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Govt postpones report on 6-month performance

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:47:35 +0000

BANGKOK, 30 July 2009 (NNT) – The government’s report on its performance over the first 6 months in office will be postponed due to the Prime Minister’s planned attendance to the Senate meeting.

Prime Minister’s Office Minister Satit Wonghnongtaey stated that the government’s performance report, which was tentatively set in coincidence with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s birthday on 3 August, might need to be put off and rescheduled on a later date. He reasoned that the Prime Minister and cabinet members would be occupied with the upcoming first session of the Senate meeting.

Nonetheless, Mr Satit elaborated that Prime Minister Abhisit and some relevant ministers would still deliver the statement within the same week at Government House, and the details would comprise the administration’s achievements on several issues during the first 6 months as well as future plans.

PM calls on private sector to help restore the economy

Sat, 30 May 2009 18:33:34 +0000

BANGKOK, May 30 (TNA) – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday called on the private sector to help restore the economy, saying it had a significant role in developing the Thailand’s economy to ensure sustainable growth.

Delivering a keynote speech on “The Economic Stimulus Package: How Businesspersons Can Give Assistance,” he said that Thailand’s current economic crisis is different from the crisis of 1997 because it stemmed from external factors, not local financial problems as in in the past.

The government had monitored and supervised the crisis and come up with multi-level measures to curb possible impacts and strengthen the economy.

He conceded the immediate situation his government is facing now remained unabated. But there are some signs the economic problem began to ease and the unemployment had dropped.

Mr. Abhisit said he wanted to seek the private-sector cooperation to help shore up the economic situation because he was informed that some groups of people would attempt to instigate unrest in June.

He affirmed should the bill authorizing the Ministry of Finance to seek Bt400 billion in loans to help restore economic stability this year win approval, the government will apply the funds to invest in a schedule of critical projects.

It is expected the projects would create up to 1.5-2 million jobs and boost competition in the economic, education and public health sectors, he said. (TNA)

Satit Wonghnongtaey “Govt to revive economy further”

Tue, 26 May 2009 17:30:58 +0000

BANGKOK, 26 May 2009 (NNT) – Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office Satit Wonghnongtaey admitted the negative economic figures, saying that the Government would pursue its plans to recover the economy and elucidate the issue to the public accordingly.

Recently, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Thailand was reported to be as low as minus 7.1 percent, and the Government has been receiving criticisms that the negative figure was resulted from inefficient operation of the Government.

Upon the criticisms, Mr Satit said that the Government had duties to report the fact without concealing any facts. He said the figures had already indicated what the Government had to do, stressing that the Government always attached priority to the economic problems and people’s living condition.

Asked how the Government would handle the economy in the coming third quarter since it would be a good time for the opposition to assail the Government, Mr. Satit said the Government was prompt with mainly two things. The first one was preparations of all measures to mitigate economic crisis, including 16 measures coming from the economic stimulus budget. The second one was the elucidation on the issues to be made public.

The Minister said all measures would be evaluated for the progress and how people had been receiving benefits from each measure. The result would be submitted to the Government on 28 June 2009. Then, the National Economic and Social Development Board Office would report to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on 29 June 2009 for further elucidation to be made to the public accordingly.

Thai govt revenue in first seven months of fiscal 2009 down 16.67% from projection

Mon, 25 May 2009 01:59:43 +0000

BANGKOK, May 16 (TNA) — Government revenue in the first seven months of fiscal 2009 – from last October 1 to April 30, 2009 – fell 16.67 per cent below projections, a senior Thai Finance Ministry official said.

Somchai Sujjapongse, Director-General of the Fiscal Policy Office said government revenue during the period stood at Bt644.651 billion, down from Bt773.584 billion projected earlier.

The sharp decrease in government revenues from the target number was attributed to falling tax collections, a drop in budgetted revenues from government-run state enterprises and rebates and allowances instituted by the Revenue Department during the first quarter of fiscal 2009, said Mr. Somchai.

Value-added tax (VAT) and personal income tax collections during the period also slipped 18.6 per cent and 7.6 per cent respectively due to the sluggish economy in the country and tax reductions offered by the government, he said.

Although the government earlier this month increased excise tax on alcohol drinks which could generate higher income, the Finance Ministry forecast that government revenue for the entire fiscal 2009 would definitely retreat from an earlier projection of about Bt1.6 trillion, Mr. Somchai said. (TNA)