The Public Health Ministry looks set to scrap its Bt1.4billion plan to buy 829 wellequipped ambulances.
"At this point, the move will likely take place but it's not definite yet," the ministry's permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit said yesterday- but other senior officials are more emphatic in their opposition to the vehicles.
The ministry initially planned to purchase the ambulances at a cost of Bt1.8million each, using budget from the government's Thai Khemkhaeng project, and to upgrade and improve equipment in just 2,000 local hospitals.
However, Paijit said the ministry now wanted to upgrade 9,000 local hospitals and that meant it would need to scrap some projects and reduce budget for some others.
According to Paijit, seniorranking officials of the ministry are now considering cancelling the planned purchases of the wellequipped ambulances because the existing older ambulances could still function.
"They will propose the idea to Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit at their next meeting on April 5," Paijit said.
