The GOVERNMENT has set aside a significant portion of the central budget to finance economic stimulus measures that are likely to be necessary in the first and second quarters of this year to maintain growth momentum.

The deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs, Somkid Jatusripitak, has instructed the Budget Bureau to reserve an unspecified amount for such measures, as there are already signs that the global economic recovery this year will not be as good as what the economic team expected earlier.

The central budget for fiscal year 2016 was set at Bt402.13 billion (S$15.8 billion), or 14.78 per cent of the overall state budget worth Bt2.72 trillion.

"The deputy prime minister told the meeting that the 2016 fiscal budget would be mainly used to support economic reform towards a more domestic-led economy so that the budget is not wasteful and is directed towards the building of local infrastructure," said Government Spokesman Major Sansern Kaewkamnerd.