Thailand's 2020 budget bill narrowly approved by MPs


FE Team | Published: October 20, 2019 12:03:25 | Updated: October 22, 2019 15:48:54


Thailand's 2020 budget bill passes first reading

Thailand's House of Representatives narrowly voted to approve the 2020 budget bill on Saturday.

Following three days and nights debating on the 3.2 trillion baht (about 105.43 billion US dollars) budget bill, 250 MPs voted for it while 235 MPs abstained from voting.

However, no legislators voted against it, reports Xinhua.

A 64-member budget committee consisting of MPs and others was set up to scrutinise the bill which is to be returned to the House in third or final reading before it is forwarded to the Senate.

Just before the voting, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reconfirmed the budget bill which incurs 469 billion baht (about $15.45 billion) in deficit is designed in accordance with national strategies to reduce social disparity, improve the people's quality of life and upgrade the country's competitiveness, among others.

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