BANGKOK, Aug 19 (TNA) – The House transferred 16.36 billion baht to the government’s central fund by majority vote to support COVID-19 solutions.
The sum was raised thanks to reduction in budgets for government organizations during a budget scrutiny process by the House.
Most MPs from the opposition Move Forward Party objected the budget transfer. Among them, Sirikanya Tansakul said the increase in the government’s central fund enhanced the prime minister’s authority in budget spending and it was difficult to check the spending of the central fund.
The government already had a contingency fund worth about 80 billion baht to cope with COVID-19, she said.
However, the House approved the 16.36-billion-baht budget transfer with 326 votes against 51 and five abstentions.
Besides, the House passed a budget for the Defence Ministry in its second reading with 226 votes against 123. The budget was cut by 3.23 billion baht from 95.98 billion baht. (TNA)
