Thai PM wants 2013 budget to serve locals’ needs

BANGKOK, February 23 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra wants the 2013 state budget to meet the needs of local people, increase the productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and support dependence on the domestic economy. Yingluck laid down the policy to representatives of ministries and government agencies, acknowledging as fluctuations and risks have remained in the world economy, her government will keep on stimulating the national economy and the spending of local communities and to relieve people's financial burdens. The Pheu Thai premier also emphasized on the necessity to boost Thai exports and the productivity of local SMEs, insisting that budget spending plans are to meet the needs of local people and investment in domestic infrastructure projects not to be duplicated. The prime minister said that she hopes a deficit of the 2013 state budget will be limited at 2.4 per cent to maintain the state's financial health, noting that her government will postpone unnecessary spending plans to following years. (TNA)