The House of Representatives on Friday evening approved the first reading of the draft budget for the 2024 fiscal year, with 311 votes in favour, 177 against and 4 abstentions.
The budget calls for spending of 3.48 trillion baht with a deficit of 693 billion, up from 593 billion baht approved by the previous government before the May 14 election was called.
The 2024 fiscal year began on Oct 1, 2023 but the budget could not be passed because of the protracted delay in forming the government following the elections.
The draft budget will now go to a 72-member House committee that will scrutinise it in more detail. It will then be sent back for second and third readings.
It is expected to take effect sometime in early May, Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said last month.
“The budget allocations will provide the greatest benefit for the public,” Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Friday as the three-day budget debate drew to a close.
In terms of budget allocation, the top five recipients are the Interior Ministry, which is seeking 353 billion baht; Education, 328 billion; Finance, 327 billion; Defence, 198 billion; and Transport, 183 billion baht. Those figures are subject to change depending on what the House committee decides over the coming weeks.
Earlier this week Mr Srettha said the budget was necessary to drive the country’s economy and that growth this year was expected to be between 2.7% and 3.7%.
Passage of the budget on first reading was not in doubt as the Pheu Thai-led coalition has a comfortable majority in the 500-seat House.
The opposition, led by the Move Forward Party, voted against the bill, complaining that it was vague and failed to address many pressing issues.
Move Forward leader Chaithawat Tulathon said the draft presented by Pheu Thai was not very different from what the previous government led by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha had proposed.
He said the opposition parties agreed that the proposed budget allocations showed the government was not trying to solve the main problems plaguing the country, such as economic stagnation and environmental and education issues.
“Budget allocations are not in proportion to the extent and gravity of the problems,” he said. “Some allocations that are essential are excluded while some unnecessary allocations are allowed.”
Critical issues of inequality in education, public health and city development have not been addressed in the bill, said Pukkamon Nunarnan, a Move Forward list-MP.
The bill appeared to be promoting even more centralisation rather than the decentralisation that is needed to spread opportunities more evenly across the country, said Ms Pukkamon.
“With this current bill, the province with the highest population and best economic growth will likely obtain the largest proportion of the budget,” she said.
“If that allocation remains unchanged, developed provinces will be more prosperous, and provinces in need will suffer more. So how can poverty be eradicated?”