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Of the total budget, Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin said nearly Bt9.1 billion would be spent on improving infrastructure and security in the capital.

"For example, Bt1.87 billion is earmarked for public trans¬port projects like the Skytrain and Bus Rapid Transit systems, as well as for landscape enhancement," he said.

Apirak said Bt4.57 billion will go to environmental improvement such as adding more green areas to Bangkok, enhanced management of garbage disposal, globalwarming solutions and efforts to reduce pollution.

Apirak said Bt1.5 bil¬lion would be devoted to the promotion of Bangkok resi¬dents' health, while Bt1.48 bil¬lion would be used to finance a project to develop Bangkok as a learning city.

"About Bt197 million will be used to strengthen the capital's economy," he said.

After Apirak presented the budget plan to the Bangkok Council, many councillors joined a heated debate on the plan.

Suttichai Veerakunsunthorm, who rep¬resents Bangkok's Chom Thong district, said several departments under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) still had plenty of money left from the budget granted for fiscal year 2007 but they were still seeking more.

"This is not right," he said.

He also complained that the BMA Public Works Department spent its budget on projects not intended for it in the first place.

Another Bangkok council¬lor, Pradermchai Boonchuaylua, who represents Huai Khwang district, raised concerns that the strengthen¬ing baht might affect the econ¬omy so much that the BMA's tax collection would not meet its target.

Pradermchai said the tax collection would be used to finance a sizeable portion of the budget for 2008.

He said the BMA expected to collect as much as Bt6 bil¬lion in tax.

"If purchasing power falls, we may not meet the target for tax collection and that is wor¬rying," he said.

However, following the debate, the Bangkok Council approved the budget and set up an adhoc committee to review the plan.