Thai lower house lawmakers entered the final day of their first debate over a 3.48 trillion baht ($100.5 billion) budget, allocated for the remainder of the 2024 fiscal year, with a vote scheduled late on Friday.

The spending budget has been delayed from the original Oct. 1 date due to the slow formation of the government after the May election.

The budget bill is expected to pass the first vote as the Pheu Thai-led government commands a majority of seats in the House of Representatives.

The bill will then need further deliberation by both houses of parliament in second and third readings in early April before becoming law in early May.

"The budget allocations will provide the greatest benefit for the public," Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Friday.

Earlier this week he said the budget was necessary to drive the country's economy and that growth this year is expected to be between 2.7% and 3.7%. ($1 = 34.6200 baht) (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng, Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat, Editing by Hugh Lawson)