Absent senators may lose allowance

Absent senators may lose allowance

BANGKOK (DPA): Thai senators who skip upper house meetings may soon have their attendance allowances slashed in a bid to cut the government budget, the Bangkok Post reported yesterday.

The Senate Affairs Committee will study the proposal, Senate Speaker Meechai Ruchupan said. He added the measure would not affect senators who work and at the same time help cut the state budget.

Thailand continues to search for ways to cut its budget for fiscal year 1997/1998 to meet the requirements of the US$17.2 billion International Monetary Fund rescue package agreed in August.

Early this week, the cabinet approved a 20 percent cut in monthly salaries for it members, backdated to Dec. 1. The salary cut was set to save the government at least one million baht per month.