things.

I recall there was confusion about that when she dissolved the house if that would automatically invalidate the bill.

At Senate level under Section 93 it forbids any consideration of that bill during expiration or dissolution of the house, but that is only consideration and not full stoppage. The Product Liability Law for example was passed over 6 years including during Thaksins 2006 removable so not so sure that it may be dead. But again that is at Senate level and not house level. Any Thai politicial scientists floating around?

[FLHR]

" many transport-related projects including road construction and repair countrywide, dual track system and seaport development will be halted"

mai pen rai. We have buffaloes and can breed more elephants for cross country travel. Added bonus for tourists. And we don't need any links with an outside world, international airports will be closed in due time.

constitutional court never accepts any bribes and never bends to pressure from the thailand rulers

Yep, already got education in the dark ages. Now we can eliminate any maintenance or advances in infrastructure and who cares about lack of water in the dry season & flooding during the raining season.

Soon Burma will be a super-power next to Thailand.

[boomerangutang]

Wonder who has that sort of money? may be PM decides to keep it in the family, hate to think what the interest payments work out at?

It won't be difficult finding investors, among rich Asians, who wouldn't mind getting steady % payments. It's Thai taxpayers who get the shitty end of the stick - for at least 2 generations.

The project itself is mostly to facilitate Chinese commerce (and incremental dominance) of SE Asia. The primary rail line goes N/S from China to Bangkok. Rich Chinese are already lining up to finance it. It's a double win for them: interest payments from Thai taxpayers, and a quicker route to sell their plastic crap to SE Asians. Oh, and to facilitate Chinese tourists coming here. I won't elaborate upon the 120 to 100 ratio of testosterone-riven Chinese males to females, prodding men to search elsewhere for wives and boom boom. I'll leave that to your imagination.

[Gulfsailor]

I guess the Chinese will back out of the 1 million ton Thai rice g2g deal, now that the 2.2 trillion loan is off the table. The whole house of cards is about to come down...

[smedly]

the real point here is that PTP told lies about the reason they needed the loan which is why it was so important for them to get it off budget

They have run out of money to finance the normal budget allocations of simply running the country never mind the rice scheme

This would all be found out if they were to step down -

I have been saying this for weeks