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 October 2009 : Treasury reserves healthy
Treasury reserves healthy The government's treasury reserves rose nearly 300 billion baht at the end of 2009 fiscal year, the Finance Ministry announced. The Fiscal Policy Office director-general, commenting on the government's financial situation in line with cash flow last month, said that budget deficit policy is focused on stimulating the recovering economy. As the private sector has slowed its spending, the government's budget deficit stood at 21.11 billion baht in September, bringing the total budget deficit for the financial year to 505.40 billion baht. Non-government budget surplus was 129.11 billion baht and this resulted in a cash deficit of 376.28 billion baht, or 4.3 per cent of Thailand's gross domestic product. By combining the cash deficit figure with the releases of bonds, promissory notes and financial negotiable notes, the treasury reserves increased to 293.85 billion baht. More funds for economic revitalization On 13th October, the Cabinet approved an additional 230 billion baht to the current 1.06 trillion baht budget for economic revitalization plan, making a total sum of 1.3 trillion baht. Constitution to be amended On 22nd October, the government coordination committee, Government’s WHIP, stated that they will co-ordinate with the Senate’s WHIP in drafting constitutional amendments regardless of whether or not they receive cooperation from the opposition, Puae Thai Party. The two Houses will assign working groups to draft 6 Bills, each to concern with one of the 6 agreed principles. The Constitutional Bills would be submitted to the House and Senate before 12th November 2009. If approved, the Bills will be announced and a referendum held before enactment. It is anticipated that the constitutional amendments will be completed within 5-6 months. Court will decide on 13 Democrats shareholdings The Constitutional Court will decide on the legality issue of 13 Democrat MPs who had shareholdings in prohibited categories, companies that held State’s concessions or companies involved in media businesses. They are:
ABAC poll found Thai majority politically neutral On 25th October, ABAC University revealed results of polls conducted on the popularity of Abhisit Vejjajiva and Thaksin Shinawatra and the Yellow Shirts against the Red Shirts as follows:
PM authorized to solve southern problems On 20th October, the Cabinet approved a draft Bill on the Administration of Southern Provinces in accordance with the following principles:
Previously, a draft Bill had been approved by the Cabinet and forwarded to the Council of State but the Interior Ministry revised the administrative structure authorizing:
Southern violence victims to receive compensation On 26th October, the Reconciliation Committee on the Victims Affected by Southern Violence approved of 400 million baht from the 2010 budget to be given to the victims. The Committee also approved the following principles:
AG insists more evidence needed for 7th October petition On 21st October, the Attorney-General rejected the National Counter Corruption Commission’s (NCCC) petition concerning the 7th October incident. The AG ordered the two agencies to appoint a joint-committee to compile more evidence. Previously, the NCCC had found that 4 persons were acting illegally when they ordered police to disband the People’s Alliance for Democracy demonstrators on 7th October 2008. Environmental law to be revised On 13th October, the Cabinet approved a draft Revision Bill on Environment, proposed by the Council of State, in principle, it will empower the Environment Ministry as follows:
The Cabinet also approved of the National Environmental Committee’s authority to appoint advisors and experts to consider EIA. Security Law in Songkhla On 13th October, the Cabinet approved the extension of the State of Emergency in the 3 Southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat for another 3 months starting from 20th October 2009 to 19th January 2010. This extension is the 16th since first introduced. The Cabinet also approved a replacement of the State of Emergency by a Security Law in 4 districts of Songkhla Province: Thepa, Sabha Yoi, Jana and Na Thawee. Local elections endorsed On 7th October, the Election Commission endorsed election results in 2,935 local administrative authorities, making a total of 61,600 new elected local officers: 2,689 Sub-District Mayors and 58,911 Council members. After nationwide local elections, there were 1,120 complaints filed to the Provincial Election Commissions, but only 672 of these were forwarded to the national body. The Election Commission is required by law to endorse electoral results within 30 days after the election. Three provinces that received the most complaints: 120, 101 and 70, were Ubon Ratchathani, Maha Sarakham and Nakorn Ratch Srima, respectively. New district named after HM’s sister On 13th October, the Cabinet approved the Interior Ministry’s proposal to establish a new district in Chiangmai Province, named “Kalyani Wattana”, after His Majesty’s late sister. The new district is located in the huge area of Mae Jam District. As the community is urbanized and populated, people in the area and its vicinity will benefit from the new administrative body. Nobel Peace Prize for Obama On 9th October, the Nobel Prize Commission named US President Barak Obama, the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for his diplomatic missions in promoting global cooperation as well as co-ordination among civil society. Mr. Obama endeavored to reach Muslim nations and to call for disarmament of nuclear weapons. New highway on Gulf of Thailand On 8th October, the Rural Highway Department revealed its project to build a new highway along the western coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The new highway, starting from Petchburi to Prachuab Kirikhan, Chumporn and Ranong, will meet international standards with several resting areas and scenic stops along the distance of 615 kilometers. The project cost is approximately 7,000 million baht and it is anticipated that construction will be completed in 7 years. |
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