‘Chadchart’ to ask for urgent allocation from central budget to repair flood damaged roads nationwide

BANGKOK, 28 Feb 2014 (NNT) - Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt will request an urgent allocation from the central budget for use in repairing roads damaged during floods since July last year.

Mr. Chadchart said the ministry was looking at the budget proposals made by the Department of Highways and the Department of Rural Roads. Emphasis will be laid on project priority arrangement to ensure the efficiency of each disbursement plan before the outlay is proposed to the Cabinet for approval.

The Transport Minister added the proposal might take awhile to process due to the caretaker government’s limited authority, but he was confident that the proposal would also gain necessary approval from the Election Commission as it directly affects the well being of the people.

Minister Chadchart said several roads nationwide have been damaged by floods since the middle of last year, causing much inconvenience to general commuters and private businesses particularly the export sector which relies much on well-connected road and rail networks.

He said the exact figure of the required budget would be urgently finalized and submitted to the cabinet for consideration.


-- NNT 2014-02-28

And if they find any money for this cause, it ought to be redirected to the BAAC immediately, to pay the farmers instead, as their first priority.

He said the exact figure of the required budget would be urgently finalized and submitted to the cabinet for consideration . . .

. . . but is likely to be in the region of $4.4 Billion, the amount that the rice scheme has cost the country to date.

Cool...more swill for the trough.

"Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt will request an urgent allocation from the central budget for use in repairing roads damaged during floods since July last year."

...queue up brother!

I wonder what makes this 'budget' urgent all of a sudden??!! He says the roads were damaged last July - at least 7 months ago but just now, it's become urgent??!! Methinks the money is necessary for 'other' pressing needs!!?? Just surmising!!!

I think the Government has been down this trail before. It's probable that the EC will not know (or want to know?) if it can approve the funds and will ask the government for a royal decree. The Government will respond that it's not necessary. The EC will then bump the issue over to the Constitutional Court for a ruling. The CC will rule EC can make the decision. The EC will then announce it will need several months to review the request in hopes other political events will relieve it of any further responsibility.

‘’

Mr. Chadchart said the ministry was looking at the budget proposals made by the Department of Highways and the Department of Rural Roads. Emphasis will be laid on project priority arrangement to ensure the efficiency of each disbursement plan before the outlay is proposed to the Cabinet approval.

-- NNT 2014-02-28

...and I wonder which areas will get project priority first?

gov is bankrupt , no money for nothing anymore?

I don't think Khun Sillipunt will be very popular at PT Central for bringing this 'urgent' request up now. Anyone would think he's just stirring the pot....not that there's anything left in it.

Just another election stunt???

and if this money is spent on road repairs if approved I will eat my keyboard

They just won't stop lying

No doubt he is right about it being needed but inspections should have been done right after the floods, but then again possibly they were but it may have taken this long for the 'department' to get together 'reports'.

However not the right time to ask for money.