By Thai Newsroom Reporters
LEGISLATION ON a government budget for fiscal 2026 overwhelmingly passed approval in principle from the House of Representatives today (May 31).
Following a four-day debate on the House floor, a total of 322 Pheu Thai-led coalition MPs cast yea votes for the 3.78 trillion baht budget whilst a total of 158 People’s-led opposition MPs cast nay votes against it.
The government budget registers a 0.7% increase from that of last fiscal year and accounts for 18.9% of the GDP whilst a range of 2.3 to 3.3% economic growth for fiscal 2026 has been forecast by the Pheu Thai-led government under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
The 3.78 trillion baht budget includes a record 1.33 trillion baht in regular expenditure for government personnel, 632.96 billion baht for the Central Fund primarily at disposal of the prime minister, 421.86 billion baht for public debt repayments, 355 billion baht for the Ministry of Education, 301 billion baht for the Ministry of Interior, 204 billion baht for the Ministry of Defence, 200 billion baht for the Ministry of Transport, 177 billion baht for the Ministry of Public Health and 130 billion baht for the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives, among others.
An extraordinary committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira was set up to scrutinise and amend the budget bill which will be returned to the House floor for its second and third or final readings in the next few months.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra speaking during the Budget Bill debate. Photo: Naewna
Front Page: Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at Parliament. Photo: Thai Rath
Insert: People’s Party MP Sirikanya Tansakul speaking during the Budget Bill debate. Photo: Amarin TV
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