Bangkok: Sirikanya Tansakul, a Member of Parliament and Deputy Leader of the People's Party, has unveiled significant concerns regarding inflated prices and overspending in the 2027 budget, particularly highlighting the 6.5 billion baht central budget allocated for drought mitigation. She exposed issues of overlapping budget allocations and unnecessary expenditures across various ministries.
According to Thai News Agency, Sirikanya, a member of the Special Committee for the Draft Budget Act for Fiscal Year 2027, detailed that the live broadcasts of the budget deliberations have captured public interest over the past three weeks. The discussions have centered around substantial budget cuts across several agencies. Despite these reductions, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) received a 30% budget increase, primarily for a centralized government cloud service. The overlap in cloud funding between the DE and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) has been noted, with the latter facing cuts in disability benefits while investing in a data center and overpriced office furnishings.
The subcommittee has discovered numerous budget irregularities, prompting coordination for budget reductions. Sirikanya emphasized the need for further scrutiny despite government claims of significant budget cuts, citing ongoing excessive expenses.
Sirikanya also questioned the 6.5 billion baht central budget allocation for drought relief, highlighting its contrast with a 7 billion baht budget reduction for the Royal Irrigation Department. This allocation includes funding for solar-powered groundwater projects, reminiscent of the contentious solar power project from 2025. She urged vigilance to prevent potential corruption and favoritism.
Additionally, Sirikanya commented on the involvement of Pawut Pongwitayaphanu, another People's Party MP, in the TH-AI Passport case, suggesting it might distract him from preparing for his Forex lawsuit. She clarified that Pawut's focus had been diverted by various lawsuits, with another MP, Rakchanok Srinok, handling the TH-AI Passport case.
Sirikanya assured that the People's Party is actively following up on these issues through parliamentary mechanisms, with further developments expected as investigations continue.