Govt has no growth plans or fiscal discipline : Abhisit

"If you look at the government’s numbers in its budget, I want to point to the problem of financial discipline; the government does not control its spending in a way that it is efficient. Besides, the government’s income will be low. I cannot see any real strategy to strengthen the economy," he said.

Meanwhile, House committee member vetting the 2014 fiscal budget bill Democrat MP Watchara Pechthong raised questions over Parliament’s "unnecessary" and non-transparent spending.

Watchara was speaking during the first day of the House’s second reading of the 2014 Budget Bill. The vetting committee decided to propose cuts of Bt31.9 billion in the proposed Bt2.525-trillion annual budget.

Watchara has sought a 0.1-per-cent cut in the 2014 fiscal budget, arguing that many projects proposed by the Secretariat and the Office of the Parliament President were "unnecessary" and non-transparent.

He cited 200 clocks worth Bt75,000 each, a ticket-room for planes, train and buses, Bt5 million to renovate the media room, Bt3.3 million on an excursion to Chaiyaphum province, Bt80 million for microphones and Bt30 million for security cameras.

He said Parliament secretary-general Suwichag Nakwatcharachai claimed that such projects were proposed on orders from the House Speaker and House committees, but Suwichag has failed to produce documents on the procurement procedure.

"I, therefore, propose that the budget is cut because this spending does not respond to the government’s policies and leaves loopholes for corruption," he said.

House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont who chaired the meeting swore that he had no knowledge of the procurements cited by Watchara and said he had earlier summoned Suwichag for questioning when the allegation made headline news.

Somsak said Suwichag insisted that all projects were carried out correctly and he has asked him to provide documents.