Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai House of Representatives on July 3 passed a3.3 trillion THB (106 billion USD) budget bill for the 2021 fiscal year, with 273 for, 200 against and 3 abstentions.
The bill still has to pass second and third readings inearly September. It will also need senate and royal approval.
The proposed budget projects a 3.1 percent rise in spendingto 3.3 trillion THB for the 2021 fiscal year starting on October 1, 2020, witha deficit of 623 billion THB, up 32.8 percent from the 2020 fiscal year.
The budget planners have assumed the Thai economy willshrink 5-6 percent this year before growing 4-5 percent in 2021. The centralbank has forecast a record economic contraction of 8.1 percent this year./.