Bangkok: The government has addressed concerns regarding the allocation of funds for 858 groundwater well projects, clarifying that the distribution of resources was not politically motivated and that the opposition party also received significant funding.

According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Lalida Periswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, explained that the allocation of resources for groundwater development projects, totaling 6,541.98 million baht, was proportionate to the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) and constituencies each party represents. Ms. Lalida emphasized that the People's Party received the highest average allocation per location, and the data should be thoroughly considered before drawing conclusions about political bias.

The deputy spokesperson highlighted that the increase in projects corresponded with the Bhumjaithai Party's growth in constituency MPs, from 68 in 2023 to 172 in 2026. She noted that the rise in projects from 201 to 487 in the party's constituencies reflects this growth, rather than any political intent. The unchanged location of wells, despite shifting constituency boundaries and party victories, further supports this rationale.

Ms. Lalida pointed out that opposition parties, such as the Kla Tham Party, also received a substantial number of projects, ranking third in terms of projects per MP. This contradicts allegations of project distribution being a reward for coalition partners. In contrast, the Palang Pracharath Party, a coalition partner, witnessed a drastic decline in projects, challenging claims of favoritism.

Furthermore, the People's Party's constituencies received the highest average budget per project, surpassing other parties, including Bhumjaithai, Kla Tham, Democrat, Pheu Thai, and Palang Pracharath. The deputy spokesperson explained that funding variations were due to engineering and site-specific conditions, independent of any political affiliations.

Ms. Lalida concluded by asserting that the allocation was consistent with electoral outcomes and urged for comprehensive scrutiny to ensure transparency and fairness. The government remains open to scrutiny and aims to provide both transparency and tangible benefits to the public through the clean water initiative.