National Legislative Assembly (NLA) member Akapol Sorasuchart yesterday hailed the government's plan to slash more than Bt40 billion from the central budget fund in fiscal 2007.

Akapol alleged the Thaksin-Shinawatra administration abused the fund and spent taxpayers cash on "electioneering".

"Thaksin spent the central budget to serve his own interests," Akapol claimed during yesterday's first reading of the 2007 Budget Bill.

The central budget need not be assigned to any particular agency and can be accessed without stating exactly what it must be used for.

Of Bt1.56 trillion in total State spending proposed by the Surayud Chulanont government in fiscal 2007, more than Bt193 billion would be allocated to the central fund for which prime ministers have discretion.

That appropriation is more than Bt40 billion less than fiscal 2006 when the Thaksin government appropriated Bt243 billion.

Mahachon Party deputy leader Akapol alleged Thaksin exploited the central fund to buy popularity and pay for the election of himself and Thai Rak Thai Party members.

Budgets contained little detail during the Thaksin era, he said, adding Thaksin exploited this to approve pork-barrel schemes without the scrutiny of Parliament or other agencies.

He said Thaksin's provincial tours saw the former prime minister approve spending from the fund for local projects - in other words, abusing taxpayers' money to build popularity.

The central budget cut follows a Surayud order cancelling the CEO provincial governor philosophy introduced by the Thaksin government after the 2001 election.

Meanwhile, NLA member Somkiat Onwimon criticised the Surayud Budget Bill as little different from his those of his predecessor.

"This government should do great things for this country. But this fiscal plan looks boring. The country will not make a leap with this kind of plan," he said.

He questioned the need for the coup if the new government's Budget Bill was to be "traditional".

Weerayut Chokchaimadon

The Nation