Committee suspends budget for digital wallets for further review

The Special Committee to Examine the Draft Annual Budget Expenditure Law for Fiscal Year 2025 has decided to temporarily suspend the budget for the digital wallet scholarship program amounting to 152.7 billion baht.

Thakorn Tantasith, a list lawmaker from the Thai Sang Thai Party, said the Finance Ministry had been asked to provide additional documents for a more thorough audit.

Thakorn had previously debated the draft budget, highlighting three risks: revenues would not meet targets, and there were hidden budget allocations for economic stimulus and strengthening the economy, which included the 152.7 billion baht budget for digital wallets.

Together with additional borrowings of 112 billion baht for the 2024 supplementary budget, the total debt would exceed 264 billion baht, raising concerns about possible violations of the 2018 State Budget and Financial Discipline Law, which allows borrowing only in urgent and prolonged crises. (NNT)