Govt funding for deep South on three-day turnaround
The Comptroller-General's Department gave an assurance yesterday that budget disbursements would reach government contractors in the restive southern provinces within three days.
Department spokesman Manas Jamveha said disbursement would be speeded up in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun - the so-called special economic zone. The move follows Cabinet approval of a Finance Ministry proposal to allow faster investment in projects in the five provinces to boost the local economy, which is ailing after years of persistent violence. Manas said the money would be transferred to the accounts of private companies through electronic channels within three days of government agencies asking the department for budget disbursements for government procurement. When the government agencies and state enterprises request budget disbursements exceeding Bt2 million per item for particular projects before 3pm on any day, the department will check and approve the disbursement on the same day and the money will be transferred to contractors' accounts before 10am on the following day, he said. In any case, money transfers will not take more than three days. The Cabinet's latest measures allow government agencies and state enterprises to cut short their procurement procedures to speed up public spending in the region. They do not need to hold auctions for government procurement, for the purchase of goods worth no more than Bt15 million and for other procurement projects worth no more than Bt30 million. The measure will be in force for two years. Wichit Chaitrong The Nation
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