Cabinet backs plans

Aside from a Bt6-billion arms purchase and the first instalment for the construction of the new Parliament, the Cabinet also agreed to extend free water access for provincial households.

From October to next March, households consuming less than 50 cubic metres a month will not have to pay anything. This deal covers 698,386 households, and the government estimates that it would cost about Bt540 million over the six-month period.

Earlier, as part of the six measures introduced to alleviate the rising cost of living, Bangkok residents consuming less than 50 cubic metres a month would also not have had any water bills, which would have cost the state Bt3.93 billion. Covering the entire country would have cost Bt46.4 billion.

The Cabinet also approved the increase in the salaries of state power-enterprise employees, even though some joined PAD protests.

The Cabinet also approved the completion of the Bt22.9-billion Samut Prakan Klong Dan water-treatment project, which was brought to a halt in 2006 due to corruption charges.