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.