House passes Bt12-trn 2012 budget

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra thanked the House for approving the Bt12-trillion budget and promised to set up a committee to review all requests for use of funds, which would be subject to Cabinet approval. The premier vowed that the government would use the budget in the most efficient and transparent manner.
 Under the Constitution, the Senate must consider the Budget Bill within 20 days of its passage by the House.
 The Senate is expected to meet to discuss the bill, which has been criticised as concentrating too heavily on populist schemes at the expense of long-term policies, on January 20.
 Some fierce debates erupted in the House late Friday night, especially on the matter of the construction of a new Parliament building and whether some construction contracts may not be in the institution’s best interest. Former House speaker Chai Chidchob asked why there had been no bidding on the contracts for the construction, which was scheduled to begin last month. Chai was upset by House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranond’s comment that it would take time to sort out possible irregularities regarding the bidding process, which involves four companies.