BANGKOK, Sept 3 (NNN-TNA) – Thailand’s Senate approved a 3.78 trillion baht (116.73 billion U.S. dollar) budget, for the fiscal year 2026, in its third and final reading yesterday.
The 200-member upper house of the Thai parliament, passed the budget bill for fiscal year 2026, beginning in Oct, with 151 votes in favour, one against, and 27 abstentions.
The planned spending projects a 0.7 percent increase from a year earlier, with a budget deficit of 860 billion baht (26.54 billion dollars) or 4.3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.
Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Pichai Chunhavajira, extended his gratitude to the Senate for passing the crucial bill, saying, the budget is a vital tool for implementing government policies, the national strategy, and various development plans.
“The government will oversee the spending, to ensure it is transparent, verifiable, and achieves the set policy goals, to move the country forward, amid rapidly changing circumstances,” Pichai told parliament.
The bill sailed through the House of Representatives last month, and now awaits royal endorsement before taking effect.– NNN-TNA
