Parliament, Opposition parties announce resolution not to accept the principle of the draft additional budget bill 67 to be used in the digital wallet project, urging the withdrawal of the draft. Representatives of the opposition parties, including the Move Forward Party, the Democrat Party, the Thai Sang Thai Party, the Serm Tham Party, and the Thai Kao Na Party, announced their resolution not to accept the principle of the draft additional budget bill for fiscal year 2024, with a budget of 122 billion baht. Mr. Sitthiphon Wibulthanakul, a party-list MP for the Move Forward Party, stated that the opposition has a joint resolution to disagree with this draft bill. Although they believe that the Thai economy is currently having problems and needs to be stimulated, the budget should be allocated appropriately because many credible institutions, such as the Bank of Thailand and the World Bank, have assessed that the impact of the digital wallet project on the Thai economy is not worth it. The benefits that wil l stimulate GDP this year and next year are lower than the amount that can be used. Therefore, the government must come up with appropriate measures that are used cost-effectively. In addition, the opposition raised several issues about the risk of breaking the law, including creating wrong standards in budget preparation, treasury, and future spending, whether it is investment spending or central budget, which are important causes of the problems of this draft. At the same time, the opposition sees that Although it is necessary to stimulate the economy in the short term, the money spent, more than 450 billion baht, must be used appropriately. However, the current economic problems of Thailand are more than stimulating consumption. It is a problem for the production sector that the government must allocate a budget to solve the Thai economic problems in the long term. Mr. Romtham Khamnuarak, Democrat MP for Pattalung, said that the Democrat Party could not accept the principle of this draft law because the 1 22 billion baht loan violated the promise that the Prime Minister made to the people. It was a loan to give away, almost reaching the ceiling, causing public image to increase and become a burden for the people. The budget request was made amidst uncertainty and public concerns about the digital wallet project, especially the source of the 450 billion baht, the criteria and value that have been questioned all along, while the principle of the loan to give away and the source of the digital wallet project money are at risk of being illegal. However, the Democrat Party is ready to support projects that are good for the people but does not agree with the loan to give away, and hopes that the government will review it and ensure that the budget for this project does not borrow or embezzle other budgets. Mr. Thakorn Tanthasit, MP for the Thai Sang Thai Party, said that he agreed with the resolution of the opposition parties because he saw that it violated the Fiscal Discipline Act and the Budget Procedure Act. He compared it to a car with the front wheels following the rear wheels, so he could not accept this draft law because he was afraid that it would have a major impact on the 2025 budget draft and affect the people. Therefore, he asked the government to withdraw the additional law for the 2024 budget first, which would be the best thing. Source: Thai News Agency