Thailand's Senate debate on Bt2.2t loan bill kicked off

BANGKOK, November 18 (TNA) - Thailand's Senate has started deliberating the government-proposed 2.2-trillion-baht-borrowing bill in its second and third readings, with the debate set to end by November 21. The Senate's session addressed important issues of the draft bill on Monday to allow the Thai Ministry of Finance to borrow 2.2 trillion baht to fund the government's new mega infrastructure development projects, mostly in the transport sector. The draft bill consists of 18 sections and the majority of a committee scrutinizing the bill earlier resolved to revise Section 3 concerning wording definitions of the bill and Section 6 on the objectives of the borrowing. Meanwhile, representatives of rallying groups to oppose the government-sponsored amnesty bill, including those organized by leading oppostion Democrat Party members, as well as the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand and the Business Club for Democracy, presented the signatures of 23,000 people to Senate Speaker Ni-kom Wai-rat-pa-nij to show public support for their move to impeach 310 government MPs who voted to pass the draft amnesty bill early this month. (TNA)