Mr Chaloempol was reacting to the opposition Move Forward Party’s (MFP) concerns about fiscal year 2025 figures on how the scheme would boost economic growth, reports the Bangkok Post.
The MFP earlier told the government that it had failed to provide clarity on the source of funds for the scheme from fiscal year 2025.
Mr Chaloempol said the government can have the 2025 budget expenditure, provided that the portion comes from cancelled projects.
He insisted on the government following the fiscal management measures announced earlier, saying they had a valid reason attached to the budget requirement as written in the recent Budgetary Transmission Act.
With the scaling down of the budget to be used in the scheme, the government said the B450 billion would come from the budgets for fiscal years 2024 and 2025:
- B160bn from FY 2024 - with B122bn coming from the Additional Budget Act and B40bn more being trimmed from other spending.
- B285bn from FY 2025 - with B152.7bn from the annual budget and B132.3bn from spending cuts.
Mr Chaloempol said the adaptation for next year’s fiscal budget, including a supplementary bill, will depend on the government’s actual situation.
A supplementary bill seeking to increase the budget for the current fiscal year by B122bn will have the House’s second and third readings today after its first reading on July 17.
Regarding the bill, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that the procedure for the supplementary bill is transparent and verifiable, as the related sectors have followed all of the relevant laws as required.
Meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said the handout would be issued at the end of this year as planned.
He said he was confident in the thorough legal procedures and the progress made on the bill amendment.