Puea Thai wants budget session live

The opposition Puea Thai Party wants the House budget session which begins next week to be broadcast live on TV and Radio Thailand, because there are so many crucial items on the agenda.

The  request  was handed to Deputy House Speaker Samart Kaewmeechai on Wednesday by Puea Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit, who was supported by a number of party MPs.

Business to be tabled during the special session includes the 2010 Budget Bill and the government's executive decree and legislation authorising the Finance Ministry to raise loans totalling 800 billion baht.

Mr Prompong said a  live broadcast on NBT and Radio Thailand would enable the people to learn about the legislation, which concerns a large sum of money.

The government had failed to the solve problems with the economy and southern unrest, so had tried to divert the people's attention from these issues by playing up news about former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, he said.