Public finance stories from Asia Pacific you might have missed this week.

Thai fiscal policy office sees 5.2% growth in 2013 with stimulus

Thailand’s economic growth in 2013 is projected at 5.2%, assuming public investment projects move forward as planned, according to the fiscal policy office (Bangkok Post).

Japan disaster: 25% of reconstruction fund spent on unrelated projects

A quarter of the 11.7trn yen (£91bn) the Japanese government allocated to rebuild the region devastated by last year's earthquake and tsunami has been spent on projects unrelated to the disaster (The Guardian).

New South Wales government won't reconsider cuts despite budget mistake

New South Wales Treasurer Mike Baird says the government will not reconsider billions in cuts to education and health despite the auditor general finding the state’s budget is actually in surplus (Business Spectator).

Japanese government open to compromise to avoid ‘fiscal cliff'

Japan's government is ready to compromise with the opposition to pass a crucial bill needed to prevent a crippling funding shortfall, Vice Finance Minister Tsutomu Okubo has said (Reuters).

Rare Hong Kong deficit looms as spending rises

The Hong Kong government may see its first annual deficit in eight years, a tax expert said this week (The Hong Kong Standard).