FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Defence Ministry 4th-highest spender in 2023 draft budget with Bt197bn

Defence Ministry 4th-highest spender in 2023 draft budget with Bt197bn

The Defence Ministry has been allocated Bt197.292 billion under the draft Fiscal Year 2023 budget bill approved by the Cabinet.

The allocation for defence is the fourth-highest among ministries under the national budget for fiscal year 2023, which begins in October.

The Cabinet last week approved the draft 2023 national budget of Bt3.185 trillion, an increase of 2.75 per cent or Bt85 million on the 2022 budget.

However, the draft sees the Defence Ministry’s budget reduced by Bt4.373 billion from last year.

The budget bill is due to be submitted to the House for deliberation in May.

Defence Ministry 4th-highest spender in 2023 draft budget with Bt197bn 2023 Defence spending explained

The Defence Ministry’s Bt197.292-billion budget will be allocated to six agencies as follows:

Royal Thai Army

Allocated Bt96.573bn, down Bt3.039bn from 2022. Budget divided into five spending plans:

- Personnel spending: Bt60.237bn (up Bt1.345bn)

- National defence development and preparations to meet national threats: Bt19.486bn (down Bt1.709bn)

- Basic security operations: Bt12.906bn (down Bt2.574 bn)

- Defence strategies and solving national security problems: Bt2.979bn (unchanged)

- Operations in deep South: Bt462m (down Bt115m)

Royal Thai Navy

Allocated Bt40.322bn, up Bt115m. Budget divided as follows:

- Personnel spending: Bt21.511bn (up Bt228m)

- National defence development and preparations to meet national threats: Bt13.13bn (down Bt504m)

- Basic security operations: Bt4.595bn (up Bt800m)

- Special eastern development zone: Bt716m (down Bt386m)

- Strategies to promote international relations: Bt155m (unchanged)

Royal Thai Air Force

Allocated Bt36.112bn, down Bt1.681bn. Budget divided as follows:

- National defence development and preparations to meet national threats: Bt18.084bn (down 940m)

- Personnel spending: Bt14.167bn (up Bt709m)

- Basic security operations: Bt3.785bn (down Bt1.45bn)

- Strategies to promote security of national institutes: Bt35m (unchanged)

- Strategies to promote international relations: Bt23m (unchanged)

Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters

Allocated Bt14.54bn, up Bt57m. Budget divided as follows:

- Personnel spending: Bt7.12bn (up Bt19m)

- National defence development and preparations to meet national threats: Bt5.618bn (up Bt79m)

- Basic security operations: Bt1.611bn (down Bt43m)

- Strategies to promote international relations: Bt69m (unchanged)

- Strategies to promote security of national institutes: Bt53m (unchanged)

Office of Permanent Secretary for Defence

Allocated Bt9.238bn, up Bt86m. Budget divided as follows:

- Personnel spending: Bt4.127bn (up Bt92m)

- Basic security operations: Bt3.538bn (down Bt1.029bn)

- National defence development and preparations to meet national threats: Bt1.524bn (up Bt1.012bn)

- Strategies to promote international relations: Bt26m (up Bt10m)

- Strategies to promote security of national institutes: Bt17m (unchanged)

Defence Technology Institute

Allocated Bt504m, up Bt88m. Budget divided as follows:

- Personnel spending: Bt274m (up Bt8m)

- National defence development and preparations to meet national threats: Bt165m (up Bt15m)

- Development of defence industry and future services: Bt65m

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