Fiscal Policy Office Director-General Naris Chaiyasoot said the roadshow would be led by caretaker Finance Minister Thanong Bidaya, who is set to raise confidence in Thailand's economy among foreign investors. Accompanying him would be representatives from the Board of Investment and other agencies.

"We're surveying what the investors want to know about Thailand," Naris said.

After the Singapore roadshow, the government would go ahead with another one in the Middle East. Naris said that the Middle East trip was postponed from the beginning of this year following political uncertainties.

"Yet, under the economic circumstances, we need to do it, to restore confidence," Naris said.

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the bidding for the three mass transit lines, aiming to pump money into the economy, which has been reeling from political uncertainties, higher interest rates and soaring oil prices. Few companies have decided to renew investment plans, unsure of when the new government will be formed.

Caretaker Deputy Finance Minister Chaiyos Sasomsap yesterday said that another way to boost the economy is to have state enterprises speed up budget disbursement in the 2006 fiscal year.

After discussions with 17 state enterprises, Chaiyos said that as of March, the state enterprises had disbursed only Bt79 billion - or 28 per cent - of the total budget approved worth Bt281.7 billion.

The delayed disbursement was attributable to the delayed investment in mega-projects, as well as the adjusted conditions in the electronic auction procedure.

"The condition that requires a procurement worth more than Bt2 million to be put under the e-auction procedure has caused practical troubles. Some state enterprises could not follow the rules as they have had difficulties in appointing a neutral committee to monitor every auction. Thus, we are considering raising the minimum amount of e-auctions. Next week, there will be a discussion with the Comptroller General's Office on this issue," Chaiyos said.

According to the Finance Ministry, state enterprises that have failed to disburse as much as planned included the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, the Port Authority of Thailand, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, the State Railway of Thailand, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand and CAT Telecom Plc.

As of March, they were scheduled to disburse Bt15 billion, but they actually spent only 10 per cent of that.