Thai Cabinet approves infrastructure development budget worth nearly Bt 400 billion

CHIANG MAI, January 15 (TNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said Sunday the Thai cabinet has approved in principle a budget worth about 380 billion baht for 128 infrastructure development projects in the country's northern region, including the Bangkok-Chiang Mai high-speed railway project, the public transit system and the flood prevention system. Kittiratt, who is also a commerce minister, also told reporters that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered him and the finance ministry to complete the fiscal year 2013 budget plan within this month as the premier wants the fiscal year 2013 budget to be approved by the cabinet by September this year, noting that the budget deficit will be tightened for fiscal 2013 because government incomes will increase, thanks to the economic recovery. Furthermore, Kittiratt said the cabinet has also approved a 33 billion baht budget for cassava mortgage scheme that will be implemented from February 1 to May 31. The scheme will cover 10 million tons of cassava roots and the mortgage price is set at 2.75 baht per kilogram of cassava roots. Under the scheme, each farmer can pledge 250 tons of cassava roots. Regarding travel warnings issued by the United States and 14 other countries over possible terror attacks in Bangkok, Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said Sunday that he has expressed his disappointment toward the US ambassador to Thailand on the early issuance of the warning without consulting with the Thai authorities. The website of the US embassy in Bangkok on Friday published a warning, urging all Americans living or visiting the Thai capital to be on high alert when "visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok." The foreign minister also said he has also instructed Thai embassies to clarify the real situations in Thailand to the 14 other countries, following their warning of possible terrorist attacks in Thailand’s capital city. (TNA)