Thailand's investment budget disbursements seen below target in fiscal year 2015

[BANGKOK] Thailand's finance ministry said on Monday it expects disbursement of the investment budget for the fiscal year ending September 2015 to fall short of target.

"It is about 60 per cent now. We may end the current fiscal year in the region of 70 per cent as this is already a final month," Deputy Finance Minister Wisut Srisuphan told reporters.

The total budget for 2015 is 2.575 trillion baht (US$71.3 billion), with the portion for investment around 451 billion baht (US$12.49 billion), ministry data showed.

The ministry last week eased rules on budget approvals for small scale government projects to boost disbursements in the next fiscal year, Mr Wisut said.

Thailand's military government has said speedy government spending will help drive growth but disbursement of funds has been slow and big infrastructure projects have stalled.

REUTERS